How to Remove Stains from Clothes

What if you had an interview with your boss, and because of your confusion, the ink from your pen ran out onto your favorite blouse? What would you do? And when you spill some drops of oil on your blue jeans that you bought a week ago, no more? What’s the solution?

The process of removing stains from clothes is one of the most difficult problems, especially when we hear the phrase: you spoiled the clothes! from mother, husband or even children. But in this article, we will save you from embarrassment. Together, we will learn about ways to remove stains from clothes. Here are the appropriate remedies for each case.

Remove Oil and Fat Stain from Clothes

When we eat a bite of a delicious burger, we may lose sight of some fat or oil falling on our clothes. Greasy and oil stains are the worst! Oil may be attracted to synthetic fibers such as polyester, and oil stains will darken and become more visible over time.

We may make a serious mistake when we rush to wash it directly. There are several ways to remove stains from clothes that you should know. There is the removal of new oil stains from clothes, the removal of old oil stains from clothes as well, and even the fixed stains that were previously washed. We will learn how to remove them.

1- Remove New Oil Stains from Clothes

1- When you want to remove stains from clothes, you must first check the clothing care label. Some textiles, such as silk or cashmere, may require special care.

2- Start by scraping the excess fat with a butter knife. Then gently wipe the spot with a clean white paper towel or a piece of cloth to get rid of as much oil as possible.

Note: Using paper towels with printed patterns can transfer color to your clothes.

3- Gently wash the stain with liquid dishwashing soap and leave it for 10 minutes.

4- Make sure to rinse off the residue well.

5- Machine wash with concentrated laundry soap in the warmest water recommended on the clothes care label.

Repeat it when necessary.

Note: It is never allowed to use the dryer with clothes that contain grease or oil stains because the remaining particles can start a fire in your dryer if it gets too hot. Also if any of the oil or grease remains, the heat of the dryer will set it in the fabric.

2- Remove Old Oil Stains from Clothes

When you remove stains from clothes directly, it is easy to remove oil stains from clothes, but sometimes it is not possible. Do not worry. There are ways to remove old grease stains from clothes, even after they’ve dried:

1- Apply liquid dishwashing soap to the stain and leave it for 10 minutes.

2- Soak in warm or hot water for at least 30 minutes.

3- Dissolve some stain remover or washing powder in the water.

4- Toss it in the washing machine with laundry detergent in the warmest water allowed on your care label.

3- Remove Fixed Oil Stains that you Have Previously Washed

So what if you did all of the above and it didn’t work? There is still hope!

1- Spray the stain with a water displacement lubricant such as WD-40® to reactivate the stain, and leave for 15-30 minutes.

2- Try to treat it again with liquid dishwashing soap, and do not put clothes in the washing machine because water displacement lubricants can be flammable because they may not be completely removed.

3- Instead, wash the clothes by hand with warm water suitable for the fabric, add a little laundry detergent, then squeeze out the excess water well, repeat the treatment with a new detergent solution and warm water until the smell of grease is gone. Rinse it with clean water. Do not use the dryer so as not to cause fire to the clothes.

Also read: 10 Tips to Avoid Sweat Stains while Wearing Clothes

Remove Blood Stains from Clothes

If you have a child who has fallen off their bike, stumbled on a playground, scratched themselves climbing a tree, had a nosebleed, cut themselves, or pricked themselves. Between falling and bleeding, blood stains must end up. Let’s learn how to remove blood stains. Do not forget that the process of removing stains from clothes that include blood is one of the most difficult stains to remove.

The problem is that blood stains are not just a red color, a blood stain is an organic stain, which means that it is full of proteins, and the proteins are prepared to stick together when exposed to heat, which makes them stain our clothes quickly. So, do not wash the bloodstain with hot water, and handle it with care.

Emergency Procedures for Removing Blood Stains

1- After first aiding the patient, wash the blood stain under cold water, because hot water will help all those proteins to fix themselves on the cloth.

2- If it is not possible to remove the garment to rinse it, when bleeding occurs in the garden, for example, you can wipe the stain with something absorbent such as a paper towel or a cotton tissue that absorbs the largest amount of blood possible. Blot from the outside so that it does not spread further.

How to Remove Blood Stains from Clothes

You may benefit from soaking a tough, dried blood stain with water to re-moisten it and start scrubbing it off:

1- Soak the garment in a tub of cold salted water (one or two tablespoons of salt per liter of water) for several hours before washing it as usual.

2- For any permanent marks, dissolve laundry detergent in lukewarm water, rub the edge of the stain with the solution you prepared, then leave the garment to soak.

3- Apply a baking soda paste directly to the stain and leave it for up to 30 minutes. A baking soda paste (two parts baking soda to one part water) is a good trick to help remove blood stains.

4- After removing the soda, wipe the area with a damp cloth or paper towel and then wash as usual.

Use Cold Water to Remove Blood Stains

Make sure to remove all stains from clothing before washing your clothes in hot water, or you risk setting them into the fabric.

If the removal of blood stains is not going well (and sometimes it does not budge), the last resort remains to hide, a solution of 20% hydrogen peroxide can be used to whiten the stains. Dilute it by putting 1 part of the solution into 6 parts of cold water.

Also read: Tips for Choosing Work Clothes

Remove Various Ink Stains from Clothes

Different ink stains require different care in order to get the stain off your clothes perfectly. So be sure to follow the appropriate method depending on whether you are trying to remove ink from a ballpoint pen or permanent marker. All of these methods should only be used on washable fabrics and should be tested first on a small, hidden corner of your garment to make sure they won’t cause any damage to the garment.

Two of our recommended methods use alcohol as the main ingredient, and since it is flammable, always use it away from open flames and wash all clothing thoroughly after treating an ink stain with alcohol. Never try to remove ink stains from dry clean-only clothes at home.

How to Remove a Ballpoint Pen

Fresh dry ink is one of the easiest to remove from washable clothes like T-shirts and jeans. As with any stain, the sooner you remove it, the easier it will be.

What you will need:

Tissue paper
Alcohol
Dropper
Stain remover before washing

Method:

1- Wash the stain with alcohol. If the stain is small, put a paper towel under the stain and use a dropper to put the alcohol on the stain so that it does not disintegrate into a larger spot.

2- Put alcohol in a small dish, dip the stained area and soak for 15 minutes.

3- Blot the stain with a clean paper towel, and continue to sponge and blot the stain until no more ink is spread on the fabric.

4- Rinse the fabric, then apply a stain remover before washing, wash it under cold water, and apply a stain remover before washing. Wash clothes on the highest temperature with fabric-safe bleach. Choose a color-safe formula for colored clothes.

5- Make sure to remove the ink stain completely. If the stain is still there, repeat the above-mentioned steps again, or until the ink is gone. Put the piece in the dryer only after the ink is completely gone.

How to Remove Ink from a Felt Tip Pen

It takes a little longer to remove the ink from a felt-tip pen, but it’s not impossible.

What you will need:

Hot water.
Ammonia.
Laundry detergent to remove stains.

Method:

1- Rinse the stain with cold water, to remove as much ink as possible.

2- Soak the clothes in a mixture of hot water, bleach-free laundry detergent and ammonia. Fill a sink with hot water and pour in liquid bleach-free detergent. The amount you use to wash the blouse should be enough, plus two splashes of ammonia, stir and immerse the garment in it, rub the stain with your fingers and let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour.

3- Leave the tough stains to soak overnight, and rub them from time to time. You can also mix a new solution or add a little ammonia to refresh.

4- Rinse the garment and wash it with clear water. When the stain is gone or as light as possible, wash the garment, rub it with more liquid laundry detergent and wash it again, as with any stain.

5- Dry the clothes in the air until you are sure that the stain is completely removed. Placing it in a hot dryer will set the stain, making it more difficult to remove. Leave it to dry in the open air.

Remove Permanent Ink from Clothes

Although there are plenty of ways to remove stains from clothing, it is not always possible to remove permanent ink. In addition to being made to last forever, the success of removing such a stain depends largely on the material, the color of the ink, and how long the stain has been allowed to set.

The steps below may work for some new permanent ink stains, but if that doesn’t work, try a stain remover made for permanent ink as a last resort. If the garment is bleach-safe, try using bleach to remove the stain.

What you will need:

Tissue paper
Alcohol
Dropper
Stain remover before washing
Alcohol sponge
An old towel or paper towel

Method:

1- Under the colored permanent ink stain, pour rubbing alcohol onto another paper towel and use the sponge directly around the stain. If the towel under the stain becomes too stained, remove it and replace it with a clean towel. Continue using the sponge until more ink is removed from the clothes.

2- Rinse the garment or clothing well with cold water. If the stain is not completely removed, you can try the above step again or try an ink stain remover.

3- Wash the garment with cold water. If the stain has disappeared, go back to washing the clothes as usual and air-drying them until you are sure that the stain is completely gone.

How to Get Ink out of Leather Fabrics

If your pen accidentally touches your wallet, you have nothing to fear:

1- Just dip a cotton swab in alcohol and gently rub the stain to wipe the marks off. If your wallet has a shiny surface, it is likely coated with a protective material to protect the leather and it will be easier to treat.

2- If alcohol doesn’t do the trick, try a commercial product designed specifically to clean leather, such as a leather cleanser and moisturizer.

3- If that doesn’t work or your bag is made of patchy leather, take it to a dry cleaner who specializes in leather treatment.

4- To make marks like ink easier to remove next time, use a leather protectant, such as Leather Protectant Cream, which is used on purses, sofas, and other leather-finished items.

Remove Ink from Clothes after Drying

Removing stains from clothes is not difficult, but what if you have realized too late that the shirt you are folding fresh from drying has an ink stain that you forgot to remove or left a new stain for a very long time, then you may not be out of luck as you can try the above methods first. If that doesn’t work, switch to stronger commercial stain removers.

These products often contain ingredients to target all types of ink, just be sure to follow label directions when using them and test them in a hidden spot first to make sure they are safe for the fabrics you are treating. Another option you can use is Shout Advanced Action Gel, which even works to remove stains from clothes that have taken a long time to dry after drying.

Other Ways to Remove Ink from Clothes

Through proven experience, hairspray has gained a good reputation for removing stains from clothes due to the alcohol in its formula. But many of today’s sprays contain less alcohol, so they are not as effective on ink stains as the old formulas were. Plus you still have to deal with removing sticky hairspray residue.

Other methods you may have seen as effective ink removers include vinegar, toothpaste, and even hand sanitizer. Although the alcohol in hand sanitizer may do a little (as do most other alcohol-based methods), we’ve never found any of these alternatives to be effective. If you really want to remove the ink, stick to the above options.

How to Remove Glue from Fabric

Glue stains don’t have to be permanent, we show you how to remove glue from fabric easily.

What removes glue from fabric?

“In fact, there are many techniques you can try to remove glue from fabric, just wait for the glue to dry before you begin.

Here’s how to easily remove stains from clothes.

How to Remove Cold Glue from Fabrics

1- Scrape off the glue first with a knife, use a blunt knife or scraper because anything too sharp may damage the fabric.

2- Soak the glue stain in cold water, then rub it gently with a damp sponge.

3- This technique should suffice for small stains. However if you still have a little residue, try the next additional steps.

4- Apply acetone. Use a cotton ball or a piece of cloth dampened with acetone to gently rub the glue stain, try to avoid pouring too much acetone on the cloth, then rub the stain with laundry detergent, and then leave it to soak.

5- Wash the fabric with clean water, by the time the washing machine cycle is finished and taken out, the glue stain should be gone.

6- Air dry the fabric, do not use the dryer unless you are sure that the stain is completely gone.

Acetone, commonly found in nail polish remover, is very effective at removing glue from fabric and other materials. However, there is a risk of slight discoloration on delicate fabrics, so test the acetone on a small, less visible section to look at the fabric first.

How to Remove Hot Glue from Fabrics

Like cold glue, hot glue is also easy to remove once it dries. Try to remove the glue from the fabric without causing any scratching, then follow these simple steps:

1- Put the colored cloth with glue in the freezer (refrigerator) and leave it there for up to an hour, or two hours at most.

2- Scrape the glue with a blunt knife, use a dull blade or a hard edge to gently scrape the glue residue, taking care not to damage the fabric. You can also try the acetone method on hot glue spots.

Remove Glue from Fabrics Using a Glue Remover

If you use glue regularly in your work, it makes sense to have a special glue remover on hand. You can use it to remove glue stains from fabrics and all kinds of materials and surfaces. If you want to remove glue from fabric, follow these steps:

1- Cover the stain with glue remover.

2- Place the folded tissue on both sides of the stain, and leave it for a few hours.

3- Remove the tissue, wipe the cloth and clean it well, wash and dry the cloth.

If the stain doesn’t go away the first time, repeat the process.

The stains that afflict your clothes are a difficult problem, but it is not impossible to solve. With patience and the use of some tricks and effective materials, your clothes will return to their cleanliness and elegance.