Types of Solvents (And the Stains They Remove) – Part 3

By L. Paul Cline 

Water: Universally safe on basically everything. It is effective as an immediate treatment to prevent stain setting. Needs prolonged soaking to have much effect on grease/oil stains, but it reduces the effect of dyes (lipstick, hair dye, bleed from other clothes, etc.) considerably. It is not usually a 100% effective treatment all on its own.

Salt: Can be applied on top of a wetted stain to give the chemicals something to leech into. Effective on sweat/deodorant armpit stains, red wine, and blood stains.

Vinegar/Lemon Juice: Mild acids are great against coffee and tea, grass stains, and sticky residues like tape and glue. Vinegar is also effective against mildew — perfect for laundry that sat wet too long. Do not use on wool.

Detergent: Laundry and dish detergents are similar enough to use interchangeably in most situations. Dish detergent is usually harsher, and may make very delicate fabrics worse if you don’t wash it out thoroughly. They are both particularly effective against grease stains, so use them on everything from gravy and burger juice to chocolate smears.

Oxidizing Bleaches: Hydrogen peroxide is the most common example of oxidizing bleaches. They’re effective at removing color, making them ideal for makeup stains, grass stains, and other pigment-based damage. They’re less effective against grease, and can damage delicate fabrics. Dilute as needed for a milder treatment.

Glycerin: A neutral, commercially available treatment that helps to draw stains out of fabrics. Good on ink and dye stains. Many commercial “stain sticks” are glycerin, or a combination of glycerin and detergent.

Mineral Spirits: An intense treatment for very stubborn greases (asphalt/tar stains, etc.). They are too strong for delicate fabrics. Wash the clothing thoroughly after treatment and air-dry.

Digestants/Enzyme Cleaners: These are commercial products sold under a variety of names. They are highly effective on organic stains, and stains with an odor (egg yolk, pet urine, blood, sweat, etc.) They cannot be used on wool or silk — the cleaner feeds on proteins, and both wool and silk are made from proteins.

Dry Cleaning Solvents: These are sold in a diluted form for home treatment of stains. Use them with caution — you are better off taking the clothes to a professional cleaner.

Chlorine Bleaches: A harsh, last-ditch remedy. Use with caution. They can damage fabric and discolor non-white cloth. Always test a small, hidden area first, and only if the tag does not say “No Bleach” or “Chlorine Free” on it. Not all stains are going to give way easily to one kind of treatment. Some will require multiple treatments for multiple problems: many lipsticks, for example, have both an oil component and a dye component. In general, treat dyes before oils — chocolate, for example, is best treated with a lukewarm water soak and then with a bit of detergent applied directly to the stain.

LesCline Clothiers

Les Paul Cline has spent the past 20 years helping men perfect their image, both inside and out. He has worked with hundreds of business executives to help them design their wardrobes in the privacy of their own home or office.

In January 2003 he started Les Cline Company, a bespoke clothier that offers custom made suits and shirts at an affordable price. Today, Les Cline has grown to help hundreds of men find greater confidence through a bespoke suit.

Lescline.com  [email protected]
1-855-712-7312
Greenville, SC 29615