Stain Remedy

Procedures

Most stains fall into one of three cleaning patterns. Each stain's page tells you which procedure to use.

Procedure A — Liquid (7 steps)

Used for most liquid, food, cosmetic, and pet stains.

  1. Scrape or blot up any excess.
  2. Apply detergent solution (see Cleaning Solutions) with a damp towel and let it sit for 3–5 minutes.
  3. Blot — don’t rub.
  4. Apply undiluted white vinegar with a damp towel.
  5. Blot — don’t rub.
  6. Apply water with a damp sponge.
  7. Blot again. Finish by weighting down a half-inch-thick pad of white paper towels over the spot to draw out remaining moisture. Leave overnight if needed.

Procedure B — Organic / Dye (10 steps)

Used for deeply pigmented organic spills: fruit juice, Kool-Aid, vomit, pet food, etc.

  1. Scrape or blot up any excess.
  2. Sprinkle dry baking soda over the stain.
  3. Scrape it up and vacuum.
  4. Rinse away remaining baking soda with a damp sponge and water. Don’t over-wet.
  5. Blot — don’t rub.
  6. Apply pre-soak solution (see Cleaning Solutions) with a damp towel.
  7. Rinse with water the same way as step 4.
  8. Blot until fairly dry.
  9. Sprinkle on dry powder cleaner (see Cleaning Solutions).
  10. Vacuum.

Procedure C — Grease / Solvent (6 steps)

Used for oily and ink-based stains: cooking oil, hobby glue, India ink, marker pen, shoe polish.

  1. Apply dry-cleaning solvent (see Cleaning Solutions) with a damp towel.
  2. Blot — don’t rub.
  3. Reapply the solvent the same way.
  4. Blot — don’t rub.
  5. Apply water with a damp towel.
  6. Blot again, then weight down a half-inch-thick pad of white paper towels to pull out remaining moisture. Leave overnight if needed.