Non-Food Stains and Odors

Tip: Shoe Odor Removal
To deodorize your shoes or sneakers, place a dryer sheet in your shoes or sneakers overnight and they will smell great in the morning.

Tip: Wax Jacket Care and Cleaning
The strong smell of the wax in the shell of a wax jacket can be very pungent, especially at first, but should eventually fade (this will take at least several months). The jacket should be cleaned by sponging with cold water after brushing the dirt off. Never use hot water, detergents, solvents, soaps, dry cleaning or machine as these will affect the performance of the wax finish.

Tip: Oil Based Paint Removal from Clothing
To remove oil based paint from clothing, mineral spirits should remove the paint from most fabrics. Rub the stain with a clean white cloth dipped in mineral spirits until the paint is removed. Launder as usual. Do not use mineral spirits on delicate fabrics such as rayon or acetate.

Tip: Ink Stain Removal from Leather
An effective way to remove the ink stains on leather items is by using either hair spray or Armor All. Just spray the stain, then wipe it with a soft cloth. To be sure that this will not effect the dyes in your leather, be sure to try this in a non-visible area first.

Tip: Glue Removal from Clothing
To remove glue from clothing wet a cotton swab with lighter fluid and rub it lightly over the glue until it is loosened and comes off. Be sure to try this on a non-visible area first to ensure the color fastness of your garment.

Tip: Silly Putty Removal from Clothing
You should be able to remove Silly Putty from clothing by placing the stain over a bowl and allowing gravity to pull out the Silly Putty. If it is more ground in, try freezing it by placing an ice cube in a bag and holding the bag over the stain, then chipping it off with a bread knife. If this doesn´t work, try spraying the stain with WD-40 to loosen the Silly Putty and pull off the stain. Launder as usual.

Tip: Ink Stain Removal from Clothing
To remove ink, you can use either rubbing alcohol or hairspray. Saturate the stain, then launder as usual.

Tip: Crayon Melted on Clothing in Dryer
To remove crayon stains that have been melted onto clothing in the dryer, place the stained surface down on pad of paper towels, spray with WD-40, let stand a few minutes, turn fabric over and spray the other side. Apply liquid dishwashing detergent and work into the stained area, replacing towelling as it absorbs the stain. Wash in hottest water possible with laundry detergent and bleach for about 12 minutes (use heavy soiled setting if there is no minute timer on your machine) and rinse in warm water. Special Note:Heat sets stains so clean the drum of your dryer to remove any remaining wax residue by spraying a soft cloth with WD-40, and wiping the drum. Run a load of dry rags through a drying cycle to ensure that your drum is clean.

Tip: Red Clay Stain Removal from Clothing
You can remove red clay by first letting it dry thoroughly and brushing off as much as possible. Then you can rub the stain with Murphy´s Oil Soap, leave for 15 minutes, and rinse with cold water. Or, instead of the Murphy´s Oil Soap, you could use a solution of 1 tablespoon borax in a cup of water. If the spot persists, use an enzyme presoak, or soak the item in a gallon of water to which you´ve added a cup of ammonia (or use bleach if the items are white).

Tip: Super Glue Removal from Clothing
You should be able to remove Super Glue from clothing by using acetone, nail polish remover, or a commercial product designed to remove Super Glue.

Tip: Hair Dye Removal from Clothing
Unfortunately, hair dye can rarely be thoroughly removed as it permanently alters color. However, there are several steps you can try. First, try blotting the stain with rubbing alcohol. If that doesn´t work, try blotting the stain with a solution of 1/4 cup liquid hand dishwashing detergent per cup of warm water. If that doesn´t work, try blotting the stain with a solution of 1 cup white vinegar per 2 cups of water, then rinse with warm water and a white cloth. You may also wish to try a liquid peroxide based cleaner such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate. Be sure to let the clothing dry in between trying different cleaners.

Tip: Blood Stain Removal from Clothing
To remove blood stains from clothing, try sponging the stains with 3% hydrogen peroxide, or, cover the stains with a paste made of either salt or meat tenderizer and cold water. Let sit for 30 minutes, then sponge with cool water. If the stains are set-in, you may need to treat with a liquid peroxide based product, such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate. Remember to use cold water whatever solution you choose, as heat will set the stains.

Tip: Dry Erase Marker Stain Removal from Clothing
To remove ink, you can use either rubbing alcohol or hairspray. Saturate the stain, then launder as usual.

Tip: Bleach Spills on Clothing
Bleach is not a stain, it removes color; therefore there is no stain to remove. However, if you spill bleach on a single-colored article of clothing, you can try using Rit dye to restore the color. It is very effective, and quite easy to use - you can even do the entire process in your washing machine. It comes in a wide range of colors, so you should be able to find a color to match, or you can even mix two or more of the colors. The color is as permanent as any clothing dye, so it will fade, but not any more quickly than other dyes normally do. After you have completed the dying process, you can help to set the color by soaking the items for an hour in a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 gallon of water. If the rinse water shows color after an hour, repeat the procedure.

Tip: Permanent Marker Stain Removal from Clothing
You can try to remove permanent marker stains by rinsing the stains with cold water until the water runs clear. Place the fabric on a paper towel, then saturate the stains with rubbing alcohol, using a cotton ball as a blotter. Change paper towels as necessary as it absorbs the color. Wash the garment in the hottest water possible for the fabric, adding bleach (color-safe for colored fabrics), then rinse in warm water. Unfortunately, permanent marker is called permanent for a reason and cannot always be removed.

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