The key to stains is to respond quickly! Removing a stain in the first few minutes is more likely to be successful than once it is dried.
We often assume that soap and hot water will remove stains, but for some of them, the result will be the opposite, making the stain permanent.
Here are the most usual stain, and you can find more tips with Moral Fibres.
Tea, coffee, fruit juices, alcohol | Use hot water, but no soap until the stain is removed. BUT the trick is to run hot water through the stain, very delicately, rather than soaking the fabric in hot water: stretch the fabric under a running hot water tap or pull taut over a bowl with an elastic band and pour the hot water from a height. Do not soak the fabric in the hot water – just run hot water through the fabric.
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Grease (butter, oil) | Terre de Sommieres is a great natural stain remover for oily stain – just sparkle some on the stain as soon as possible; it will absorb the oil and leave no residue. If not available, add soap to the fabric and agitate in hot water. Let it dissolve. Any heat (dryer, iron) will set the stain if it has not been removed beforehand. |
Blood, milk/cheese/cream, mud, grass | Don’t put hot water, only cold water and then soap. A paste of baking soda and water, left for 30 minutes, can also help with mud, grass stains. |