Information Post! Dealing with Stains...
As someone who deals fairly regularly with textiles, and as the daughter of someone who has worked a fair amount with textiles, I find that people sometimes ask me for advice on washing and care instructions on clothing. I've had many conversations like the following examples:
Person A: How do I get out X?
Person B: Throw it in the wash.
Me: Oh god, no. Soak it in this.
Person A: Crap, I got Y on my shirt.
Me: Scrub it in this temperature water. Don't use that, because it will set the stain.
Person A: What do I do about Z?
Person B: Ask Meredith. She's got all these crazy rules for how to get out everything.
So here, I'll share my tactics and techniques. I did a little poking around online and I found out why these tricks work, and how they can be applied to other stains.
Caveat: Temperature is one of the biggest factors in determining whether or not a stain will come out. As far as I know, all washable fabric is safe to be washed in cold water. This is not true of hot water. Cotton that has not been pre-shrunk and wool that is not marked as washable will shrink if washed in hot water! That being said, it is possible to use hot water to spot-wash small stains on wool or unshrunken cotton items, as long as you are careful. It is a good idea to limit the amount of agitation or scrubbing used to clean items, as it will weaken fibers and may change the finish or texture of the fabric, and this is especially true for items that are prone to shrinking. Just be careful.
Caveat #2: I've never tried using acetone or nail polish remover to get stains out, so I don't include it in my list here - but I know some people do this. DO NOT USE THIS ON SYNTHETIC FABRICS. If you dump acetone on many polyesters, rayons, acetates, and similar fabrics that are made from, essentially, plastic, you'll dissolve them.
1. Protein Stains: Blood, urine, vomit, and other fun bodily fluids:
Every teen girl knows - or should know! - that cold water is the best way to get blood out of fabric. As someone who always washes her underwear on "hot" or "warm," I can tell you that this temperature water will NEVER get blood stains out. Hot water permanantly sets blood stains.
Method #1: Blot away any excess with a paper towel/napkin, but avoid smearing the blood further or deeper into the fabric. Place stain under running cold water or soak in cold water - the colder, the better. Ice water does well, even if it makes your hands hurt (keep in mind your hands will warm the water locally, around where you are handling the stain). Rub the fabric against itself where the stain is to buff the stain out, or use a clean, fine, stiff-bristled brush (fingernail brush). The brush is a better technique on more delicate fabrics. The sooner you can get to the stain, the easier it will be to get out and the better the result. Fresh blood is much easier to remove than dried blood. If necessary, add a small amount of clothes detergent. I've used Dial bar soap on occasion, but some soaps can be either ineffective or worse, work to actually set stains, so detergent is preferable. If soaking the fabric, change the water every 10 minutes or so to prevent the stain from drifting to other parts of the material and to keep the water from warming up.
Why it works: Blood is a protein stain. When heated, proteins cook, causing them to change their configuration. On fabric, this causes the proteins to bind to the fibers of the fabric, and once that happens, there's no separating them. Cold water lifts the proteins away from the stain while keeping them intact.
What it works on: I have used this many times on blood. This method should work on other proteins: milk, egg, ice cream, meat juices (beef, chicken, etc), cream, cheese and cheese-based sauces, pudding, yogurt, gelatin, white glue, vomit, urine, mucous, feces.
Method #2: Hydrogen peroxide. I personally have never tried this method myself, but it should be fine to use in conjunction with Method #1. H2O2 will lyse the blood cells and denature the proteins, causing the stain to break apart. H2O2 is, however, a fairly harsh chemical, so I personally would test it on a hidden seam or scrap of material before putting it directly on a stain, and I would hesitate to use it on a delicate fabric.
2. Tannin Stains: Red wine, coffee, orange juice, and other things to drink:
Tomato sauce. Almost impossible to eat or cook without spattering it everywhere. On occasion, I've taken to cooking this stuff while shirtless, to save my clothing, but then I just end up with spattering hot tomato sauce on my bra and or boobies, and that's just no fun, either (although, not as bad as cooking in hot oil sans chemise. Never doing THAT again!).
Method #1: Spot wash at once with hot or warm water. Use dab of detergent if necessary.
Method #2: Soak/scrub in room temperature club soda (soda water, carbonated water, sparkling water, seltzer - whatever you want to call it). After an evening at a friend's, I woke up the next morning to discover that I had dribbled cabernet sauvignon down my white shirt. Annoyed and figuring I'd ruined the shirt, I tossed it aside until I felt like dealing with it 2 or 3 weeks later. I filled my sink with club soda and put the shirt in, figuring it wouldn't hurt a shirt that was already ruined anyway. Half an hour later, the red wine was gone.
Why it works: Tannins are plant compounds, all based on one or multiple carbon rings called phenol (or carbolic acid - carbon rings of this sort are called aromatic compounds, and yes, they are aromatic - hence why most things in this category have distinct or strong odors). They are generally a bit acidic or readily become acids, and are responsible for the furry sensation of a wine that is "dry," the tartness of many fruits and teas, and are used to tan hides into leather. Because they are non-nitrogenous organic molecules (the chemical meaning of organic; a compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) with a major construction unit of a carbon ring (a highly stable structure), water and detergent will wash them out fairly easily. Since heat is energy, warm/hot water will work to release the stains from the fabric fibers, and the molecular stability of tannins keeps the heat from deforming them and binding them to the fibers as would happen with a protein. Tannins are MUCH smaller molecules than proteins, as well, which helps a lot, plus they are a bit more soluble. As for the club soda, I do not have a firm answer to this, but I've got two ideas: club soda often contains sodium bicarbonate - baking soda, (NaHCO3) - an antacid and often used for a variety of cleaning purposes, or, alternatively, club soda's carbonation produces carbonic acid (H2CO3). Either way, I imagine that resulting HCO3+ ion has something to do with it. If any organic chemists want to chime in on this, I'd love to know.
Other interesting tannin facts: Tannins are good for reducing the hardening of arteries, hence the claim that a glass of red wine is good for the cardiac system. They also inhibit mineral absorption, so if you're anemic, be careful - tannins will inhibit iron uptake. Some tannins appear to inhibit HIV replication, as well.
What it works on: Plant compounds. Tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, ketchup, wine, beer, liquors and other alcohols, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, lemon juice/lemonade, lime juice/limeade, grapefruit juice, tea, soda and soft drinks, curry, cologne, and water-based/washable inks. Keep in mind that some foods - ketchup, fruit drinks, etc - often contain edible dyes (mm, tasty Red Dye #40!) to make food more visually appealing. These dyes will stain fabric in addition to the food stain itself, so while the tannin stain might be out, the dyes might be left behind. These are a lot tougher to get rid of.
3. Dye Stains: Berries!
Blueberries and cherries are among two natural items that have been used to dye fabrics for centuries. Obviously, if they've been used for dying fabric for the past couple thousand years, they were chosen for a reason: they don't come out all that easily. It's not impossible, however - dyes always need a mordant to be permanantly set, so as long as you haven't spilled vinegar on top of the blueberries, you've got a chance. There is only one method I know of for effectively removing berry stains from clothes. Perform this as SOON as possible after the garment is stained. I know, I've said this for every method on here, and it's true - fresh stains are easier to remove than old or dried ones. For berries, as for blood, the success of removing the stain is tied to how long the stain sits.
Method: Boil water in a tea kettle or pot. Hold the garment over a drain (kitchen sink works well, as it's right by the stove - normally). If you are alone, you'll have to hold it vertically or stretch it over a bowl; if you have a friend nearby, have them hold the garment horizontally with the stain over the sink, and plenty of leeway between it and their hands so they don't get burned. Pour the boiling water through the stain - this is where the friend is helpful; the boiling water will pull the stain away from the fabric as it pours through, whereas if you are on your own, with your garment vertical on a hanger, the boiling water will trickle down the garment instead. It still works, it just makes a bigger mess and gets more of the garment wet, which can be a problem for temperature-sensitive cottons or wools. It helps to pour from a foot or more above the fabric, so that the water strikes the stain with some force. The largest hazard here is, obviously, getting burned or scalded from the spattering boiling water and steam, but this method will remove berry stains quickly and completely. This method works for both fresh berries and cooked berries. I watched my mother use this technique on a blueberry pie stain on my father's wool suit jacket (we were in the middle of the Adirondacks - there wasn't a dry cleaners for miles), and the stain vanished in 20 seconds without shrinking the jacket (only a spot about 2 inches across was treated).
Why it works: I have no idea. I'm guessing the extreme heat of the boiling water hydrolyzes (breaks) the bonds in the sugars, and... I'm willing to entertain suggestions.
What it works on: Blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries. I'm guessing also things like rose hips, currants, and other berries will respond to this, too.
4. Oil Stains: Butter, fat, grease, lotion, and other squishy things:
I actually don't have a whole lot of experience with these kinds of stains - I usually just put Spray-n-Wash on them, throw 'em in the wash, and whatever happens, happens. This works very well.
Method: Treat the stain with a pretreatment product, like stain stick or spray (usually petroleum-based), or with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, work into the fabric, and wash in hot water.
Why it works: Water and detergent. Actually, I got this answer right on a bonus question in my organic chem class 4 years ago (amazing!): soap works on grease because one end of the soap molecule is hydrophilic, meaning it is polar and has an affinity for water, so will dissolve readily in a polar solvent, like water (makes suds). It is effective on grease because coming off the little clump that is the beginning of the soap molecule is a long hydrocarbon chain which is very hydrophobic (non-polar; doesn't like water) and this portion of the molecule will act as a solvent on similar non-polar compounds, like fats, grease, and oil, pulling them into solution with the water, when normally, the polar water and the non-polar oil would not mix or be miscible at all. This is about all I recall - and about all that I found particularly useful - from Organic Chemistry.
What it works on: Fats, oils, grease, animal fats, vegetable oil, olive oil, peanut oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, salad dressing, hand lotion, face cream, sun block, medical ointments, sweat, hair and skin oil, motor oil, car grease, bike chain grease, sewing machine oil, bacon fat, and lard.
5. Wax, makeup, and polish:
Method: Treat with a dry-cleaning solvent (perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene such as Clorox Prewash, Shout, or Spray n'Wash, much like grease/oil stains) and detergent, then wash. DO NOT try to use an iron to melt the wax - it will only get mushed deeper into the fabric.
Works on: Candle wax, crayon, floor wax, furniture polish, pine resin, lipstick, makeup, and shoe polish.
6.Dyes other than berries: grass, mustard, Kool-Aid, dye transfer from other garments, ink, and tempera paint:
I don't have any home remedies for these - I cheated and looked up techniques for these. These are all enormously difficult to get out, which is why many of them have been used as dyes (grasses, mustard).
Kool-Aid is a highly effective protein dye: if you are interested in custom dying yarn for cheap, get any white or cream animal-fiber yarn (wool, yak, camel, merino (wool), cashmere (goat), angora (rabbit), which are all protein-based, as they are made of keratin) and mix up Kool-Aid in your colors of choice according to directions. Tie the yarn into bundles as you prefer, and either dip or use a paintbrush to color the yarn in your chosen style. Let dry and then rinse in cool or tepid water. If you do this with a grey yarn, you'll get a nice heather-style effect. This can also be done with fibers that are a blend of animal and plant (wool/cotton, wool/bamboo, wool/linen) or animal and synthetic fibers (wool/acrylic), but only the animal portion of the fiber will dye, so you will get a faded, pale, or tinted result. I tried this with a 20% wool 80% acrylic blend, and got a nice result; plus, your yarn smells nice when you work with it later. It did make me wonder what kind of stains I was getting in my esophagus or stomach lining after drinking that stuff, though.
Method: Pretreat with detergent and commercial stain remover, rinse, and wash. Bleach solution may be necessary/used on white or colorfast fabrics. Often, the same washing conditions that caused dye to transfer to another garment may take it out again. If you are concerned about dye running in the wash, it helps to throw in an old towel to absorb some of the dye transfer.
7. Rust: Pretty much, you're screwed:
Rust: Do NOT use bleach. Chlorine bleach sets rust stains and makes them permanant. Special cleaners are needed, since stains won't come out with normal means, but most of these special cleaners are very harsh and toxic. Rust stains might be lightened or removed by sprinkling with salt, applying lemon juice, and laying in the sun to dry. Lemon juice, however, may lighten or bleach colors as well, particularly when in the sun.
8. I have no clue what it is...
That's fine. Start with the least traumatic method: wash in cold water, as for a protein stain. If that doesn't work, bump up the temperature, and increase the harshness of the treatments until you get it out. The only drawback to this is that if it's a berry stain, you'll have likely set the berry stain before you get to boiling water, but there's still a chance the boiling water will work - soak it in white vinegar if you've run into a berry stain that's being particularly stubborn.
Ta-da! Stain removal, according to Syagria. Hope someone finds it helpful.
Also, I has a new icon :) I made it last night.
Person A: How do I get out X?
Person B: Throw it in the wash.
Me: Oh god, no. Soak it in this.
Person A: Crap, I got Y on my shirt.
Me: Scrub it in this temperature water. Don't use that, because it will set the stain.
Person A: What do I do about Z?
Person B: Ask Meredith. She's got all these crazy rules for how to get out everything.
So here, I'll share my tactics and techniques. I did a little poking around online and I found out why these tricks work, and how they can be applied to other stains.
Caveat: Temperature is one of the biggest factors in determining whether or not a stain will come out. As far as I know, all washable fabric is safe to be washed in cold water. This is not true of hot water. Cotton that has not been pre-shrunk and wool that is not marked as washable will shrink if washed in hot water! That being said, it is possible to use hot water to spot-wash small stains on wool or unshrunken cotton items, as long as you are careful. It is a good idea to limit the amount of agitation or scrubbing used to clean items, as it will weaken fibers and may change the finish or texture of the fabric, and this is especially true for items that are prone to shrinking. Just be careful.
Caveat #2: I've never tried using acetone or nail polish remover to get stains out, so I don't include it in my list here - but I know some people do this. DO NOT USE THIS ON SYNTHETIC FABRICS. If you dump acetone on many polyesters, rayons, acetates, and similar fabrics that are made from, essentially, plastic, you'll dissolve them.
1. Protein Stains: Blood, urine, vomit, and other fun bodily fluids:
Every teen girl knows - or should know! - that cold water is the best way to get blood out of fabric. As someone who always washes her underwear on "hot" or "warm," I can tell you that this temperature water will NEVER get blood stains out. Hot water permanantly sets blood stains.
Method #1: Blot away any excess with a paper towel/napkin, but avoid smearing the blood further or deeper into the fabric. Place stain under running cold water or soak in cold water - the colder, the better. Ice water does well, even if it makes your hands hurt (keep in mind your hands will warm the water locally, around where you are handling the stain). Rub the fabric against itself where the stain is to buff the stain out, or use a clean, fine, stiff-bristled brush (fingernail brush). The brush is a better technique on more delicate fabrics. The sooner you can get to the stain, the easier it will be to get out and the better the result. Fresh blood is much easier to remove than dried blood. If necessary, add a small amount of clothes detergent. I've used Dial bar soap on occasion, but some soaps can be either ineffective or worse, work to actually set stains, so detergent is preferable. If soaking the fabric, change the water every 10 minutes or so to prevent the stain from drifting to other parts of the material and to keep the water from warming up.
Why it works: Blood is a protein stain. When heated, proteins cook, causing them to change their configuration. On fabric, this causes the proteins to bind to the fibers of the fabric, and once that happens, there's no separating them. Cold water lifts the proteins away from the stain while keeping them intact.
What it works on: I have used this many times on blood. This method should work on other proteins: milk, egg, ice cream, meat juices (beef, chicken, etc), cream, cheese and cheese-based sauces, pudding, yogurt, gelatin, white glue, vomit, urine, mucous, feces.
Method #2: Hydrogen peroxide. I personally have never tried this method myself, but it should be fine to use in conjunction with Method #1. H2O2 will lyse the blood cells and denature the proteins, causing the stain to break apart. H2O2 is, however, a fairly harsh chemical, so I personally would test it on a hidden seam or scrap of material before putting it directly on a stain, and I would hesitate to use it on a delicate fabric.
2. Tannin Stains: Red wine, coffee, orange juice, and other things to drink:
Tomato sauce. Almost impossible to eat or cook without spattering it everywhere. On occasion, I've taken to cooking this stuff while shirtless, to save my clothing, but then I just end up with spattering hot tomato sauce on my bra and or boobies, and that's just no fun, either (although, not as bad as cooking in hot oil sans chemise. Never doing THAT again!).
Method #1: Spot wash at once with hot or warm water. Use dab of detergent if necessary.
Method #2: Soak/scrub in room temperature club soda (soda water, carbonated water, sparkling water, seltzer - whatever you want to call it). After an evening at a friend's, I woke up the next morning to discover that I had dribbled cabernet sauvignon down my white shirt. Annoyed and figuring I'd ruined the shirt, I tossed it aside until I felt like dealing with it 2 or 3 weeks later. I filled my sink with club soda and put the shirt in, figuring it wouldn't hurt a shirt that was already ruined anyway. Half an hour later, the red wine was gone.
Why it works: Tannins are plant compounds, all based on one or multiple carbon rings called phenol (or carbolic acid - carbon rings of this sort are called aromatic compounds, and yes, they are aromatic - hence why most things in this category have distinct or strong odors). They are generally a bit acidic or readily become acids, and are responsible for the furry sensation of a wine that is "dry," the tartness of many fruits and teas, and are used to tan hides into leather. Because they are non-nitrogenous organic molecules (the chemical meaning of organic; a compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) with a major construction unit of a carbon ring (a highly stable structure), water and detergent will wash them out fairly easily. Since heat is energy, warm/hot water will work to release the stains from the fabric fibers, and the molecular stability of tannins keeps the heat from deforming them and binding them to the fibers as would happen with a protein. Tannins are MUCH smaller molecules than proteins, as well, which helps a lot, plus they are a bit more soluble. As for the club soda, I do not have a firm answer to this, but I've got two ideas: club soda often contains sodium bicarbonate - baking soda, (NaHCO3) - an antacid and often used for a variety of cleaning purposes, or, alternatively, club soda's carbonation produces carbonic acid (H2CO3). Either way, I imagine that resulting HCO3+ ion has something to do with it. If any organic chemists want to chime in on this, I'd love to know.
Other interesting tannin facts: Tannins are good for reducing the hardening of arteries, hence the claim that a glass of red wine is good for the cardiac system. They also inhibit mineral absorption, so if you're anemic, be careful - tannins will inhibit iron uptake. Some tannins appear to inhibit HIV replication, as well.
What it works on: Plant compounds. Tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, ketchup, wine, beer, liquors and other alcohols, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, lemon juice/lemonade, lime juice/limeade, grapefruit juice, tea, soda and soft drinks, curry, cologne, and water-based/washable inks. Keep in mind that some foods - ketchup, fruit drinks, etc - often contain edible dyes (mm, tasty Red Dye #40!) to make food more visually appealing. These dyes will stain fabric in addition to the food stain itself, so while the tannin stain might be out, the dyes might be left behind. These are a lot tougher to get rid of.
3. Dye Stains: Berries!
Blueberries and cherries are among two natural items that have been used to dye fabrics for centuries. Obviously, if they've been used for dying fabric for the past couple thousand years, they were chosen for a reason: they don't come out all that easily. It's not impossible, however - dyes always need a mordant to be permanantly set, so as long as you haven't spilled vinegar on top of the blueberries, you've got a chance. There is only one method I know of for effectively removing berry stains from clothes. Perform this as SOON as possible after the garment is stained. I know, I've said this for every method on here, and it's true - fresh stains are easier to remove than old or dried ones. For berries, as for blood, the success of removing the stain is tied to how long the stain sits.
Method: Boil water in a tea kettle or pot. Hold the garment over a drain (kitchen sink works well, as it's right by the stove - normally). If you are alone, you'll have to hold it vertically or stretch it over a bowl; if you have a friend nearby, have them hold the garment horizontally with the stain over the sink, and plenty of leeway between it and their hands so they don't get burned. Pour the boiling water through the stain - this is where the friend is helpful; the boiling water will pull the stain away from the fabric as it pours through, whereas if you are on your own, with your garment vertical on a hanger, the boiling water will trickle down the garment instead. It still works, it just makes a bigger mess and gets more of the garment wet, which can be a problem for temperature-sensitive cottons or wools. It helps to pour from a foot or more above the fabric, so that the water strikes the stain with some force. The largest hazard here is, obviously, getting burned or scalded from the spattering boiling water and steam, but this method will remove berry stains quickly and completely. This method works for both fresh berries and cooked berries. I watched my mother use this technique on a blueberry pie stain on my father's wool suit jacket (we were in the middle of the Adirondacks - there wasn't a dry cleaners for miles), and the stain vanished in 20 seconds without shrinking the jacket (only a spot about 2 inches across was treated).
Why it works: I have no idea. I'm guessing the extreme heat of the boiling water hydrolyzes (breaks) the bonds in the sugars, and... I'm willing to entertain suggestions.
What it works on: Blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries. I'm guessing also things like rose hips, currants, and other berries will respond to this, too.
4. Oil Stains: Butter, fat, grease, lotion, and other squishy things:
I actually don't have a whole lot of experience with these kinds of stains - I usually just put Spray-n-Wash on them, throw 'em in the wash, and whatever happens, happens. This works very well.
Method: Treat the stain with a pretreatment product, like stain stick or spray (usually petroleum-based), or with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, work into the fabric, and wash in hot water.
Why it works: Water and detergent. Actually, I got this answer right on a bonus question in my organic chem class 4 years ago (amazing!): soap works on grease because one end of the soap molecule is hydrophilic, meaning it is polar and has an affinity for water, so will dissolve readily in a polar solvent, like water (makes suds). It is effective on grease because coming off the little clump that is the beginning of the soap molecule is a long hydrocarbon chain which is very hydrophobic (non-polar; doesn't like water) and this portion of the molecule will act as a solvent on similar non-polar compounds, like fats, grease, and oil, pulling them into solution with the water, when normally, the polar water and the non-polar oil would not mix or be miscible at all. This is about all I recall - and about all that I found particularly useful - from Organic Chemistry.
What it works on: Fats, oils, grease, animal fats, vegetable oil, olive oil, peanut oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, salad dressing, hand lotion, face cream, sun block, medical ointments, sweat, hair and skin oil, motor oil, car grease, bike chain grease, sewing machine oil, bacon fat, and lard.
5. Wax, makeup, and polish:
Method: Treat with a dry-cleaning solvent (perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene such as Clorox Prewash, Shout, or Spray n'Wash, much like grease/oil stains) and detergent, then wash. DO NOT try to use an iron to melt the wax - it will only get mushed deeper into the fabric.
Works on: Candle wax, crayon, floor wax, furniture polish, pine resin, lipstick, makeup, and shoe polish.
6.Dyes other than berries: grass, mustard, Kool-Aid, dye transfer from other garments, ink, and tempera paint:
I don't have any home remedies for these - I cheated and looked up techniques for these. These are all enormously difficult to get out, which is why many of them have been used as dyes (grasses, mustard).
Kool-Aid is a highly effective protein dye: if you are interested in custom dying yarn for cheap, get any white or cream animal-fiber yarn (wool, yak, camel, merino (wool), cashmere (goat), angora (rabbit), which are all protein-based, as they are made of keratin) and mix up Kool-Aid in your colors of choice according to directions. Tie the yarn into bundles as you prefer, and either dip or use a paintbrush to color the yarn in your chosen style. Let dry and then rinse in cool or tepid water. If you do this with a grey yarn, you'll get a nice heather-style effect. This can also be done with fibers that are a blend of animal and plant (wool/cotton, wool/bamboo, wool/linen) or animal and synthetic fibers (wool/acrylic), but only the animal portion of the fiber will dye, so you will get a faded, pale, or tinted result. I tried this with a 20% wool 80% acrylic blend, and got a nice result; plus, your yarn smells nice when you work with it later. It did make me wonder what kind of stains I was getting in my esophagus or stomach lining after drinking that stuff, though.
Method: Pretreat with detergent and commercial stain remover, rinse, and wash. Bleach solution may be necessary/used on white or colorfast fabrics. Often, the same washing conditions that caused dye to transfer to another garment may take it out again. If you are concerned about dye running in the wash, it helps to throw in an old towel to absorb some of the dye transfer.
7. Rust: Pretty much, you're screwed:
Rust: Do NOT use bleach. Chlorine bleach sets rust stains and makes them permanant. Special cleaners are needed, since stains won't come out with normal means, but most of these special cleaners are very harsh and toxic. Rust stains might be lightened or removed by sprinkling with salt, applying lemon juice, and laying in the sun to dry. Lemon juice, however, may lighten or bleach colors as well, particularly when in the sun.
8. I have no clue what it is...
That's fine. Start with the least traumatic method: wash in cold water, as for a protein stain. If that doesn't work, bump up the temperature, and increase the harshness of the treatments until you get it out. The only drawback to this is that if it's a berry stain, you'll have likely set the berry stain before you get to boiling water, but there's still a chance the boiling water will work - soak it in white vinegar if you've run into a berry stain that's being particularly stubborn.
Ta-da! Stain removal, according to Syagria. Hope someone finds it helpful.
Also, I has a new icon :) I made it last night.