Print me

Stain cheat sheet

The first thing to do and the main thing to avoid, for the stains I get asked about most. Stick it inside a cupboard door.

To print it, use your browser’s Print option. It fits on one A4 page.

Stain	Do this first	Don’t
Blood and period stains	Take off the sheets, pillowcases and mattress protector. [1][2] Get the bedding into cold water straight away (see sheets and pyjamas).	Use cold water on blood. Warm or hot water sets the stain and makes it harder to remove. [3][4][5]
Sweat and deodorant	Treat the underarms with a prewash stain remover, or rub them with a bar of soap. [5]	University of Georgia Extension warns never to iron or apply heat to fabric with a deodorant stain: the chemicals plus heat will ruin most fabrics. [6]
Make-up and lipstick	Gently scrape off any solid make-up with a blunt knife. [7]	The heat of a dryer can set make-up into the fabric for good, which makes it much harder, or impossible, to remove. [8][9]
Grass	Treat it as soon as you can, before it has a chance to set. [10][11]	Protein stains set if they meet hot water, an iron or a dryer: the heat cooks the protein into the fibres. [11]
Coffee and tea	If you can get to a tap, rinse the spill with cold water. [12]	Some stains, including coffee, tea and fruit, are set by alkalis such as ammonia. [13]
Red wine and mud	Wet spill: blot up as much as you can with an absorbent cloth or white kitchen towel. Press hard. [14]	Rubbing spreads the stain. [15]
Dye transfer (colour run)	Take the item that ran out of the load straight away. [16][17][18]	Heat from a dryer or an iron sets the dye and makes it much harder to remove. [16][17][18]
Detergent and softener marks	Don't put the item in the dryer until the mark has gone, because heat can set it. Check it after washing and repeat the treatment if needed. [19]	Dilute fabric conditioner before adding it, and never pour it straight onto clothes. [20]
Stains that went through the dryer	Heat sets stains. Don't dry or iron the item again until you're sure the stain has gone. [13][5]	Never mix stain removers, especially ammonia and bleach. If you need more than one, rinse well between them. [13]
Denim dye on faux leather	Do it as soon as you notice the marks: the longer dye sits on faux leather, the harder it is to get out. [21][22]	Nail varnish remover or acetone. Strong solvents such as acetone and ketones cause immediate damage to artificial leather. [23] Songmont says acetone will melt a vegan leather bag's surface and wipe out the grain. [24]
Black mould	NHS inform says to wear gloves and a face mask when removing mould, and always to open a window if you're using bleach products. [25]	Never mix bleach-based cleaners with other cleaners, especially ammonia: the fumes are hazardous. [5]
Chocolate	Gently scrape off as much chocolate as you can. [5] Lift it rather than pressing it in further. [26]	Blot, never rub: rubbing pushes the mark further into the fabric. [27]

Recommendations, not professional advice. Test on a hidden area first and follow the care label. Full guides at whatgetsitout.com.

Stain cheat sheet

Sources