Laundry Spot Remover

According to, Janis Stone, a specialist of clothing and textiles who is employed at Iowa State University, stains can be broken down into five categories: protein stains such as, human or animal bodily fluids; tannin stains: found in natural substances like tea or coffee; oil-based stains; dye stains, from fruit, crayons, or ink; and combination stains, any combination of two or more stain types. Each type of stain is molecularly different and because of this should be treated differently. Many types of laundry spot remover are available for this reason.

Most types of laundry spot remover are designed to remove just one or two types of stains. A cleaner that focuses on protein stains may not work well on a dye stain and it is likely that a detergent designed for a dye stain would remove an oil based stain at all. So how do you choose a reliable stain lifter?

Begin by reading the bottle carefully. Choose a cleaner that will cover a wide variety of stains. If a cleaner will remove at least three of the five stain types it will probably be reliable. Also look for a cleaner that is designed for use both before and after the stain has dried.

It is much simpler to remove a fresh stain than a stain that has dried, however time and location may not permit this. By choosing a detergent that can remove stains after they have dried you can avoid the worry that your clothes will be ruined. Also, carrying a portable stain remover is a good idea.

Many portable stain removers come in wipe or stick form. These are excellent for stain removal on the go because they allow you to quickly remove a stain. This way the stain does not set in before you are able to treat it. At times these are only designed for simple stains and will not handle grease or solutions, other types of cleaners often can not handle these stains either.

While it would be wonderful for all our cleaners to be all natural it simply is not plausible. Too many of the stains contain man made chemicals that simply will not be removed by natural cleaners. These cleaners are typical made from sugar and sodium extracts and work best on tannin stains. This is the same reason that club soda will work well on wine stains but few other stain types.

With this information you can make an educated choice on which laundry spot remover to choose. Remember to read the labels carefully and you will be able to keep your clothes looking beautiful for a very long time.

Author Bio

Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1931, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean.