Stain Removal

Berries / Fruit Juice
Soak in milk, club soda, or white vinegar. If stain remains, rub with glycerin, let stand 15 minutes, rinse in lukewarm water.

Blood
No one's going to pretend this is an easy one! Rinse fresh stains ASAP in cold water, rub with soap or with a paste of cornstarch and water, then rinse in cool water. To bleach out any remaining stains, sponge with vinegar or a little hydrogen peroxide, and dry in strong sunlight.

Chocolate
Rub spot with glycerin, and rinse. If stain remains, rub with a paste of washing soda and water, or borax and water.

Coffee / Tea
Soak in equal parts white vinegar and cool water, leaving overnight if necessary. If cream or coffee whitener leave a greasy mark, rub a paste of washing soda and water into the stain before laundering as usual.

Deodorant / Antiperspirant
Sponge fresh stains with vinegar, and launder as soon as possible, then hang to dry in full sunlight. For older stains, soak overnight in equal parts water and vinegar, then rub with paste of baking soda and water and let stand 1 hour before washing.

Glue, White
Scrape off excess, soak in very warm water to loosen glue before laundering as usual.

Grass
Another tough one! Soak the stain in vinegar. The green marks will be removed almost immediately from some fabrics, but most will need to soak for several hours. If a stain still shows, sponge it with a strong solution of alcohol and water. Rinse, then scrub with soap and rinse again.

Ink / Newsprint
First off, we have reason to believe that those "permanent" felt-tip markers really are permanent! For other inkstains, soak in milk. It may take from 30 minutes to overnight, depending on the type of ink. If stain remains, rub with glycerin and let stand for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse well with warm water.

Ketchup / Tomato Sauce
Rinse thoroughly under cool running water, then soak in equal parts vinegar and water, changing the liquid as necessary. If stain remains, soak 2 hours in undiluted vinegar, or in warm milk, then rub with soap and launder as usual.

Lipstick
Rub with paste of washing soda and water, rinse with warm water. If stain remains, rub with glycerin, let stand 1 hour, rinse with very warm water.

Make-Up
Rub damp cloth with soap, rinse with lukewarm water. If stain remains, rub with paste of washing soda and water.

Meat Gravy
Sprinkle with baking soda or cornstarch to absorb excess grease, brush off gently without rubbing, and rinse under running water, as warm as the fabric allows. Rub with unseasoned meat tenderizer. If stain remains, rub with paste of baking soda and water, let stand 15 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Mould / Mildew
Soak in vinegar, or rub with salt and lemon juice. Hang to dry in strong sunlight.

Motor Oil / Grease
Rub with paste of washing soda and water, rinse under warm running water, and repeat as needed: until the stain gives up, or you do.

Mustard
Rinse immediately under cold running water, rub dishwashing liquid (not pure soap, this time) into stain, let stand 5 minutes and rinse in cool water. If stain remains, rub in glycerin and let stand 30 minutes, rinse with equal parts white vinegar and cool water. (Some prepared mustards leave a stubborn stain that may require treatment with a mild bleach like vinegar or hydrogen peroxide).

Paint
Wash spilled latex paint with soap and water immediately, before it dries. Gently scrape off dried paint and soak stain in hot vinegar or milk. Not all paints can be removed, but it's worth a try.

Perspiration
Sponge fresh stains with equal parts vinegar and water, then launder with 1/4 cup baking soda in the wash water. For older stains, rub with paste of baking soda and water, or salt and water, and let stand 1 hour before washing as usual. Hang clothing to dry whenever possible, as a dryer's heat can set and yellow any untreated stains.

Rust
Rub with a paste of salt and lemon juice, let stand 15 minutes, rinse and repeat. If stain remains, soak overnight in undiluted vinegar.

Salad Dressing
Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch to absorb excess grease, brush off gently without rubbing, and rinse under running water, as warm as the fabric allows. (We just tested this again, after a particularly good Caesar salad attacked a particularly treasured silk blouse... and yes, it worked just fine!) If stain remains, and the fabric can take it, soak in strong solution of washing soda and warm water, rinse.

Shoe Polish
Work glycerin into the stain, let stand 15 minutes, rinse with warm water. If stain remains, soak in vinegar for an hour, rinse, then repeat glycerin treatment. (One of us says that prevention is the key to shoe-polish stains: wear only sneakers.)

Soy Sauce
Rinse well with cool water, wash with soap or a paste of washing soda and water. If stain remains, soak in equal parts vinegar and water for 1 hour, rub with soap.

Spaghetti / BBQ Sauce
Tie a napkin around your neck, or strip to the waist before eating. No, seriously... rinse the stain ASAP with cool water, rub with glycerin (if its handy) and a drop of liquid soap, and rinse again. Or soak in equal parts vinegar and water, then rinse in cool water.

Urine
Soak in club soda, in equal parts vinegar and water, or in warm milk. If stain remains, rub wet fabric with unseasoned meat tenderizer, let sit for an hour, then rinse. Hang to dry in sunshine if you can.

Wax
Scrape off as much wax as possible. Sandwich the fabric between layers of paper towel or brown paper bag, and press it carefully with a warm iron. Keep pressing fresh paper against the fabric, until all the melted wax is absorbed. Some coloured waxes may leave a permanent stain.

Wine
For fresh spills, absorb excess liquid with a clean cloth and immediately sponge with club soda, if available; otherwise use cold water or vinegar. Or spread salt over the wet stain, let stand 15 minutes, then scrape off and rinse. If stain remains, soak in warm milk or vinegar for 1 hour, longer if necessary.