As a cleaning service company our expert staff frequently comes across ugly and stubborn stains on different surfaces. Each type of stain and each surface requires different techniques to achieve spotless cleanliness. For example, you will need to treat coffee stains on the floor carpet and upholstery differently. We are pulling together a comprehensive list of tips for taking difficult stains out of common household surfaces
Wooden floor and Tables
Wooden floors and coffee tables are a timeless beauty, but unfortunately, they stain very easily and if not maintained well they can easily get ruined. The good thing is they are easy to maintain.
A combination of non-gel toothpaste and baking soda will lift any lighter stain. For darker stains, you will need to sand the surface or you can try applying bleach and let it sit for a couple of hours. Remove the bleach using a damp sponge once the wood reaches are bleached to the desired colour and pour some vinegar over the surface to neutralize the bleach remnants and protect the wood from further lightening.
Marble Floor and Glass panes
Glass panes and marble are often found in close proximity and while acidic cleaners work great for glass, they damage the marble. When cleaning glass panes and doors with vinegar make sure no acidic solution is reaching the marble.
Acid is the main enemy of the marble floor which is basically calcium carbonate and dissolves readily when comes in contact with anything acidic. You need to take immediate action if ketchup, citrus juice, or any acidic liquid spills on the marble floor. Blot the liquid immediately, dilute the acid by pouring water after it and then sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the
Avoid using vinegar, ammonia, bleach, commercial cleaners, or scrubbing pads on the marble floor as that can etch the surface. Instead, use PH neutral cleaners labelled as safe for marble.
To clean out the soap and acidic residues from glass panes and marble floors, sprinkle baking soda on a wet surface in a generous amount, let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it away. This will give extra shine to the glass and marble floor.
Carpet
If you stained the carpet with a drink or oil-based food, blot the access and do not rub but dab the surface so you do not fray the carpet. Also, rubbing can further push the food into the carpet. Pour a 50-50 mixture of soapy water and vinegar on the stain and gently lift up the stain with a clean towel. Vacuum the carpet afterwards. Here are some helpful tips about things you should know while taking stains out of your carpet.
Mattress, Curtains, Sofa fabric and Cushions
Keeping your mattress, sofa and upholstery cleaners do not require a daily effort but are an important part of general cleaning chores. Here is a complete guide of taking out stains from your mattress. You can use the same tips and tricks for removing stains out of curtains, sofas and cushions.
Garments
There are different types of solvents from (mild to harsh) available that can be used to lift up the stains from garments using the spot treatment. This includes:
- Warm and cold water
- Acetone and rubbing alcohol
- Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach
- Detergents, dish soap and commercial stain removers
Here are some clever ideas for taking a variety of stains out of your everyday shirt. But, there is a huge variety of fabric that is used in making garments and depending upon the type of fabric, it may be or may not be appropriate to subject them to particular solvents or combination of solvents. We can fabric clothes in five broad categories:
- Cotton is the toughest fabric when it comes to withstanding harsh treatments. It can survive hot water, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach.
- Woollen fabric will not stand harsh chemical or even hot water and frequent washing
- Synthetic fabric is tougher than wool, but some solvents like acetone, ammonia, bleach and harsh chemicals can melt the fibres.
- Silk is the most delicate type of fabric that requires maximum care in handling. Slightest aggressive treatment can completely damage or even burn a hole in the fabric. It is best to let experts handle silk for you.
- Mix or combination fabric is tricky because it is harder to decide what it can stand and what will damage it. It’s best to do a test on an inconspicuous spot before actually treating the stain with the solvent/
Similarly, you need to treat different kinds of makeup stains differently even if you get them on the same shirt. You can not get out nail polish, mascara and foundation out of fabric using the same trick. Here is a detailed guide about removing the makeup stains from your shirt.
All this information may feel too much to process at first, but don’t worry we are here to make cleaning chores easier for you.