6 Stains Most People Set Permanently — and the Right Way to Lift Them

6 steps · by Homeknacks Editorial

Nearly every ruined garment is ruined by the person trying to save it. Hot water sets protein. Rubbing drives pigment into the fibre. A tumble dryer bakes whatever survived the wash into a permanent mark. And using the wrong chemistry does nothing at all while you waste the window in which the stain was still removable.

Stains fall into four families — protein, tannin, oil and dye — and each responds to different treatment. The six below cover most household disasters. Work through the method for the one you have, and in every case test any product on a hidden seam first.

1. 1. Red wine, coffee and tea: tannin needs cold water and oxygen
2. 2. Blood: cold water and enzymes, never heat
3. 3. Grease, oil and butter: draw it out before any water touches it
4. 4. Ink, marker and dye transfer: solvent first, patience second
5. 5. Sweat, deodorant and collar marks: acid, then alkali, never chlorine
6. 6. Tomato, curry and grass: pigment stains with different weaknesses

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