Vanquish That Stain The Earth Friendly Way!
It's been a wonderful dinner. You've talked and laughed, enjoyed fine wine and scrumptious food, and now it's time to go. You stand up - and realize there's a big stain of tomato sauce right down the front your favorite organic top!Just like in the commercials, you reach for your trusty stain removal solution…
But wait! It's not a plastic spray bottle filled with noxious chemical soup.
Instead, you delve into your arsenal of eco-friendly stain remedies to find one that's tough on your stain - but not on you (or the planet.)
Can't think of any? Don't worry. Just refer to this simple guide to earth-friendly stain removal.
When you have a spill that might stain:
Act quickly. The faster you get to it, the easier it will be to avoid setting and permanent damage. Physically remove as much of the staining substance as you can from the surface of the fabric. Don't rub it in. Try lifting it off with the edge of a table knife or dabbing with an absorbent cloth.Analyze the stain and treat it appropriately.The last step is very important. You want to make sure you're using a method that won't make the stain worse. For instance, hot water is great for juice, but if you try using it on blood it'll just set the stain.
Here are a few common stains and some non-toxic ways to get rid of them:
Berry (including tomato), wine, or juice: Hit it with hot water. I mean really, truly, screaming-teakettle HOT! Many stain-killing ecofashionistas report that stretching the fabric over a sink and pouring water directly from the kettle from 3 feet up works like a charm. (PLEASE do be careful to protect your skin if you do this - and tell children to stand back or leave the room. Scalding water can cause serious burns.)
Grease, fat or oil: Try rubbing cornstarch or corn flour into the stain. Let it dry and brush it off. You might have to repeat this more than once.
Rust: Rub the stain with salt and lemon juice. Let it stand at least 20 minutes then wash out with a mild detergent.
Blood: Scrub the area right away with plain old COLD water. You can also try 3% hydrogen peroxide - the kind they sell in the pharmacy.
Ink: Try soaking it in milk or vinegar. This may take a while.
Chewing gum or wax: Freeze the item, then peel off. If wax has soaked into the fabric, sandwich the stained area between layers of newspaper and iron on low. The wax will melt and be absorbed into the newspaper. (It might take several tries to get it all out.) You can also try dipping it into boiling water. (I tried batiking t-shirts once and I got huge amounts of wax out quickly and easily by boiling the shirts. It's great for organic cotton, as long as you take shrinkage into account. Don't do it with wool, alpaca or viscose clothing though.)
When you're done treating the stain, take a look and see if it was successful. If not, repeat the treatment. Sometimes you just have to be persistent. Then wash and dry your garment as usual - the sooner the better.
Hopefully you'll have the luck o'the Irish and never need to use these tips. But isn't it great to know that should you ever need effective stain removal (especially for your organic and eco friendly clothing) you won't need to resort to harsh chemical solutions?
What are your best tips for caring for your organic clothing? Email them to admin@fashionandearth.com and we'll feature them in a future issue!
About the Author
Fashion & Earth provides eco consumers with organic clothes at affordable prices. With their hassle free returns policy and, extremely popular Rewards Program you really have nothing to lose! Go ahead - check them out and experience the feeling of wearing organic, fair trade clothing. The feeling of empowerment and pride that comes with wearing your values!
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