Quick tip: to pre-treat a stain, soak your garment in washing liquid 10-15 minutes before washing. Longer if the stain is particularly stubborn. You can use any pre-treatment spray on cottons and polyesters. On more delicate fabrics such as linens and silks, dab a mild or neutral soap on lightly. Make sure you only pre-treat garments that are able to be washed.
Adhesives – including glue and nail varnish
Dab nail varnish remover on the effected piece of material (except on synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester), then wash according to the fabric care label.
Anti-perspirant/deodorant
Remove white marks and deodorant build-up by pre-treating the stain with washing Detergent and soaking it in warm water containing liquid. Wash according to the care label.
Candle wax
Peel off any surface wax then sandwich the fabric between sheets of blotting paper or kitchen towels. Use a warm iron to press down on the back of the fabric. Wash as normal according to the fabric care label.
Cosmetics – lipstick, mascara and sunscreen
Pre-treat marks with washing liquid and leave for one hour, then wash as normal at the hottest temperature indicated on the care label.
Ink – including ballpoint and felt tip
Soak overnight in cold water containing a bit of washing powder, then wash according to the care label. Dab older stains with nail varnish remover (not suitable for synthetic fabrics) then wash as normal.
Nail varnish
To remove from fabric, use nail varnish remover or acetone (don’t use on synthetic fabrics). Then wash the garment as instructed on the fabric care label.
Paint
To tackle water-based latex, acrylic, emulsion and school paints, rinse wet stains under running water then wash according to the fabric care label. For dried paints, those that are oil or varnished based, sponge carefully with white spirit or a proprietary paintbrush cleaner (apply in small amounts, and test on a small area before proceeding) before washing.
Petroleum Jelly
It leaves a nasty smear on your clothes and may require several treatments, but don’t despair. Pre-treat with Washing powder then wash as normal following the fabric care label.
Shoe polish
Whatever the colour, simply pre-treat with Washing powder and leave for one hour, then wash as normal at the hottest temperature indicated on the items label.
Tar and oil
Scrape off as much of the stain as possible. Soften the remainder with margarine or butter and wipe away with a clean cloth. Treat any residual stain with a proprietary tar cleaner then wash according to the fabric care label.