Your favorite aunt has
left you a souvenir - a red wine stain on your
brand-new white linen tablecloth. Don't press the
panic button, run for the soda
water!
any quality table
linens on the market today have been treated with a
soil-release finish, but it still helps to keep a
few general rules for stain removal in mind. The
sooner you act the better. Fresh soda water, as
we've mentioned, can be quite effective in removing
fresh stains. Just pour it on the spill and sponge
clean. Wash the cloth as soon afterwards as you
can.
Identify the stain. If
you saw it happen or you were the culprit yourself,
that's easy. If the stain resulted from a
combination of agents, treat each of them
separately. For example, if the spill was coffee
with cream and sugar, first treat the sugar, then
the cream, finally the coffee. Sponge from the top
of the cloth and rinse from the bottom. If the
stain still shows after the first washing don't
machine dry it - heat usually sets stains. Retreat
and rewash the cloth.
Wash white fabrics
separately from coloured ones, just as mother
always told you. Fabric "brighteners", which are
safe for colors, are a big help in lifting
dinginess. Poly-esterposes a particular problem.
Oil-based, it has excellent water-repellent
qualities, but tends to retain oil and grease
marks. Wash polyester or polyester blend materials
as soon as possible. Always wash matching items
together, cloth napkins with the tablecloth, for
example.
Now to the particulars.
Category A stains (catsup, cocoa, egg, milk, soft
drinks and alcoholic beverages): scrape off dried
excess stain with a dull knife and soak in an
enzyme pre-wash as recommended on the package
before washing as usual. Repeat if stain persists,
but rub liquid detergent into the stain before
re-washing.
Category B stains are
the really messy ones: chocolate, cream, gravy and
meat-juices, salad dressings, coffee and tea,
mayonnaise and other sauces. Try a cold water soak
after using the enzyme pre- wash as above. Then use
a pre-wash spray and wash as usual, but in hot
water with a safe. For-colors brightener. Repeat
if stain persists.
Category C is grease
stains such as butter, margarine or oil. Use a
prewash spray, then rub with liquid detergent and
wash as usual, but in hot water. If stain
persists, rewash with a grease remover rubbed into
the stain. For Category D stains such as wine,
fruit and berry-juice, bring out the soda water
(plain cold water from the tap will do in a pinch).
Use an enzyme presoak, launder and if stain
persists, use a safe-for-colors
brightener.
Stains in Category E
are candle wax and crayons. Rub the stain with an
ice cube, scrape off excess with a dull knife,
position the stain between two paper towels and
press with a warm iron. Sponge gently with a
grease solvent and launder in hot water. Our last
group is Category F, lipstick or rouge. Rinse away
the stain with hot water, sponge with a grease
solvent, and rub in a liquid detergent and wash in
hot water with a safe-for-colors brightener. It
stain persists, treat with a prewash and repeat
washing. To recap: when in doubt, run for the soda
water... and remember, you can always cover that
persistent stain with a sensational
centerpiece.