Tip of the week #4

Okay, how many of you have a HAYDEN in your families??? Well we like to call all our stains HAYDEN'S, because my son Hayden always, did I say ALWAYS!!! YES ALWAYS get's a stain on his clothes, and on OTHERS!!

On the blog 365 days of organization she talks about stains. She says the best defense against stains is information -- knowing how to attack a particular spot before it sets permanently into the fabric. Since there are so many kinds of stains, each with its own best cleaning method, it's difficult to memorize them all. That's where this convenient chart comes in: It's a comprehensive listing of stains, from grease to ink, along with advice on how to handle them for washable items. You can download the chart and print it out. Place in a page protector and hang in the laundry room/area.

Homework: Print out a stain chart and place it in your laundry room. Have a great an organized week!!!

Oh and Happy Birthday HAYDEN!!! This has been a GREAT 11 YEARS!!! We love you and want you to know we don't know what we would do without our special boy!! Oh and you will always be our favorite son!!!

Checklists & Charts: Stain Removal Basics
from Martha Stewart Living http://www.marthastewart.com/article/removing-stains-the-basics

NOTE: This chart is for washable items only.
STAIN TREATMENT

GREASE

(butter, oil, mayonnaise)
Treat area with a dry solvent (such as mineral spirits or acetone) in a well-ventilated room. Using an eyedropper, rinse with
isopropyl alcohol; dry well. Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on any remaining residue, and soak the item in an
enzyme detergent before washing.

PROTEIN

(blood, egg)
Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on stain, and let it sit; rinse in tepid water. If stain remains, treat area with an enzyme
detergent, and wash according to label instructions.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE

(juice, jam)
Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on the stain to remove sugars. Using an eyedropper, flush the area with white
vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide to remove any remaining color. Follow up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue
before washing.

GRASS

Treat area with a dry solvent in a well-ventilated room. Press with cheesecloth; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Repeat
to remove as much pigment as possible. Flush area with isopropyl alcohol, tamp, and let dry. Follow up with an enzyme
detergent to remove residue before washing.

CHOCOLATE

Gently scrape off excess chocolate; spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Follow up with an enzyme detergent
to remove residue before washing.

LIPSTICK

Use a dull-edged knife to remove excess lipstick. Using an eyedropper, apply a dry solvent (such as mineral spirits or
acetone) in a well-ventilated room; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Flush area with isopropyl alcohol, and tamp. Repeat until
all stain is removed, and let dry. Spray with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Treat with an enzyme detergent, and wash.

WAX OR GUM

Use ice to freeze wax or gum, or place item in the freezer; scrape or crack off as much as you can, then remove residue with
an oil solvent or mineral spirits. Rinse with isopropyl alcohol; let dry. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash.

MUSTARD

Using an eyedropper, flush stain with vinegar; then wash with diluted dishwashing-soap solution.

SAUCES

(tomato, ketchup, barbecue)
Scrape off sauce; spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Soak in tepid water. If color remains, apply white vinegar
with an eyedropper. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash. If color persists, apply several drops of hydrogen peroxide; let sit.
Rinse; treat again with enzyme detergent, and wash.

SOY SAUCE

Spray with diluted dishwashing-soap solution; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Flush with water, apply white vinegar, and tamp;
let stand several minutes, and flush again. If stain remains, apply hydrogen peroxide, and let stand. If stain persists, apply
1 or 2 drops of ammonia to wet area. Flush with water. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash. If stain is still there, apply a
powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach, such as sodium percarbonate; rewash.

VINAIGRETTE

First, treat stain as a grease stain (see grease, above). Then flush with white vinegar to remove any remaining spot. Follow
up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue before washing.

FELT-TIP INK

First, build a “dam” around stain with mineral oil or petroleum jelly. Always work within the confines of the “dam”. Test the ink
with a cotton swab saturated with water and another one saturated with isopropyl alcohol to determine whether the ink is
oil-based or water-based. Whichever solvent pulls more pigment out of the stain is the one that should be used. If isopropyl
alcohol is more effective, follow the steps for ballpoint ink stains below. If water is more effective, spray the stain with diluted
dishwashing-soap solution, and then flush with cold water.

BALLPOINT INK

Build a “dam” around the stain with mineral oil or petroleum jelly. Always work within the confines of the dam. Treat area with
isopropyl alcohol using an eyedropper. Remove any remaining pigment with a dry solvent in a well-ventilated room; let dry.
Rinse with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, then wash with an enzyme detergent in warm water.

MUD

If stain is a combination of mud and grass, treat grass stain first (see grass, above). Shake or scrape off residue; pretreat
stain with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, and soak. Then treat with an enzyme detergent; wash.

The diluted-soap solutions called for above is made with 1 tablespoon of fragrance- and dye-free liquid soap (containing sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth
sulfate) and 9.5 ounces of water. Pour it into a tiny spray bottle. Do not use the enzyme detergent, called for below, on protein fibers, such as silk, wool, cashmere,
or angora. Always wash fabric after using a dry solvent (such as mineral spirits or acetone), and do not use acetone on acetate.