Picture yourself in a restaurant, in the office, on
a flight, or at a social event. And oh no! Something just spilt,
splashed or splattered on your favorite outfit or suit.
Before you can say "Where's the club soda," everyone around you
is volunteering an opinion on a quick-fix miracle cure.
Here's a word of caution: Before you take the "advice" of those
around you, or before you do something you'll later regret,
consider this ...
Restaurant waiters, business associates, airline personnel,
family members and friends are not skilled stain removal
technicians. Specifically, they know absolutely nothing about how
to treat your specific combination of
stain (e.g., steak sauce, mustard or red
wine)
- stain type (e.g., oil-based, water-based or combination)
- fabric color (e.g., black, tan or white)
- fabric type (e.g., silk, rayon or linen)
- dye type (e.g., solvent soluble dye, water soluble dye, solvent
fast dye, water fast dye, or some combination thereof)
Their "advice" may sound plausible because it often involves
"stuff" you've heard about: ammonia, baby wipes, baking soda, club
soda, coca cola, dishwashing liquid, hairspray, hydrogen peroxide,
hot/cold water, laundry detergent/soap, lemon juice, lighter
fluid, meat tenderizer, salt, sun, vinegar, WD-40, water or white
wine. Commercial products such as OxiClean, Urine Gone and Wine
Away. And let's not forget those "guaranteed" spot removers
promoted on late night TV, at supermarket check outs, and in TV
guides and tabloid newspapers.
Truth is, their "advice" is probably nothing more than a mixture
of folklore, old wives tales, home remedies, and hazy memories
about something they'd heard from someone a few years back.
So what do you do?
Here's my best advice ...
Count to 30. Slowly.
Hopefully, this "cool off" period will
- Refresh your memory on our advice for stain emergencies (ignore
the advice of others, and do nothing you'll later regret)
- Prevent you from doing something impulsive ("I've got to do
something. Anything. Now!")
- Delay your search for a quick-fix miracle cure ("Get me some
water or club soda. Quick!")
Here's a sobering thought: By attempting to "treat" the stain
yourself, you've got a 50:50 chance of ruining the garment.
In other words, if the quick-fix miracle cure works, you're just
plain lucky. If it doesn't work, you've possibly ruined the
garment.
Ignore the "advice" of those around you.
Clearly, those around you are just trying to be helpful in an
awkward situation. Unfortunately, they're not skilled stain removal
technicians, and don't have the technical knowledge, tools,
chemical agents, and specialized equipment necessary to "treat" the
garment.
Don't apply any quick-fix miracle cure.
Most of these quick-fix miracle cures just spread the stain,
result in the formation of rings, bleed the dyes, and "pull" the
color out of the fabric. Furthermore, they make future removal or
restoration by a skilled stain removal technician a difficult, if
not impossible task.
I can't begin to recall the number of ruined garments we've seen
accompanied by the comment: "I know I shouldn't have done anything,
but..."
Gently blot the spill, splash or splatter with a white
cotton napkin or towel. Never wipe. Never rub. Never
scrub.
I'll repeat that: Never wipe. Never rub. Never scrub.
Just gently blot the fabric to absorb as much of the spill,
splash or splatter as possible.
Then leave it alone.
Take or send the garment to a reputable
drycleaner.
- Select a true quality drycleaner who is recognized for their
stain removal and restoration skills.
- Take or send in the garment within 24 to 48 hours.
- Give the drycleaner enough time -- at least a week -- to
achieve the best possible result (true quality cleaning cannot be
accomplished in a few hours or a few days).
- Point out the location of the spill, splash or splatter,
especially if the spill, splash or splatter has dried clear.
- Inform the drycleaner of the nature of the spill, splash or
splatter, if known.
So the next time a spill, splash or splatter occurs remember my
advice: ignore the advice of others, and do nothing you'll later
regret.
You could say that knowing what NOT to do is more important than
knowing what to do.
How can I help you?