by Cindy Kessler

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 12, 2009

Every household has to deal with stained garments from time to time. A woman dripping gravy or other food stuff on the front of her dress, blouse, skirt or slacks knows that she will need to deal with it as soon as she gets home or has time. On the other hand, most males do not notice when they stain a tie or other garment. Almost every adult has had to retire to the rest room to dap water on a stain, hoping it will not be too noticeable for the rest of the day.

Today several products are available to 'spot treat" a stain when the person is not at home. Tide has a pen that can fit in your purse, glove compartment in the car or desk drawer in the office. There are also wipes and sprays available in most retail markets.

My opinion, as a self professed laundry expert, having raised six children and maintained a home laundry for over fifty years, is use these products in emergency situations only. Follow the manufacturer's directions for optimum success; but be prepared to treat the stain again at home.

Spot treating stains is a technique that involves pulling the stain out of the fabric. This process keeps the "spot" confined to a small area on the garment. It is sometimes referred to as "sponging". Cover the work area with clean white rags or paper towels. Place the spot face down on the prepared surface. Using a white cloth that has been dampened with a cleaning solvent, lightly work the moisture onto the spot. Try to work toward the center of the stain. The stained spot slowly transfers to the material below the stained garment. Move the "spot" to a clean place as the stain slowly transfers to the material beneath. Repeat until stain is gone, and then launder as normal to remove all traces of the solvent.

Needless to say, this is a time intensive procedure and most of us prefer to take the garment to the dry cleaners to have the spot removed. When you hear the term "spot treating" this is the process being discussed.

For most stains I recommend lightly rubbing a dish detergent such as Dawn over the discolored spot and then washing the garment as the manufacturer's label recommend. I repeat this process if the stain is not gone after the first washing. A liquid laundry detergent can also be used; I have been using dish detergent for many years with great success so always suggest trying it first. My other recommendation is to always examine clothing, especially children's items, before laundering. A drop of liquid detergent used before washing the garment usually works great for average spot removal.

Learn more about this author, Cindy Kessler.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.