CLEANING TIPS
GUM: To remove chewing gum from kids clothing - harden the gum on the garment with ice; it will become brittle, and can be chipped off, wash thoroughly to remove any sugar.
CANDLE WAX: Place the stained area between paper towels, or pieces of brown paper, and press with a warm iron to absorb the wax.
PERSPIRATION: Soak the stain area in warm white-vinegar water.
INK: Do not use hairspray on ball point pen ink. The oils and lanolin in the hairspray can cause more stains. Bring it to us.
MOTHS, safeguards from: Clean clothes are the first step to preventing moth and other insect damage. Insects can damage clothes either directly or indirectly. Direct damage is caused by a group of insects feeding directly on a fabric. Indirect damage is caused when insects feed on spilled food or perspiration on the fabric. Moths attack the garment directly, especially wool and wool blends. Some cleaners provide mothproofing as a service. Mothproofing is a chemical treatment given to fabrics that provides protection from insects without leaving the objectionable odors that mothballs do.
YELLOWING: Frequent cleaning removes stains that, if left untreated, could oxidize and cause yellowing. Exposure to heat or the passage of time can cause stains from food, beverages, and other oily substances to oxidize and turn yellow or brown, much the way a peeled apple turns brown after exposure to air. Once they become yellow or brown, these stains become much more difficult to remove and often cannot be removed.
GENERAL TIPS:
Never iron fabric with a deodorant stain, as this will permanently damage the fabric.
Be very careful not to get suntan oils on garments as many of them will permanently stain.
Do not attempt to remove cosmetic stains yourself, as the color in cosmetics runs easily and enlarges the stain.
Never wash an egg stain in hot water - this will cause the stain to set.
The safest form of mild bleach for whitening all natural fibers is white vinegar.
A common fatal error is the use of acetone in home stain removal. Acetate fibers will dissolve in acetone - Don't attempt your own stain removal.
Some water spots on fabrics such as taffeta or silk can be removed by holding the fabric over steam (as from a kettle) and then ironing gently while damp. If the stain is still wet, do not rub it, or you will spread it. Simply try and absorb excess moisture with paper towel or cotton towel.
