Beverages (coffee, tea, soda, juice, alcohol): Pre-treat stain and wash using cold water and bleach safe for fabric.
Blood: Rinse with cold water and rub stain with bar soap. Or, pre-treat or soak with product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric.
Candle wax, crayon: Scrape off excess wax and place stain facing down between paper towels. Press with warm iron until wax is absorbed. Replace paper towels frequently. Treat remaining stain with pre-wash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. Hand wash to remove solvent. Wash using bleach safe for fabric.
Chocolate: Scrape off any dried chocolate and spray with dish soap solution before washing.
Cosmetics: Pre-treat with pre-wash stain remover or rub with bar soap.
Grass: Pre-treat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric.
Grease, oil: Scrape residue from fabric and pre-treat. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. For heavy stains and tar, put towel under stain and apply nonflammable dry cleaning fluid to back of stain. Rinse thoroughly. Wash using hottest water safe to fabric.
Gum, adhesive tape, rubber cement: Apply ice cube to harden the gum and scrape away as much as possible. Place stain face down on paper towels. Saturate with a pre-wash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid.
Ink: Some inks may be impossible to remove. Washing may set some inks. Use pre-wash stain remover, denatured alcohol or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid.
Ketchup: Apply a stain pre-treater before washing.
Mud: Brush off dry mud. Pre-treat or soak with product containing enzymes.
Mustard: Stretch the stain over a bowl and pour white wine vinegar through the fabric. Then apply the dish soap solution to the stain and let sit for 15 minutes.
Nail polish: May be impossible to remove. Place stain face down on paper towels. Apply nail polish remover to back of stain. Repeat, replacing paper towels frequently. Do not use on acetate fabrics.
Paint, varnish: For water-based paint, rinse fabric in cool water while stain is wet and then wash. (Once paint is dry, you can’t remove it.) For oil-based paint or varnish, use solvent recommended on can label. Rinse thoroughly before washing.
Perspiration: Use pre-wash stain remover or rub with bar soap. Rinse, then wash using non-chlorine bleach in hottest water safe for fabric.
Rust, brown or yellow discoloration: Use rust remove safe for fabric. Do not use chlorine bleach because it may intensify discoloration.
Salad dressing: Apply cornstarch to the stain to absorb the oil. Rinse with cold water and apply a small amount of laundry detergent directly to the stain.
Shoe polish: For liquid shoe polish, pre-treat with a paste of powder detergent and water. For shoe paste, scrape residue from fabric and pre-treat with pre-wash stain remover or on flammable dry cleaning fluid. Rinse, and then rub detergent into dampened area. Wash using bleach safe for fabric.