Notabilia

Miscellaneous

Nifty Knacks

126 through 150

126. Greasy marks.
     Greasy marks usually come out with trichloroethylene or benzine. Put one of these products on the stain (unless the fabric is made of wool or silk) and sprinkle a little talcum powder on top. Let it dry and then brush off carefully.

127. Marker ink.
     A little pure spirits will remove marker ink from all fabrics. Wash the garment after removing the stain so the colours regain their brightness.

128. Jam or marmelade.
     If the stain is on cotton or synthetic fabric, put a little carbonated water on it and leave for a few minutes to work. If the stain has been made by red or purple fruit, clean it with cold water and then rinse in water with a little ammonia dissolved in it.

129. Ink.
     Tepid milk will remove ink from most fabrics. After removing the stain you must wash the garment to get rid of all the milk fat. If the stain is on cotton fabric, use lemon juice.

130. Mould.
     Soak in water with plenty of vinegar in it. Alternatively, if the fabric can withstand it, soak in water with bleach or hydrogen peroxide in it.

131. Beer.
     A piece of cotton wool dipped in tepid water with a few drops of ammonia in it will take beer stains out of fabric.

132. Urine.
     Never use hot water on a urine stain. Put a few drops of ammonia in a glass of water and soak the fabric in the solution. Repeat as many times as necessary until both stain and odour have gone.

133. Tar.
     First of all let the tar dry and then spread plenty of butter on it. Wait a few minutes and then scrape away with a thin file. Finally, rub with a cloth dipped in trichloroethylene.

134. Resin.
     If the fabric is delicate, try rubbing the stain with spirits or ether. If the fabric is durable and there is no danger of the colours running, rub the stain with benzine and then wash the garment.

135. Chocolate.
     If the stain is on fabric of vegetable origin, rub it with a little pure spirits diluted with water. For stubborn stains on durable fabric, put glycerine on both sides of the fabric where the stain is. Rub, and then put the fabric between two sheets of absorbent paper. The paper will absorb the chocolate and the fatty substances. Then wash as normal.

136. Rust.
     If the rust mark is on white fabric, try lemon juice. Then rinse in water with a little bleach in it.

137. Ball pen ink.
     If the fabric is completely colourfast, rub the stain with spirits. If the fabric is delicate, it is better to dab with spirits on a piece of cotton wool.

138. Tea.
     If the stain is on white fabric, rub it with lemon juice and then wash it. If the stain is on coloured, woollen or silk fabric, rub it gently with dough made using egg yolk and tepid water. If the stain is an old one, use a solution of water and glycerine.

139. Chewing gum.
     Hold an ice cube under the stain for a few minutes to harden the gum. Pick it off and then use soap and water to get rid of any residue.

140. Tinted foundation.
     If the stain is on washable fabric, dab with a cloth dipped in ammonia solution or pure trichloroethylene before washing in the washing machine.

141. Fruit.
     If the stain is on white cotton fabric, use bleach solution. If the fabric is synthetic or coloured, use a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar. Rinse and then wash.

142. Grass.
     If the stain is on white cotton fabric, soak it in water with a little bleach in it. If the fabric is coloured, dab the stain with water with ammonia in it and then rinse thoroughly. If the stain is on woollen fabric, use water with white vinegar in it.

143. Synthetic fabrics.
     Never use acetone, pure vinegar, turps, pure spirits or bleach on synthetic fabrics.

144. Fabrics of animal origin.
     Fabrics of animal origin (wool and silk) cannot withstand bleach. White wool and silk can withstand a very weak solution of hydrogen peroxide.

145. Fabrics of vegetable origin.
     Fabrics of vegetable origin (cotton, linen and hessian) can withstand a solution of ammonia or hydrogen peroxide, or bleach if the fabric is white.

146. Silk fabrics.
     Silk fabrics are very delicate. Never rub a stain on silk, you risk damaging the fibres. If the stain has been made with a greasy substance (and is still fresh) sprinkle a little talcum powder on it, give it time to absorb the grease and then dust it off. For other stains, rush the garment off to the dry cleaner's.

147. Washing.
     Do not wash clothes until the stain has been removed.

148. Ironing.
     Do not iron fabric while it is still stained.

149. Some stains never come out.
     Do not persist with stains that never come out: Chinese ink, red iodine, etc.

150. Scrape the mark.
     Scrape the mark with the blade of a knife and press down on it with absorbent paper before trying to remove the stain.