5 tips for easy stain cleanup.

The dry cleaning experts at olddominioncleaners offer up some "first aid" tips to help you with those annoying stains that seem to pop up at the least convenient times and in the least convenient places. Ideally, if there is such a thing, your fabrics would become stained at home where you have easy access to the washing machine and your arsenal of cleaners and favorite home remedies but that's not the way it always happens.

Stains arrive when you are at a fine restaurant, a fast food joint with the kids, at a friend's house party, playing with the kids in a park, or any place where you have the potential to get scrapped or cut. At home or way there are easy tips to get rid of the most common stains.

5 Tips for Easy Stain Cleanup

Let's talk about those common stains that visit the Greater Richmond Area families.

1.      Tomato based stains. Who hasn't splashed a pasta sauce or dribbled ketchup from a burger? Depending on the consistency, blot or scape the sauce and then apply soda water using a damp cloth. If you are in dining establishment they will almost always have soda water. When you get home mix up lemon juice and cream of tartar, apply it to the stain and then wash.

2.      Blood stains. There are tons of home remedies for cleaning up blood but here's a favorite of ours. Use an ice cube. Put a cloth under the stained area to soak up melted water and then place an ice cube directly on top of the blood. Let it sit for a minute o two then remove the cube. If there is a reddish tint left, rub it with the edge of the cube and it will go away.

3.      Food grease. Is fried chicken a favorite around your house? Do the kids tend to use their clothes rather than napkins to wipe their hands? Those grease stains don't have to be a chore. Sprinkle cornstarch on them and let the powder soak up the grease. Brush the powder off then wash as normal.

4.      Ink stains. This is tough. Ink is a difficult stain to remove particularly with some common fabrics. Short of calling us and having the stain professionally treated, you can try soaking the area in rubbing alcohol and then blotting the stain with a clean cloth.

5.      Grass stains. Go outside but don't get dirty…not going to happen. Grass stains show up on brand new shorts, jeans, uniforms and other rough and tumble apparel. The easy fix, toothpaste. Put a small amount of tooth paste (not gel) on the stain and then work it with an old tooth brush. Toothpaste is an abrasive. It's kind of like mild sandpaper. The stain will mostly disappear and then wash as normal.

There are more tips of course but we hope these will help you with the most common. If you have a really stubborn stain or a stain on fine fabrics like silk or leather, call us today and we'll pick up your order and sic our stain experts on the offending parts. Visit us at olddominioncleaners.com for more answers to freaquently asked dry cleaning questions.