It is so easy to get a stain on your fabric, so why does it have to be so hard to get rid of it? Not only is it hard, it can be expensive too! Being in the designer furniture business, I’ve heard my share of horror stories. From candle wax to blood, people have come to me asking if there is an easy way to get rid of their stains. In most cases there are solutions you can create at home followed up with water-based shampoo that will do the trick.

Here are the top 8 little known ways to get rid of your fabric stains:

1. Blood. Believe it or not it can come out. This trick depends on how much blood there is. First, you want to treat the stain with a cold water and table salt mixture (2 tablespoons of salt to 1 quart of water). Rinse and blot with a towel. If the stain persists, try using diluted ammonia.

2. Candle Wax. From past experience I’ve learned not to ask how it got there. Luckily, you have more than one way to clean up this stain. The first step is to gently scrape away the surface wax with a spatula or a dull knife. Now you have two options: you can either spot clean with a water-free cleaning solvent or you can get creative. Getting creative involves covering the spot with several layers of paper towels and applying a warm iron. This should heat the wax and make it easy to scrape off.

3. Chewing Gum. If you think the only way to get chewing gum out of your fabric is by the same method you got it out of your child’s hair, hopefully you found this guide first. All you have to do is freeze the gum with ice and then use a spatula or dull knife to remove it.

4. Chocolate and Coffee. Chocolate and coffee are two very easy stains to remove from your fabric. Just dampen a sponge with lukewarm water and blot the stain.

5. Ink and Markers. Flipping cushions over to hide stains is often a quick and easy solution, especially when it comes to noticeable stains like ink. Before you start flipping and rotating, try using rubbing alcohol to lift the stain.

6. Mud. Whether it is there from your pets or your kids, the fact is the stain is there and it needs to be given the appropriate attention. The first step is to lift away whatever can be removed easily with a spatula or a dull knife. Let the mud dry, and then vacuum it. If the stain persists, clean it with a cloth dampened with ammonia-water solution.

7. Vomit. You wouldn’t expect vomit stains to come out very easily. The truth is that they can be easily removed if you follow these steps. Begin by treating the stain with cold water. Follow up with unseasoned meat tenderizer (seriously). Let is sit for 10-15 minutes and then rinse, let dry, and vacuum.

8. Wine and Alcohol. Sometimes those parties can really get out of hand. You’re going to have to take a couple extra steps with this stain. Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner. Make sure that you pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. Do not over wet.

Some stains are easier to get out then others. There are many factors that play into the difficulty in lifting a stain from the fabric (i.e. age of stain). Remember, if you are unsure of how you should clean any piece of fabric, pay the money and have it done professionally.
By Tom Chianelli
Chianelli Designs

Tom Chianelli is the owner of Chianelli Designs Inc. http://www.chianelli.com. Chianelli Designs specializes in selling designer furniture at discounted prices.