Remember our last spot test on caring for your vintage wear? Well we know that for vintage hunters that there will come a time when no matter how gorgeous an items is, a slightly more serious stain will leave you thinking ‘ I can’t really buy this, I mean look at that stain!’ Well fret no more our handy stain removal tips will have you reviving garments in no time…
*Please note for older and very delicate vintage items it is best you do not try and remove stains yourself instead, seek a professional cleaner or ask the person that has sold the item to you.Now that’s out of the way here are the tips we have learned and discovered.
Warm Water
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This may sound too basic, but sometimes that is all you need, how many time you have spilled something that only requires a damp clothes to clean? The same principle applies here, just place a cloth underneath the item where the stain is and blot the desired area with a damp and warm cloth.
Away with the Fairy…Soap.
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When removing a stain and little reinforcement is needed, always start at the most basic and gentle then move up. If the warm water does not shift the issue, try washing up liquid for example, Fairy or Persil. Squirt a few drops in warm water, rinse with a sponge and blot as gently as necessary.
Window Cleaner- OOOMPA!
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Remember Mr Portokalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding who used Windex for everything? Well he wasn’t wrong. If the stain is still troubling, try the famous glass cleaner- it is known as Windolene in the UK, make sure you do a fabric test on a small discrete corner to check the material is compatible, and remember there may be ammonia in the product so always test before a full application.
Lemon Juice and Salt.
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These two homely products make an excellent natural beach so before investing heavy industrial items, mix equals parts of the lemon and salt, blot the offending article with the mixture and leave it the sun to dry. The sun combined with the mixture should the fade the problem away and if it doesn’t there is always…
Alcohol.
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We don’t mean hit the bottle, but use it, hope is not lost yet. Try treating the affected area with alcohol, preferably in pure form (think of rubbing alcohol) or if necessary a clear spirit. ALWAYS test an area before taking this step, place a cloth underneath the items and blot as required.
NB: Always rinse items with warm water in between trying methods so to avoid products counteracting with each other with detrimental effects, and always be gentle it is best to dab and blot slowly than it is to rub and scrub quickly.
So there you have it, more quick tips with long lasting benefits. Have you got any tricks up your sleeves then let us know below or better still start a discussion here.
