Whether you are looking for a cheap, DIY stain remover or you are trying to make your home
chemical-free, there are some effective common household products you can use instead of
expensive and artificial chemical products that are just as good. Have a look through your
pantry for any of the following products and give them a try!
Vinegar
Bog standard vinegar can actually be one of the most effective methods of stain removal. Mix
equal parts vinegar and warm water and soak the stain for a few hours. For more stubborn
stains, scrub the liquid into the stain with a soft bristle brush and rinse the garment through
thoroughly. For more tips on using vinegar to treat laundry stains, take a look at this helpful article.
Dish soap
If you have a tough food stain on your clothes that you want to remove, try some liquid dish soap.
You can mix a little washing up liquid with warm water and leave the item to soak for a few hours.
If you have a particularly stubborn stain, you can apply the dish soap directly to the
stain and scrub it. Once the stain has been treated, rinse the suds out of the item. Dish soap is
particularly useful at treating greasy food stains. Baking soda If you are looking for a
way to remove stains without having to scrub the item, add ½ cup of baking soda to your
normal wash cycle. This will effectively lift any built-in grime or food stains
without any added effort. You should add baking soda to your load of whites. The baking soda
will make your whites brighter and cleaner looking.
Rubbing alcohol
Have your kids gotten a little too creative with a permanent marker? Not to worry, you can lift
their scribbles out of your clothes with a little bit of rubbing alcohol. Soak the stain thoroughly
and scrub it until the stain comes out. Once the stain has lifted, put the item through your normal
wash cycle.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is an especially good stain remover, especially for food or coffee stains – not
surprising really, seeing as it is designed to do this for your teeth! Simply apply some toothpaste
directly to the stain and apply a little water. Rub the stain until it begins to lift.
Denture tabs
If you are running low on toothpaste, denture tabs work just as effectively as toothpaste. Dilute
one denture tab in a bucket of water and leave the item to soak for a few hours. If you have a
particularly stubborn stain you want to deal with, try crushing a denture tab, mixing it with a drop
of water and applying the paste directly onto the stain.
Shampoo
Squirt a blob of shampoo directly onto the stain and leave the shampoo to soak in for a few minutes. Once the
shampoo has set into the stain, dab at it with a cloth until the stain vanishes.This works effectively well on oil and
blood stains. If all else fails and you can’t find any of these products in your home, sick to good old fashioned water.
For new stains, treat them with cold water. Scrub the stain and leave it to soak for a few hours. For older stains, try
wash setting your washing machine to boil wash.
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