Stains are one of life's guarantees—they're bound to happen sometimes, no matter how much of a neatnik you are. Luckily, you've got our ultimate guide to common laundry and carpet stain removal to teach you how to knock out common household stains, from muddy paw prints to red wine spills.
Removing Ink Stains
There's nothing worse than a stubborn ink blotch on a crisp white shirt, and for some reason, the good old-fashioned pocket protector seems to have gone out of style. But ink stain removal isn't insurmountable. To remove an ink stain, first create a protective barrier around the stain by spreading some petroleum jelly around the stain's edges. Then saturate one cotton ball with water and another with rubbing alcohol, and lightly blot each over the stain. If the water absorbs more of the stain, mix a little bit of dish soap with water and saturate the stain, then rinse with cold water and launder as usual. If the alcohol worked better, saturate the stain with that and then flush with cold water and launder.
For synthetic carpet fibers, use an oil solvent or even nail polish remover and dab a small amount on the stain. Wait 15 minutes and repeat if necessary, then rinse by dabbing with plain water. For stain removal on natural fiber carpets, follow the same steps as for mud above: detergent solution, then a mixture of one tablespoon ammonia to 1/2 cup of warm water, then the vinegar solution, then the detergent solution again and rinse. Blot dry between steps to remove excess liquid. For permanent ink stains, use the oil solvent followed by the detergent solution, blotting in between, and rinse with a clean cloth.
Removing Coffee Stains
For stubborn coffee stain removal, we suggest pouring club soda over the stain and blotting. Alternatively, patting a coffee stain with plain white vinegar or, for deeper stains, soaking a stain in a mixture of one part vinegar to two parts water may help before washing as usual. As a bonus, this vinegar tip also helps remove fruit juice stains.
Removing Grease Stains
Grease stains can come from a variety of products, and they can be especially frustrating. You can remove grease stains by covering the back of the stain in dish detergent, waiting a few minutes, and then rinsing with hot water for 30 seconds. If your dish soap is colored, dilute it with water before applying so the color doesn't further stain the clothing. Blot with a paper towel and launder as usual. For stubborn stains on washable fabrics only—so excluding silk and other fabrics you'd take to the dry cleaner—you can purchase stain removal products made specifically for grease stains.
