Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Beautiful Stains

Beauty products are a part of life, but they can also cause spills and stains, I have some tips to get rid of these "beautiful" stains. If you think hair dye stains are permanent, think again. If you act quickly you can get rid of them. Spritz liberally with hairspray and allow it to dry for a couple of minutes. Then rub the area with some shampoo and wash it in cold water. For make-up stains from foundation to mascara grab a bar of soap. Put the stain face down on an absorbent white cloth, an old diaper works great for this. Dampen the soap and rub it into the back side of the stain. This will push the make-up out of the fabric rather than sending deeper into the fibers. Move the stain to different parts of the diaper so it doesn't re-absorb them. Wash it in cool water. For greasy stains like lotions and baby oil, blot as much as you can with a cloth and sprinkle with some cornstarch. Let it sit for ten minutes, shake it out and dab with white vinegar to break up the grease. Then launder. For hairspray build-up on walls, floors and mirrors dip an old washcloth into some rubbing alcohol and wipe it away. Remember the two primary rules of stain removal: Always test for colorfastness in a hidden area first, and never put your item in the dryer until you're sure the stain is gone.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the hairspray tip! Here's another for hair-dye removal, and it works on stains that have been sitting for a while:

    Take a cotton ball and saturate it with undiluted bleach. Stick it directly onto the surface with the stain and let it sit for several (6-8) hours. Remove the cotton ball and voila! the stain will be gone.

    Be sure to use cotton balls. It doesn't work with a sponge, cloth, paper towels, etc., because they don't stick properly and they dry out before the bleach has time to work.

    Of course, please try something less toxic first, and be very careful using bleach -- protect your eyes!

    I have used this method on tile, painted walls, porcelain fixtures, and linoleum with no problems, but, as Mrs. Fixit says, test your surface first.

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