Always use cold water for treating stains. If you use warm or hot water, it will set the stain and make it much more challenging or even impossible to remove.
I suggest you dedicate a basket and place the following items inside.
Keep it in a drawer, basket, or cabinet close to the sink or bathtub, or wherever you plan to do your stain-treating. This way you will have everything you need in one convenient place and well within reach in case of any unexpected spills.
Introducing your arsenal of household cleaning materials:
- GLOVES!!!
- Baking soda or Borax
- White vinegar or Lemon
- Salt
- Bar soap,
- Old toothbrushes
- Cornstarch
- Dishwashing liquid
- Liquid detergent
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Bottle of cold water
- Rubbing alcohol
- Paper towels or dedicated cotton face towels (clean rags)
- Cheap, dollar-store shaving crème
- Rubber bands
Common offenders:
| STAIN | REMEDY |
| Coffee or tea | Lemon, soap, toothbrush, cold water |
| Red wine | Do not scrub; try to soak up as much wine as you can, then soak in baking soda, salt, hydrogen peroxide, or detergent. Leave for ………… |
| Ink | Use rubbing alcohol firsthand. Then warm water, dishwashing detergent, and vinegar. |
| Mustard and other Turmeric-based stains | Cover the stain in a baking soda paste for 20 minutes. |
| Blood | Hydrogen peroxide – use carefully |
| Grass | Several options: baking soda, or vinegar and laundry detergent combination, or even dish detergent |
| Motor oil | Rub cornstarch or baking soda directly onto the stain. |
| Ketchup or tomato-based stain | Thoroughly rinse in cold water. Then, pour a small amount of laundry detergent directly on the stain and leave for 20 minutes. |
| Makeup – Liquid Foundation | Use shaving cream or rubbing alcohol |
| Makeup – Powdered Foundation | Blow off residual powder, then treat with laundry detergent, let sit for 15 minutes. |
Too much to remember?
Print the table and stick it on your refrigerator or other surface.
The least you need to know is the following: If you spill something and the stain is small, grab a sponge and get cold water and scrub it out. If it is a larger stain, then you will need to remove the clothing item and repeat the same steps as above.
Cold water, soap, and scrubbing.
Now you’re off to a good start.
Now soak. Find a bucket or old yogurt container and dip the affected area inside the container. Leave for 15+ minutes.
Next, identify which of the above-mentioned cleaning items you will need.
Soak it in cold water while you gather the needed stain-removing items.
Bad timing; not that there’s any good timing for an accidental stain.
If it’s today’s uniform or garment, and you do not have the luxury of wearing something else, then tie a rubber band around the soiled stain to minimize wetness outside the periphery; this way only the treated area will be wet and soaped up. After careful treatment and gentle scrubbing, and the soiled spot is no longer visible, you can iron around the small spot, then put the garment back on, and you will be ready for the day.
Hope this helps!
If you have managed to eliminate unique/other stains that we haven’t mentioned here, please reach out to us and share your hacks for our readers. It cannot be emphasized enough; we absolutely love hearing from our fellow minimalists!