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An ugly brown stain on your otherwise stunning white carpet or a splash of red wine on your new blouse can really ruin a good purchase and cause a great loss of money. There are many old wives’ tales about how to get rid of stains by using simple household ingredients. But do any of these theories actually work or is it all down to a good household detergent and some old-fashioned elbow grease?

Be logical about it

First you need to examine your stained article and determine what fabric it is made of, what the stain is and how long it has been there. There are many types of laundry detergents for different materials and different strengths of stains. Chlorine bleach will get rid of most stains but it should only be used on white, durable clothing. Pre-treatment stain removal products, like Vanish, will help to diminish new stains before washing the items normally.

Old wives’ tales

You can get rid of blood with a salt mixture – with protein stains like blood, egg and puddings blotting the stains first works wonders, followed by a rub with a water and salt mixture and then washing your items in a watered down ammonia-based detergent for really tough stains. Freezing chewing gum off shoes and clothes with a block of ice will work so long as you are prepared to do the nasty work of chipping away at it.

Common stains

A foam-based shampoo will help when it comes to wine and alcohol stains but try not to wet these stains too much as they can spread easily. Rubbing alcohol can lift ink stains while a simple sponge soaked in lukewarm water can diminish coffee and chocolate stains. Grease and oil stains should be blotted and left to soak immediately after they occur and then wash the items vigorously.

Tags: cleaning, stains