Your sister comes over for a visit and sits on your sofa next to your new cotton linen pillow cover. She takes out her ball point pen to work on a crossword puzzle. You have a very nice visit trying to come up with answers to clues like, "What's an eleven letter word for "clumsy?"
When she leaves, you walk over to the sofa to fluff up your pillows. Lo and behold, your sister has left several ball point pen marks on one of your pillows.
Arrrgggh.
Stains happen. They're almost always accidents. Fortunately, there are ways to remove stains from your home decor textiles like throw pillow covers and tea towels. The best part is, you don’t have to buy expensive spot removers because you can use home remedies for stain removal! Sustainable fabrics respond well to a number of DIY stain removers, so don't panic when you find spots on your cherished textiles.
Most stains can be removed by using a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your home. If not, these items aren't very expensive if you compare them to specialized stain removers from big brands.
So don’t panic when you find a spot on your home textiles. You can remove stains from linen, you can remove stains from cotton and hemp, and you can do this with a homemade stain remover or two.
This post will cover stain removal tips such as:
- How to get a grease stain out of cotton
- How to get rust stains out of fabric
- How to remove stains with baking soda
- How to use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood stains
- How to get red wine stains out of cotton
Homemade Stain Removers
Dawn Dish Soap Mixture with Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Dawn dish soap
- 2 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tablespoon baking soda--adjust the amount of baking soda depending on how thick or thin you want the mixture to be
Dawn Dish Soap Plus Hydrogen Peroxide
- 1 part Dawn dish soap
- 2 parts hydrogen peroxide (3%)
Spray the soap and peroxide mixture on the item to saturate the stain
Dawn Dish Soap Plus Water
This mixture is useful to remove stains from linen fabrics. Use a dab of Dawn dish soap and cool water to wash out stains. Then rinse well.
Hydrogen Peroxide
* To remove stains with hydrogen peroxide, first, do a spot test on an inconspicuous area of colored fabrics to check for colorfastness.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to get a blood stain out of cotton. Beware that hydrogen peroxide can bleach color out of clothes, so use this exclusively for light or white clothes.
Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda
Baking soda works well on stains like like coffee, wine, fruit juices, tomato sauce, and bodily fluids. Try to use this method right after the stain occurs.
Use a small scrub brush or toothbrush (use one you can discard later). Scrub a bit onto the stain. Leave the baking soda on the stain and let it sit for a few minutes before washing the item.
If the stains are tough ones, you may need to apply the paste multiple times before seeing results.
Rubbing Alcohol
Use for ink stains (and nail polish). Blot with cotton ball or soft rag until the stain is gone. Immediately rinse in cold water afterwards.
Cornmeal or Talcum Powder
These two products are great for grease stains. They keep stains from setting in the fabric and becoming permanent.
Sprinkle a couple of spoonfuls of cornmeal or talcum powder onto the stain. Wait about 15 to 30 minutes for the product to soak into the stain. Brush off with a dry cloth or soft brush or vacuum it off.
White Wine
White wine can actually be used to remove red wine stains. You'll need three clean cloths.
- Dampen the first cloth and use it to blot the stain.
- Use the second cloth to apply white wine to the spot.
- Finally, sprinkle baking soda on top and let it sit 20 minutes before removing the stain with a dampened third cloth.
White Distilled Vinegar
Dab some undiluted white vinegar straight onto the stain. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then wash immediately.
Types of Stains Removed by White Vinegar
- Sweat stains
- Odor-causing stains from pets or food spills
- Food Stains like fruit juices and sauces
- Grease and oil stains
- Fresh wine stains
- Coffee and tea stains
- Ink Stains-when combined with cornstarch
Lemon Juice and Water
A mixture of these two things can help remove sweat stains. Lemon juice alone can help remove rust stains in fabric. Just be sure to launder the item right after treating it.
A Word About Dyes and Ink Colorfastness
All of my products in my shop are printed using permanent reactive inks. These fabrics can be washed repeatedly without fading.
Some Don'ts:
- Do NOT use white vinegar (or any vinegar) on silk or rayon
- DON'T use bleach!
Cover Photo by Ian Talmacs on Unsplash
