by Frank Donatone

Created on: September 29, 2007

EVERY MAN'S GUIDE TO REMOVING STAINS

What do you do if your single or the wife is away on vacation and you spill wine on your shirt...and what were you doing drinking wine anyway with the wife away !

The first thing that you'll need on hand is that anti-stain arsenal. No man should be without it..best thing next to a maid, girlfriend or wife. So here we go:

1. Alcohol..no not the one you drink..it should be rubbing or denatured. Use the clear type, not the colored one. Its great for grass or dye stains..and don't light a match while your using it..it is FLAMMABLE !

2. Stain removal book..duh..they do exist. Try the library.

3. Ammonia. Mix 1 tsp. with 1/2 cup water to made an effective antidote for many stains. Hey, and don't drink it and remember NOT TO COMBINE IT WITH CHLORINE.

4. White vinegar. A mixture of 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 cup of water is recommended for removing many food stains. Its safe for all fibers but it can change the color.

5. Dry-cleaning solvent or powder (non - flammable). You can use it for spot cleaning like when you spilled the tomato sauce on you yesterday in the company cafeteria.

6. Chlorine bleach. Follow directions carefully or your gonna have tie dyed clothes.

7. All-fabric bleach (also called oxygen bleach ) is safe on most fabrics. Its milder than chlorine bleach and better for some stains. It great for the red wine that you just spilled.

8. Club soda. Prescribed for rinsing many kinds of stains, not only on clothes but even on carpet,upholstery (so you don't have to cover it with the couch pillow ) and tablecloths.

9. Nail polish remover (nonoily or amyl acetate) works on glue or lacquer; keep away from plastic and furniture or your going to have another problem.

10. Detergent with enzymes. A few liquid and powdered detergents contain enzymes that help get rid of stubborn stains. Not for use on nonwashables such as wool, mohair, or silk.

11. Hydrogen peroxide. (3% solution) can be used safely on wool or silk; mixed with a small amount of ammonia, it makes a mild bleach.

12. Glycerin, a heavy form of alcohol..no..don't drink it..its not Southern comfort. It gets rid of ballpoint ink, fruit and coffee stains.

13. Boosters include sticks, pump sprays, aerosols, liquids and powders. Generally applied in prewash treatments, they add extra kick to regular laundry soap to fight hard stains such as dirty motor oil..You remember motor oil from the last time you worked on the car, right?

14 Tools...keep on hand an eyedropper, clean cloths, and a clean sponge for applying stain removers.

Hey guys below are couple of extra tips:

A. After you finish shaving keep the shaving cream. It removes dirt and fresh stains from rugs and upholstery. Spread it on, brush lightly then rinse off with clean water. Kinda like shaving, no?

B. You single guys can remove candle wax from the rug by using a hair dryer to soften it, then sponging it away with vinegar diluted with water.

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