Chapter 13. SPOTS AND STAINS

It's a smart woman who takes time to learn how to remove stains from clothing and household furnishings. She can rescue many an expensive or well liked item that another woman might discard as hopeless, or ruin by hit-or-miss attempts to clean.

STAIN REMOVERS. The first requirement in stain removal is to know the agents that are specific for the different stains. Some spots are unaffected by water but are removed by solvents, and vice versa. Among the solvents, each one is particularly effective for a certain class of stains. Facing this page are listed the groups of stain removers discussed in this chapter, with a few general notes for their use. Detailed treatment of some common stains will follow.

ABSORBENTS (see list) are dry materials that take up certain kinds of spots. Light spatters of OIL on delicate materials can often be removed with one of them: sprinkle the cloth with an absorbent; let it stand as long as seems necessary, shake it out and repeat. An absorbent, well worked in, is often very effective on THICK MATERIALS and RUGS. Keep applying it and brushing it out, or vacuuming it out, until the oil has been absorbed. Or mix the absorbent to a paste with cleaning fluid, spread the paste on the stain and let it dry. After it has dried, brush or vacuum it off. This might have to be repeated a number of times. Absorbents will not harm any material, and solvents mixed with them and applied to GREASE STAINS rarely leave a ring.

SOLVENTS (see list). In addition to removing OIL and GREASE STAINS, solvents such as carbon tetrachloride will deal competently with a number of other trouble makers- CHEWING GUM for instance. In dealing with chewing gum, first pick off, or rub with ice and crack off, as much of it as possible. Then saturate the spot with carbon tetrachloride until the gum yields. STICKY FLYPAPER, ADHESIVE TAPE, WAXES, and COD LIVER OIL also respond to cleaning fluids. But treat the cod liver oil stains before the material is washed. For PRINTER'S INK rub in vaseline or lard, then use the fluid. For RUBBER CEMENT use cleaning fluid. If the cement stain is old and hard, soften it with vaseline before using the cleaning fluid, or rub it with a dry cleaning soap. Solvents are also useful in dealing with stains made by SHOE DRESSINGS and the tough kindred group made up of TAR, ROAD OIL, AXLE GREASE, PITCH, and ASPHALT.

Stain Removal / Steam MATERIALS FOR STAIN REMOVAL ABSORBENTS STAIN SOFTENERS

Cornstarch Vaseline
Cornmeal Lard
Talcum powder Pepsin
French chalk Glycerin
Fuller's earth

ACIDS OXALIC ACID*

White vinegar (do not use on weighted Acetic acid (10%) materials)
Lemon juice

ANTI-ACIDS (alkalies) SODIUM THIOSULFATE

Baking soda (hypo solution)
Ammonia *

BLEACHES

Household (chlorine): for cotton, linen and synthetics without wrinkle-resistant finishes
Sodium perborate: for all materials, especially wool Hydrogen peroxide: for all materials Color remover (Rit, Tintex) *: follow instructions on container

SOLVENTS

Cleaning fluids (non-flammable) Carbon tetrachloride * Stoddard solvent Flammable
Benzene, gasoline, and commercial cleaning fluids so designated Turpentine
Alcohol * (denatured); dilute with one to two parts of water for acetate and delicate colors Kerosene
Acetone; do not use on acetate, Dynel or Arnel Amyl acetate (banana oil); can be used on acetate

SOLUTIONS FOR RUG STAINS (see also Rugs and Carpets)
Detergent
2 teaspoons of detergent stirred until dissolved in 2 cups of warm water. Apply to stain with medicine dropper and wipe gently with clean cloth, using rotary motion. Sponge with clean warm water, then blot with damp cloth.
Vinegar
1/4 cup of white vinegar in 3/4 cup of lukewarm water. Apply as above, gently patting the area with cloth. Allow solution to remain on stain for 15 minutes, then blot and rinse as above.

OTHER SOLVENTS good for paints of various kinds are carbon tetrachloride, benzene (for ordinary spar VARNISH), kerosene, alcohol (for SHELLAC) and acetone. Acetone is especially good for LACQUERS and seldom affects colors. It will remove FINGERNAIL POLISH, MIMEOGRAPH CORRECTION FLUID, and AIRPLANE "GLUE." Acetone can be used on rugs and on all fabrics excepting acetate, Dynel, and Arnel, which it dissolves. For these, first wet the stain with cleaning fluid, then apply a drop of amyl acetate (banana oil), but if the stain was made by a lacquer that contained acetone, the fibers will already be damaged.

WATER. Many stains caused by materials other than grease-even fruit stains-can be removed from cloth with plain cool water if they are treated when they occur. Always try cool water first; it is the safest of all solvents. Rugged play clothes, badly stained (as when little Susie and Jerry discover a wild strawberry or blackberry patch) can be easily cleaned if you put them right into the washer with the water set for very hot and run them through without soap or detergent.

STEAM from a boiling tea kettle can rout several stains that many women consider difficult. For instance a fresh IODINE stain can be removed easily from almost any material if you wet it with water and hold it in steam. If the fabric is heat-sensitive (silk, wool, or synthetic) hold it further from the spout where the heat is less intense. IRON RUST stains often yield obligingly to the steam treatment too. Moisten them first with water, then squeeze lemon juice directly onto the stain and hold it in the steam for several minutes. Rinse the stain with water and if the stain has not disappeared completely repeat the treatment as many times as necessary. Another way is to apply lemon juice and salt and place the material in the sun. WATER SPOTS are caused by displacement of sizing used in finishing cloth and these too can be steamed. Since crisp silks and rayons are the materials most likely to be spotted by water, and both are sensitive to heat, hold them well away from the spout. Shake the material about in the steam and press it after it has been thoroughly dampened. Use steam to freshen VELVETS too.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THE FABRIC you are dealing with, for success in routing stains-whether it is silk, wool, linen, cotton, rayon, or one of the other synthetics-and whether it has a special finish. You should also know, if possible, what caused the stain. If the material will not wash and you are uncertain about these things, it will be better to send an expensive article to a good dry cleaner than to try to do it yourself. Fabrics differ in the stain removers they can stand, and what works on one stain will not necessarily work on another, or on a different material. So test your stain remover on a hidden seam on in some inconspicuous area if you are in doubt. However, the stains that you can remove successfully and easily are legion.

STAINS ON WASHABLE SYNTHETICS. Many stains can be removed very easily from washable synthetic clothing at the time they occur. The material will dry quickly and there will usually be no trace. Just sponge them off with soap or a detergent and water. Stains such as CATSUP, MUSTARD, CHOCOLATE, SHERBET, LIPSTICK, and even SOME GREASE STAINS disappear from nylon by this simple method, while ordinary household cleaning fluids will deal with stubborn GREASE and CHEWING GUM. If you have any doubt about the effect of some other stain remover you may consider using, test it first in some inconspicuous place, such as a seam.

ALL STAINS SHOULD BE TREATED PROMPTLY, whatever their source, because the fresher they are the easier they are to remove. Stains allowed to stand often become hopelessly set and some become difficult or impossible if the material is washed, ironed, or pressed. So sponge off grease and oil stains quickly with cleaning fluid and treat others promptly with plain cool water.

OIL AND GREASE STAINS on washable fabrics are best treated before they go into the water. While they often wash out in the course of ordinary laundering, their removal will be more certain if you pretreat them with detergent or soap (whichever you plan to use), or by sponging them with cleaning fluid. Dark-colored table linens and clothing tend to hide such spots until the material is ironed, and ironing a grease spot also tends to set it. In addition to grease stains caused by foods on linens there may be lipstick stains, which can be tricky depending upon their composition, and candlewax drippings. Drippings of candlewax should be scraped off gently with a case knife, after which any remaining traces can usually be sponged off with cleaning fluid. If color remains from lip stick or candlewax, sponge the spot with a cloth dipped in alcohol. (Dilute the alcohol with one or two parts of water for very delicate materials.)

FOR OIL AND GREASE STAINS on non-washable fabrics use cleaning fluid. Use carbon tetrachloride in a well ventilated room or outdoors because the fumes are poisonous. Do not use flammable cleaners near an open flame. Place a pad of clean cloth on your working surface and arrange the stained part of the cloth on the pad. If the material is thick, put the cloth wrong side up so that the stain can be worked out without having to go through the material. Apply the cleaning fluid to the stain with another pad of cloth, working always from the outer edge of the stain toward the center. This avoids spreading the stain. Use the cleaning fluid sparingly and quickly, repeating applications as many times as are necessary. Use a light brushing motion since hard rubbing damages some materials. Keep moving the pad as it absorbs the stain and excess cleaning fluid. To avoid making a ring, feather the cleaning fluid irregularly into the cloth around the stain and fan it to make it evaporate quickly.

SHOE DRESSING STAINS. To remove white shoe-dressing spots, rinse them first with cold water; then launder the washables. Sponge stains made with colored paste shoe dressings with cleaning fluid or turpentine. It is often helpful to first rub in a softener-vaseline, lard, or gylcerin. Liquid dressings should be sponged with alcohol, diluted with two parts of water for acetate, rayon, or delicately colored materials. If dye stains remain use a bleach. Sponge them with hydrogen peroxide or with a soduim perborate solution, or moisten the stain and sprinkle sodium perborate powder directly onto it. Rinse thoroughly after using these bleaches.

FOR THE TAR AND PITCH GROUP, casualties of the open road, first rub lard or vaseline into the stain until the tar is softened. After that, wash fabrics that will launder, in warm suds. Sponge non-washable fabrics with cleaning fluid, or dip the stain into it and rub between your hands. If the stain is on a rug, scrape up as much of the tarry material as possible, then apply cleaning fluid with a cloth. Use an upward brushing motion to keep it from being worked down into the rug.

MUD is another road casualty. Always let mud splashes on clothing, or mud tracked onto a rug, dry thoroughly before you do anything about it. When it is dry, brush off as much as you can and then sponge the stain with clear water, or with a detergent and water. The last traces usually will yield to sponging with alcohol.

FURNITURE AND FLOOR WAX. Stains from paste or liquid polishing wax and no-rub furniture wax can be removed with cleaning fluid. If traces remain, wash or sponge the material with warm soapy water. On rugs you can use either soapy water or a foam-type rug cleaner. Warm water and a detergent usually will deal with spots from self-polishing floor wax and cream-type waxes. If the stain is on a rug, follow, if necessary, with a foam-type cleaner or (when thoroughly dry) with cleaning fluid. For very stubborn spots on a rug use a brush dipped in cleaning fluid.

TARNISH STAINS from brass, tin foil, copper and other metals, usually can be sponged off with an acid. Use vinegar, acetic acid, or lemon juice, and rinse after the stain has been removed. Do not use bleaches on these stains.

STUBBORN IRON RUST STAINS can sometimes be removed with special iron rust soaps or with oxalic acid (poisonous: don't handle it if you have a sore or cut). Sprinkle a few crystals onto the stain, dip the fabric (if washable) into boiling water, then rinse thoroughly. You may have to repeat this. It is almost impossible to remove iron rust stains from non-washable materials. Consult your dry cleaner. If the stain is on a rug try sponging it with clear water. If this is unsuccessful, consult a professional cleaner.

FOR GRASS, FLOWER, AND FOLIAGE STAINS on washable fabrics first try hot water with soap or detergent Rub the stain briskly or scrub it with a soft brush, then launder the garment. If the stain has not yielded completely use a bleach. Sodium perborate is a good selection. Moisten the stain, sprinkle it with sodium perborate powder, let it stand for half an hour, then rinse. Or immerse the garment in a solution of one tablespoonful of sodium perborate in a pint of water and let it soak for several hours or overnight. Use hot water for all washables excepting silk and wool. Stains continuing after this treatment can be soaked in a stronger solution of the bleach. Household bleach also will deal with these stains but it may harm colors and cannot be used on silk, wool, blends containing these fibers, or on wrinkleproof resin finishes.

FOR GRASS, FLOWER, AND FOLIAGE STAINS on non-washable materials try sponging with denatured alcohol or benzene. Rinse by sponging with clear water.

Ink stains, pencil marks and crayon hieroglyphics have a way of getting around the place easily if there are small fry in the family.

INDELIBLE PENCIL. Water will spread a stain made by an indelible pencil, so don't try it. Sponge the stain with alcohol, or diluted alcohol, or soak the material in it, after making sure by testing that the dyes will stand it. Remaining traces may be washed out, or sponged away with soap and water, or bleached. Use household bleach on white cottons and linens, excepting those with crease-resistant finishes. Apply it directly to the stain and let it remain no longer than one minute. Rinse promptly and thoroughly.

Government home economists recommend using an anti-chlor solution as a final rinse (two tablespoonfuls of white vinegar in a cup of water) to stop the destructive action of the bleach. Materials that household bleach might damage can be sponged with peroxide containing a little sodium perborate.

LEAD PENCIL MARKS can sometimes be erased off or washed off fabrics. Sponge woolens with a half-and-half solution of water and alcohol.

FOR CRAYON MARKS on washables, apply soap or detergent and hot water. If traces remain, sponge them with diluted alcohol. Crayon marks on non-washable materials can usually be sponged off with carbon tetrachloride or other cleaning fluid.

INK STAINS while tough, are not hopeless. There are many kinds of writing ink and the removal method depends somewhat upon the kind that has made the stain. Most ballpoint inks can be removed by sponging the stain repeatedly with acetone or cleaning fluid. Acetone is harmless to most fabrics, but it damages acetate, Dynel, and Arnel. Some inks will wash out, while others are set by washing. If you can test the ink by making a similar stain on a piece of fabric of the kind you want to wash, do that first.

INK ON RUGS. Washable inks can be removed by using a damp absorbent cloth. For ballpoint inks, use cleaning fluid. For permanent inks, consult a professional cleaner.

Ink on Clothes / Mildew

INK ON CLOTHES AND LINENS. Modern textile chemists today say that the safest first step toward removal of all stains caused by writing inks (other than ballpoint) on clothing and table linens, is to soak the stained fabric in cool water for thirty minutes, or even overnight. After soaking, rub them with soap or a synthetic detergent and wash in warm suds. If traces remain they can be bleached. Use household bleach on cottons, linens, and synthetics with special finishes. On special finishes use a sodium perborate hot bleach solution, made by adding a tablespoonful or two of sodium perborate to a cup of very hot water. Treat any remaining yellow stain like an iron rust stain. (See Index.)

AMMONIA TREATMENT FOR INK. Certain types of ink can be removed or made inconspicuous by sponging with an ammonia solution. Use one tablespoonful of ammonia to a cup of water. Sponge the stain repeatedly because the ink stain tends to reappear as the fabric dries. Use the ammonia treatment for silk, wool, and Vicara, and wrinkle-resistant cottons, which would be damaged by household bleach, or by the sodium perborate solution applied hot. Sponge silk, wool, or Vicara, first with cool water to remove as much of the ink as possible, then with the ammonia solution. If the stain does not disappear completely sprinkle it with a non-precipitating water softener such as Calgon, place a wet pad of cotton on it, and let this remain for an hour or longer. Finally rinse the cloth carefully. If the spot still shows, make a hot solution of commercial dye stripper, apply a few drops, and rinse promptly. Most dyes will stand this quick treatment, but test colored cloth first in an inconspicuous place, such as a seam. You may have to repeat the process. A yellow stain remaining should be treated as an iron rust stain. (See Index.)

STAINS MADE BY CARBON PAPER usually wash out in good stiff suds. If the material will not wash, sponge the stain with alcohol or diluted alcohol and rinse by sponging it with cool water.

Sad as it may seem, some clothing is stained right in the laundry-scorch, for instance.

LIGHT SCORCH STAINS usually can be removed from cotton and linen materials by rewashing them and leaving them in the sun for one or two days, or they can be treated with household bleach. For white washable materials this method is often effective: dampen a wet cloth with hydrogen peroxide and cover the stain with it. Place over this a dry cloth and press with a medium warm iron. If the peroxide soaks through the top cloth, replace it immediately with another dry cloth to avoid getting an iron rust stain. It may be necessary to repeat this treatment several times. Rinse the article thoroughly afterwards. Another method is to sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide containing a little sodium perborate, then rinse.

SEVERE SCORCH STAINS on linens and cottons damage the fibers and cannot be removed. This is also true of silks, but the appearance of woolens can sometimes be helped by brushing the marks with emery cloth.

BLUING STREAKS AND OVERBLUING usually can be corrected by prompt rewasbing with plenty of soap or detergent. Sometimes just a cold water rinse will do the job.

POORLY RINSED MATERIALS, washed with soap, sometimes develop a stain during ironing which looks like scorch or iron rust. Rewasbing and thorough rinsing usually remove these stains. But put them in the sun after relaundering if you can.

UNFAST DYES. For stains caused by running dyes first try water and sunlight. Just rinse the stains with cold or lukewarm water, or soak the stained material for ten to twelve hours, then wash it and put it in the sun. If the stain refuses to depart, try a bleach: dye stripper, according to the directions on the package; household bleach for white cottons, linens, and synthetic materials without special finishes; hydrogen peroxide plus a few drops of ammonia; or a little sodium perborate for any material. But for colored material, test these bleaches first.

MILDEW will occur on damp towels and clothing if they are placed in a hamper wet, or allowed to sit around the laundry too long after they have been dampened for ironing. Mildew is a mold. It grows on damp fabrics, leather, and even wood, and eventually destroys them if it is allowed to remain.

SOAP AND WATER WILL REMOVE MILDEW from washable materials if the growth is fresh. Drying in the sun helps kill any traces of mold. If the stains are old, you will have to use a bleach. Sometimes lemon juice and salt will do the work. Squeeze lemon juice onto the stain, sprinkle it with salt, and put it in the sun. Or use household bleach for cottons, linens, and synthetics without resin finishes. Sodium perborate is safe for all materials. Soak the stained article in a solution made by adding four tablespoonfuls of sodium perborate powder to a pint of water, or dampen the stain and sprinkle the powder directly onto it. Rinse with clear water.

MILDEW ON FURNITURE. Upholstered chairs, mattresses, and leather articles that have become infested with mildew should be taken outdoors and brushed so that the mold will not be spread through the house. The upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner wil help get it out of cloth. Follow this dusting with a thorough airing in the sun to stop the growth of the mold. Sometimes a light sponging with detergent suds or upholstery shampoo helps. Rinse afterwards with clear water. Or sponge the stains with a half-and-half solution of water and alcohol. Dry carefully after either treatment. Indoors, an electric fan will speed the drying.

MILDEWED LEATHER. Wipe with the alcohol and water mixture, dry it, and if necessary wash the leather with a cloth or sponge well wrung out of mild soapsuds, or with saddle soap. Dry it outside afterwards, or in an airy place, or with an electric fan. Shoes and luggage can be waxed for protection, but don't use wax on leather furniture because clothing will adhere to it.

PAINT, VARNISH, AND LACQUER STAINS should be treated immediately; once these substances harden they are practically impossible to remove from cloth. Water-mixed paints, and even oil paints and varnishes, can often be washed out with hot water and a strong detergent if they are very fresh. If the stain has hardened, soak it thoroughly with turpentine or other solvent, or rub it with lard or vaseline, and let it stand until the spot has softened.

ANOTHER METHOD FOR PAINT is to sponge the stain with pure turpentine or to wash the stained article with it. Mixing the turpentine half-and-half with ammonia is sometimes very good. Rinse with pure turpentine.

PAINT AND VARNISH SOLVENTS. Paint spots can be treated with the solvent used for the paint. If instructions say to thin the paint with turpentine, that will be the appropriate solvent. For alcohol paints you would select alcohol, and so on.

A GOOD PAINT-REMOVER recommended by the Department of Agriculture which you can mix yourself and keep on hand, is made of equal parts of benzene, carbon tetrachlo-ride and amyl acetate (banana oil). This is worth considering if you have child hobbyists in the model-making field.

Mildew/Fruit Stains

GLUE AND MUCILAGE. And while we are among the paints and varnishes, which suggest refurbishing and repairs, let us note that a long soak in cold water is the antidote for casein glue. For ordinary glue and mucilage, soak the spot in warm water and if it refuses to yield, boil the stained article, provided of course that it will stand such treatment Also recommended for glue and mucilage are 10 per cent acetic acid or white vinegar. Sponge first with water, then with the acid, and rinse.

FOR FRUIT AND BERRY STAINS, the newest instructions from government home economics experts are as follows for the whole range of washable fabrics: hold the stained fabric under cool water and rub the cloth gently to loosen the stain and rinse away solid particles. Let the stained article soak overnight in plain cool water, then rub the stain with synthetic detergent and launder it as usual. If a trace remains, use a mild bleach. Avoid household bleach if you think the material may have a wrinkleproof resin finish. Use hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate instead, diluted with water. Dilute one part of peroxide with eight parts of water for white fabrics, or one teaspoonful of sodium perborate with one cup of water. Test colored fabrics in an inconspicuous place before using a bleach.

THE BOILING WATER METHOD is an alternative for all fruit and berry stains excepting cherry, peach, plum, and pear on cottons and linens. Stretch the stained fabric over a bowl, secure it with string or a rubber band, and pour boiling water onto it from a teakettle held two or three feet above the bowl. It may be necessary to repeat this operation a number of times to get rid of the stain. For peach, cherry, plum, and pear stains, use a liquid detergent, rubbing the material between your hands. Rinse, then wash.

FRUIT JUICES AND ACIDS ON RUGS. For fruit juices and other acid substances spilled on rugs, first blot up with a damp cloth as much as possible. Sponge several times with clear water. If a spot remains, sponge it lightly with a solution of one tablespoonful of ammonia or baking soda in a quart of water. This will neutralize the acid. Rinse afterwards with a cloth wrung out of clear water.

FRUIT STAINS ON NON-WASHABLES can often be sponged off with cool water, if the stains are fresh. On woolens apply the water with a medicine dropper. Place the material on a pad and squirt the water through the stain. If this fails to remove it, work a mild detergent into the stain while it is still wet and rub the material gently. Let the detergent remain on the material for several hours, then add several drops of white vinegar or 10 per cent acetic acid. After a minute or two rinse by sponging the spot with cool water.

NEVER USE SOAP ON A FRUIT STAIN. It will cause it to set.

SPRINKLE WINE STAINS WITH SALT, and then use the boiling water method to remove them.

CANDY AND SUGAR SYRUP usually wash out in warm suds. Sponge non-washable materials with clear warm water. If chocolate or dye stains remain, treat them as described for these substances. For rugs, wipe the spot repeatedly with a cloth or sponge wrung out of clear water.

SOFT DRINKS AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES contain tannin and make a stain that is very treacherous because at first it does not show. If it is allowed to remain, or if the article is washed and ironed, or pressed, the stain turns brown and is almost impossible to remove. Prompt sponging with cold water, or with a mixture of alcohol and water in equal parts, will usually remove such stains. If you want to be absolutely certain that the stain has been routed, rub in glycerin, let it stand for thirty minutes, then rinse or sponge the material with clear water. On rugs use clear water or detergent solution.

IF TEA AND COFFEE STAINS do not wash out on washable materials, use the boiling water method described for fruit stains. On non-washables use glycerin. Apply the glycerin to the stain and rub it in. Let it remain for about an hour then sponge the stain with clear water. If a grease spot appears after the stain has dried (from cream), sponge it off with cleaning fluid.

COCOA AND CHOCOLATE STAINS usually wash out during laundering. If traces remain, sponge them with hydrogen peroxide and rinse. On materials that will not wash, scrape off as much as you can, then sponge the stain with cleaning fluid to remove the greasy part of the stain. When the cloth has dried thoroughly, sponge the stain with warm water and dust it with powdered pepsin. Work the pepsin thoroughly into the cloth. Let it stand for half an hour, then brush off the pepsin and sponge the material with clear water.

MILK AND ICE CREAM STAINS are seldom a problem on washable materials. Just moisten them with cool water and wash them. On rugs sponge such stains with detergent solution, then with clear water. For stains on non-washable materials sponge with cleaning fluid to remove the oily constituents, then with cold water to remove the sticky part Follow title pepsin treatment described for chocolate stains if traces remain.

PRETREATMENT. Food stains on washable materials usually disappear in the laundry but pretreatment may make their removal more certain.

EGG, MEAT JUICE, AND GRAVY STAINS should be rinsed with cold water before they are washed. Non-wash-ables should be sponged with cold water. Later, when the material has dried completely, the stains should be sponged with cleaning fluid to remove oily traces.

WHITE SAUCE AND CREAM SOUP SPOTS on washable materials can be treated with warm water and soap or detergent Sponge non-washables with warm water, let them dry, then sponge away oily traces with cleaning fluid.

SALAD DRESSINGS. Use warm water and soap or detergent on stains made by salad dressings containing eggs or cream. Use hot water for French dressings. Sponge salad dressing stains on non-washable materials first with lukewarm water, then (when dry) with cleaning fluid. Instead of cleaning fluid, if desired, you can sprinkle the stains with an absorbent or an absorbent mixed to a paste with cleaning fluid. Let the absorbent stand for a while, then brush off the powder. You might have to repeat this treatment several times, but the method is very safe for all materials.

FOR MUSTARD STAINS on washable fabrics apply glycerin and rub it in well. Then launder the garment Sponge materials that will not wash with denatured alcohol, or diluted alcohoL If the stain is not entirely removed and a bleach is necessary, use a commercial dye stripper (two tablespoonfuls to a pint of water). Sponge the stain quickly and rinse thoroughly. Or use an oxalic acid solution made by dissolving three tablespoonfuls of crystals in a pint of water. Apply this solution with a medicine dropper and let it stand for several minutes, then rinse promptly with water. Apply a weak solution of ammonia, borax, or baking soda to counteract the acid, and rinse again.

TOMATO JUICE AND CATSUP STAINS should be rinsed or sponged with cold water to remove the solid particles. Work glycerin into the stain, let it remain for half an hour, then wash with warm water and soap or detergent. Sponge any remaining traces with hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate solution, then rinse or sponge them with cold water.

LIPSTICK AND ROUGE are two of the commonest stains any housewife encounters. First soften with vaseline, then on washable materials launder in warm soapsuds. Never use soap before the stain is softened so as to avoid setting it. On non-washable materials, use a solvent, preferably carbon tetrachloride. Sponge with alcohol if any slight stain remains after the solvent. Washable materials, if colorfast, may be bleached with hydrogen peroxide and sodium perborate mixture (one teaspoonf ul of perborate to one pint peroxide).

PERSPIRATION STAINS, like all other stains, should be treated when they are fresh, for the best results. If they become set, they are difficult to remove and the fabric may be weakened. Summer clothes, whatever the material, should always be stored clean and spotless to avoid trouble from this cause and others.

Stains caused by perspiration are usually acid when they are fresh, but become alkaline when they are old. Anti-perspirants are usually acid.

For top success in dealing with fresh stains, wash or sponge them promptly with warm water containing a detergent or soap. Water is essential, no matter what the material is, because dry cleaning fluids will not dissolve either perspiration or anti-perspirant preparations. Sometimes oil from the skin is included in such stains and these can be sponged with cleaning fluid after the stain itself has been dissolved with water and the material has dried thoroughly.

Perspiration and anti-perspirant stains, improperly treated or disregarded while they are fresh, become yellow with age and often weaken the fabric. They must be bleached, and you might try sodium perborate first.

DISCOLORATION FROM PERSPIRATION. Perspiration many change the colors of fabrics. The original color sometimes can be restored (after laundering) when the stain is still fresh by sponging the place with a mild alkaline solution made of warm water and ammonia or baking soda. Just holding the discolored fabric in the fumes from an open ammonia bottle sometimes does the trick. Old stains, which are alkaline, sometimes can be treated successfully with an acid.

Try sponging them with a weak solution of water and white vinegar. Rinse afterwards with water. THIS ACID-ALKALI REACTION, incidentally, is fundamental in treating any spots caused by acids or alkalies.

FOR ANY SPILLED ACID, which may destroy the color of a fabric or damage its fibers, do this: wash the stain first with cold water to stop the action of the acid. Then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Next apply water containing a little ammonia or baking soda (one tablespoonful to a quart). Or you can sprinkle both sides of the stained cloth with baking soda and wet it. Bubbling will indicate that acid and alkali are reacting. When the bubbling stops, rinse the cloth thoroughly. Other antidotes for acid spot are ammonia fumes, as described for perspiration stains, or ammonia water diluted to half strength. If the ammonia water seems to be affecting the dyes, apply white vinegar quickly and then rinse with plain water. For acid substances, including fruit juices, on rugs, first blot up the liquid promptly with a damp cloth, then sponge it several times with clear water. If a spot remains, sponge it with water and baking soda (or ammonia) solution described for cloth. Sponge finally with clear water.

SPOTS CAUSED BY SPILLED ALKALIES also should be treated quickly because they too can destroy colors and fibers. Rinse the spot first with cold water. This may be enough for mild alkalies like baking soda and ammonia water. But to be sure that colors will not be harmed or damage done to fibers, apply afterwards lemon juice, vinegar, or acetic acid to counteract the alkali. To use lemon juice, squeeze it directly onto the spot and let it stay until it loses its bright yellow color, then rinse it out. Vinegar is sponged on and then rinsed out with water. Acetic acid is applied with an eye dropper or glass rod, then rinsed or sponged off with water.

BLOODSTAINS should be soaked in cold water or sponged with it until they are almost gone. (Hot water sets them, sometimes permanently.) If the material is washable it can be laundered after the cold water treatment. Stains that are old or stubborn often yield to water containing salt or ammonia. Use a cup of salt, or one tablespoonful of ammonia, to each quart of water. Soak the material in the solution or sponge with it. Traces of stains remaining on non-washable materials after they have been sponged thoroughly with cold water can be sponged with hydrogen peroxide, but test color fabrics in a hidden place first to make certain that there will be no fading. If mere is still a stain, sprinkle it with sodium perborate powder, let it stand for an hour, then rinse it away. These two bleaches are safe for all fabrics but might fade some colors. If you are afraid that they might cause fading, simply dampen the stain with water and put it in the sun.

BLOODSTAINS ON A RUG can be sponged with cold water. If a spot remains, use detergent and water, then rinse with clear water.

MUCUS. For sickroom casualties involving mucus, give materials a good soak in lukewarm salt water, using two cups of salt to a gallon of water. Or use two tablespoonfuls of ammonia instead of salt. Rinse with cold water and launder.

STAINS CAUSED BY URINE usually wash out of materials that can be laundered. Non-washable materials should be sponged promptly with plain warm water or salt water. (Use a half cup of salt to a quart of warm water.) Sponge the salt water onto the stain, let it stand for fifteen minutes and then rinse by sponging with clear water.

Normal human urine and that of meat-eating animals is usually acid and may alter or destroy colors. If the colors seem to have been affected, first try sponging the stain with a weak solution of ammonia or baking soda and water. (About a tablespoonful of either to a cup of water.) If this fails to restore the color try sponging with white vinegar, diluted with two parts of water. Rinse with plain water. Sometimes colors cannot be restored.

PET STAINS ON RUGS can cause conspicuous disfiguration. Blot up urine stains immediately with a damp cloth, then go over the spot with the detergent solution recommended for rugs in the list of stain-removing materials. Rinse with a cloth dampened with clear water, blotting up as much of the moisture as possible. If the spot has dried, saturate it with a solution of half a cup of white vinegar to a cup of warm water and let it stand for a few minutes. Blot and repeat this treatment until the discoloration disappears. Then dry the rug as quickly as possible.

FOR REGURGITATED FOOD first scrape up the solid materials then sponge thoroughly with clear water and blot up the liquid. Follow this with the neutralizing ammonia or soda solution already described. Always dry a rug or carpet as quickly as possible after sponging off stains. Lift it from the floor if you can and slide something underneath that will support it. Or use an electric fan.

MEDICINES can produce a variety of stains and some are almost impossible to remove, especially if the ingredients are not known. The following general advice, like much of the other information in this chapter, is from government sources:
If the medicine is tarry or gummy, try the formula for removing tar.
If the formula indicates that the medicine contains iron, use the directions given for iron rust stains.
Wash out sugary medicine stains with soap and water or detergent.
For medicines dissolved in alcohol, sponge the stain with alcohol.
For medicines of doubtful composition try the boiling water technique described for fruit stains. On materials that will stand it (cotton, linen, rayon, and other synthetics without special wrinkle-resistant finishes) use household bleach. Apply it undiluted, with a medicine dropper. Let it stand not more than one minute. Apply an anti-chlor solution (two tablespoonfuls of vinegar in a cup of water) to stop the destructive action of the chlorine and then rinse thoroughly.

MERCUROCHROME OR MERTHIOLATE STAINS should be treated very promptly or they may be there to stay. Sponge them first with a half-and-half water and alcohol solution, then keep working glycerin into the stain until no more color comes out. Wash afterwards in suds made with soap or detergent and rinse with water containing a little ammonia. If this treatment still leaves traces of the stain, apply 10 per cent acetic acid with a medicine dropper and rinse afterwards. If none of these works try a suitable bleach.

IODINE STAINS on materials that are harmed by water can usually be removed by denatured alcohol. For acetates, very delicate materials, and colors, dilute the alcohol with one or two parts of water.

OLD IODINE STAINS can be removed by sponging them with a harmless chemical called sodium thiosuLfate. This is the hypo solution that photographers use and you can buy hypo crystals at a drugstore or photographer's shop. Dissolve one tablespoonful of the crystals in a pint of warm water and either sponge the stain with it or dip the material into it. Rinse afterwards with water. Hypo crystals are harmless to all materials and do not alter colors.

ARNICA, used in some external medications, produces brown stains which can be removed by sponging, (or soaking) them first with alcohol, then with hypo solution.

Silver Nitrate / Argyrol

STAINS MADE BY SILVER NITRATE, an ingredient of some medicines used to swab a sore throat, can also be removed by hypo crystals.

ARGYROL, another medicine, also can produce a dark stain which yields to hypo crystals or solutions. Sponge the stain first with cold water, then cover it with iodine. Let the iodine stand for about fifteen minutes, apply hypo solution and rinse.

The instructions in this chapter cover a broad range of stains, and we hope that you will find your particular problem covered. Be sure to act quickly when stains occur; you can save time, trouble, and perhaps an article or garment that you cherish.

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