Removing Stains and Other Tough
Jobs
Clean & Green: The Complete Guide To Nontoxic And
Environmentally Safe Housekeeping, Ceres Press* 1994
Chapter 17
STAINS AND TOUGH JOBS
The following recommendations for stain removal are in alphabetical order by
stain. Since each stain situation is unique, I suggest you make up your
quantities according to the job. (One teaspoon of cornstarch will not help you
if the stain is three feet wide.) As with all formulas, try a test strip first.
It is always best to clean a stain as soon as possible, when it is still fresh
and wet. Note: Make sure to rinse well with water after applying
stain remover.
- BABY FORMULA
Rub with unseasoned meat tenderizer.
- BERRIES AND RED WINE
Soak in white wine.
- BERRIES
Pour boiling water from a height of three feet onto taut
fabric.
- BERRIES
Soak in vinegar.
- BERRIES
Soak the stained cloth in milk.
- BERRIES
Boil nonshrinkable cloth in milk in a non-aluminum pot.
- BERRIES
Rinse with soda water.
- BERRIES
Rub vegetable glycerin into the stain before washing.
- BERRIES
Washing soda paste rubbed into stain.
- BLOOD Make a paste of cornstarch and water and rub into the stain.
- BLOOD
Wipe with hydrogen peroxide.
- BLOOD
Rub with a cornmeal or cornstarch and water paste.
- BLOOD
Rinse with club soda.
- BUTTER
Make a paste of washing soda and water and rub into the stain.
- CHEWING GUM
Place clothing in freezer, or freeze the gum with ice
cubes. Then pull gum off.
- CHEWING GUM
Rub full-strength vinegar onto the gum.
- CHEWING GUM Cover with egg white; loosen the gum.
- CHOCOLATE AND COCOA
Mix sodium perborate and water to a paste, rub on
the stain, then launder as usual.
- CHOCOLATE
Wipe with hydrogen peroxide.
- CHOCOLATE
Borax and water paste rubbed onto the stain.
- CHOCOLATE Washing soda and water paste rubbed onto the stain.
- CHOCOLATE
Rub with any vegetable oil.
- COFFEE AND TEA
- COFFEE AND TEA
- COFFEE AND TEA
- CRAYONS
Rub the marks with baking soda using a mild abrasive pad like
a supermarket green pad.
- CRAYONS
Rub with toothpaste.
- CRAYONS
Rub with baking soda and olive oil paste. Recommended on
washable surfaces only, because the oil can cause a stain of its own. I like
to use this cleaner on walls.
- CRAYONS
Make a paste of washing soda and water. Rub onto the marks
until gone.
- DECALS
Rub the decal with vegetable oil.
- DECALS
Rub with vinegar.
- DECALS
Rub with oil and vinegar salad dressing without herbs.
- EGG
Wash in cold water.
- FOOD
Rinse with club soda.
- FRUIT AND JUICES See
Berries.
- GRASS
Soak in vinegar.
- GRASS
Soak in a strong alcohol and water solution.
- GREASE
Rub with bread.
- GREASE
Cover with wheat bran, rub in and wipe off.
- GREASE
Absorb with cornmeal and wipe off.
- GREASE
Cover with borax, rub in and wipe off.
- GREASE
Cover with cornstarch, rub in and wipe off.
- GREASE
Cover with unscented kitty litter until the kitty litter has
absorbed the grease; wipe off.
- GREASE
Cover spot with pure potato broth; rinse off.
- GREASE
Make a washing soda and water paste. Rub into the grease.
- GREASE
Rub with a dry bar of soap.
- GREASE
Cover the grease with salt, rub in and wipe off.
- GUM LABELS
Scrape off what you can with your fingernail. Dab label
with vegetable oil. Let sit until glue softens and scrape remainder off.
- COFFEE AND TEA
Pour boiling water from a height of three to four feet
onto taut fabric.
- COFFEE AND TEA Mix sodium percarbonate and water to a paste and rub
onto the stain.
- COFFEE AND TEA Soak in strong vinegar solution.
- COFFEE AND TEA Simmer cloth (preshrunk only) in milk to cover in a
non-aluminum pan.
- COFFEE AND TEA Pour soda water on stain, then rinse.
- INK Soak stain in lemon juice.
- INK Make a paste with sodium perborate and water; rub into the ink
stain.
- INK Make a milk, vinegar and cornstarch solution and soak the
stain.
- INK Soak in milk.
- IODINE
Wipe with alcohol.
- LIPSTICK
Rub with white supermarket-type toothpaste.
- LIPSTICK Rub with olive oil and baking soda paste. Recommended for
washable surfaces only as the oil can leave a stain of its own.
- LIPSTICK
Rub with paste of washing soda and water.
- MACHINE OIL
Rub with vegetable or nut oil.
- MACHINE OIL
Saturate with kitty litter.
- MACHINE OIL
Scrub with washing soda and water paste.
- MEAT STAINS Soak in strong washing soda and water solution.
- PETROLEUM OIL
Saturate with diatomaceous earth.
- MOLD
Rub with Australian tea tree oil.
- MOLD Rub with borax and water paste.
- MOLD Soak in strong vinegar solution.
- MOLD AND MILDEW Rub with lemon juice and salt.
- MUSTARD
Rub with vegetable glycerin.
- NAIL POLISH Rub with alcohol.
- OIL Wipe with vegetable oil (oil draws out oil).
- PAINT Soak in milk.
- PAINT Soak in hot vinegar.
- PAINT Soak in water and washing soda.
- RUST
Rub with cooked, cooled rhubarb. Wash off.
- RUST
Wash with lemon juice.
- RUST
Wash with alum and lemon juice paste.
- 428. RUST Make a paste of lemon juice and salt; rub on rust stains.
- RUST Wash with alum and vinegar paste.
- RUST
Rub with tomatoes.
- SHELLAC
Wipe with alcohol.
- STAINS Rub with a paste of borax and vinegar.
- STAINS Soak in equal parts milk and vinegar. Wash off.
- STAINS Rub with a mixture of 1 part vegetable glycerin and 2 parts
vegetable-oil-based liquid soap.
- STAINS Wash with a washing soda and water paste.
- WAX Rub with paste of washing soda and water.
- WINE See Berries.
Ceres Press
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Woodstock NY 12498
USA
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