Tips&TricksUnlocking the secrets to banishing stubborn stains with time-tested remedies

Unlocking the secrets to banishing stubborn stains with time-tested remedies

How to remove stubborn stains?
How to remove stubborn stains?
Images source: © Adobe Stock | Pormezz

28 April 2024 18:27

Stains that are difficult to clean can be very troublesome. Not only do they look unsightly, but they often also emit an unpleasant smell. This is especially true for stains from coffee, tea, and blood. Fortunately, there are home remedies available. Discover how to tackle those stubborn stains!

Stains that are hard to remove from clothing or furniture can really dampen your spirits. It's hardly surprising since we're sometimes forced to discard items or spend a considerable sum on various cleaning products and detergents. These chemicals are meant to assist us in banishing these stains, yet they frequently disappoint — particularly when confronting stains from coffee, tea, or blood.

It's important to highlight that, particularly with coffee stains, washing, soaking, and scrubbing with different products usually only exacerbates the problem. Luckily, time-tested home remedies for eliminating persistent stains exist. We're here to offer advice on what to use!

How to effectively remove stains from coffee and tea?

Stains from coffee or tea are common culprits. In these instances, clothing and tablecloths often bear the brunt of the damage. Regrettably, removing them through regular washing in the machine isn't always feasible, especially if the stained item hasn't been washed before. Nevertheless, it appears that our grandmothers and mothers had a reliable method to tackle this issue.

They sourced their wisdom from the era's household bible, which contained 200 practical tips and household advice from 1937. According to this guide, glycerin is the most effective solution for removing coffee stains. This remedy proves particularly effective on silk, wool, and couch upholstery.

How to apply glycerin to coffee stains? It's quite straightforward. Douse the stains with the product, then rinse them thoroughly with lukewarm water and allow to dry. For stubborn tea stains, boiling water can do the trick. Simply pour boiling water from the kettle directly onto the stain. However, proceed with caution, especially when treating delicate fabrics.

How to remove stains from dried blood?

As is widely known, soaking the fabric in cold water is an effective method for blood stain removal. It's noteworthy that the aforementioned guide from 1937 also endorses this approach. Nevertheless, when dealing with dried blood stains, cold water alone is insufficient. In such cases, sprinkle the stain with baking soda and then wash with cold water. Alternatively, applying a bit of dampened starch to the blood stains is another option. However, it's crucial to remember that after the fabric dries, it must still be cleaned thoroughly.

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