by Debra Menager

Created on: August 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 20, 2009

Life happens. And with it comes little reminders of where we've been and what we've done, often in the form of little (or huge!) stains on the clothes we wear as we're living it. Fun and labor both take a toll on us and our clothes. Just ask anyone unpacking after a long, gloriously relaxing vacation. Piles of laundry (along with piles of bills in the mail that was held) await sorting and tending.

Stain resistant fabrics are a godsend for busy, price conscious families. But even these clothes don't defy all of the dirty marks from living. The true cost from stubborn stains is much more than the time and money spent cleaning it (doing it yourself it takes time but costs less than sending it out to the cleaners). Unsuccessful stain removal may be the most costly, with loss of a favorite garment or an expensive, almost new one.

Spot cleaning helps save, if you use the right methods and material. Here are a few tips that have saved me a lot of time and money, and salvaged many of my family's formerly marked clothes.

1. A bit of water to dampen a washcloth or paper towel is simple to use and often amazingly effective right after a spill.

Blot, don't wipe. Avoid spreading and smearing the stain into still clean area; blot from the outside inward. For very wet stains (like a spilled soda), first blot with dry paper towels or napkins, removing excess liquid. Then hold a cloth under the stained fabric to absorb moisture as you apply a dampened cloth or towel, blotting the stained surface.

2. Bleach pens and stain removal wipes in handy portable packets can be taken with you to blot those dirty marks as they happen.

They may be effective for awhile after the initial stain. But an early attack on the stain before its fully dry is better. Before using one of these stain removers, read the instructions and precautions on its packaging. Removing desired color along with the stain does not save your clothing. It may be wise to test on a small, unobtrusive area if color safety is a possible issue.

3. Baby wipes or wet wipes (for cleaning hands) do well for stain removal on many fabrics.

I've used these without any problems on many surfaces: as varied as cloth car seats and carpets, tweed jackets and velvet baby clothes, and more. They will also help loosen partially dried and congealed substances on these surfaces, and those that have penetrated into the fibers.

4. Hydrogen peroxide will remove blood.

It removes fresh blood stains extremely

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