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Home Spot Removal Guide

Treat all spots from the outer edge of the spot to the center to prevent rings and spreading of the stain.

Patience should be taken with each treatment. Some spots react slowly to spotting solutions and some stains will require professional treatment. A Steamatic Spotting Kit is available from our office that contains the spotters most commonly used by our technicians for professional spot removal. This chart is only for use when a Steamatic Spotting Kit is not available.

Spots, spills and stains should be treated as they occur. The longer a spot remains, the more difficult it will be to remove. An excellent spotter to keep on hand for food/food coloring spills is club soda. Use a fresh bottle; blot; rinse with water; blot dry.

Always use a clean, white, absorbent cloth for applying and blotting the solution. Do not scrub or rub the fibers as this could cause damage to the fibers and are not repairable.

Remove excess of any spill before application of spotting agents.

PRE-TEST all spotting solutions to determine the colorfastness of the fabric or fiber. Test the fabric in an inconspicuous area.

Home Care Spotting Solutions:

  • Detergent Solution - One teaspoonful of a colorless, mild detergent in one cup of lukewarm water.
  • Ammonia Solution - One tablespoon of clear household ammonia in one-half cup of water.
  • Vinegar Solution - One-third cup of white household vinegar in two-thirds cup of water.
  • P/V Remover - Paint, varnish or grease remover available in most hardware stores. (*Use sparingly and DO NOT pour directly onto fabric or fibers. P/V Remover can dissolve the glue that holds the layers of carpet together resulting in delamination and a possible bubbling of the carpet.)
BEER - Stain: Yellow, yellowish brown, stiffens when dry.
  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

BLOOD - STAIN:  Red to dark brown, stiffens when dry.

  1. Apply COOL detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply COOL ammonia solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry


BUTTER - STAIN:  Yellowish, brown, greasy

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Apply detergent solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

CANDLE WAX - STAIN:  Stiff, built up on surface

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Place absorbent brown paper over spot; use electric iron on low heat; iron over paper until all wax is absorbed into the paper being caution not to touch to iron to the fibers or fabric.

KETCHUP - STAIN:  Red, brown, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply cool detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

CHEWING GUM - STAIN:  Grey, pink, sticky

  1. Harden gum with ice cube; when brittle scrape off
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot (see above description)
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry


CHOCOLATE - STAIN:  Brown, stiffens when dry, built up on surface

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply cool detergent solution, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  5. Rinse with water, blot dry

COCKTAILS - STAIN:  Light brown or colorless

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

COFFEE - STAIN:  Brown, darkens with age

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

COUGH SYRUP - STAIN:  Red, brown, sticky when wet, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

CRAYONS - STAIN:  Any color, shiny, waxy

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Apply detergent solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

EGG (Raw) - STAIN:  White, yellow, stiffens when dry

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

FOOD COLORING - STAIN:  Any color, absorbed into surface

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

FRUIT JUICE - STAIN:  Yellow or color of fruit, absorbed appearance

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

FURNITURE STAIN - STAIN:  Red, brown, absorbed appearance

  1. Apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

GLUE (school) - STAIN:  White, clear, sticky when wet, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply water, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

GRASS - STAIN:  Green/brown smudges

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

GRAVY - STAIN:  Brown, built up on surface

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

ICE CREAM - STAIN:  Any color, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

INK (Ballpoint) - STAIN:  Can be any color, usually blue or black

  1. (On smooth finish vinyl/leather) Use hair spray; apply; let set; clean with detergent solution
  2. (On carpet/fabric) Use P/V remover

LIPSTICK - STAIN:  Oily, waxy, all colors

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

MERCUROCHROME/MERTHIOLATE - STAIN:  Reddish orange

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

MILK - STAIN:  White, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply cool detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

MILDEW - STAIN:  Greyish brown with grey or black spots

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

MUD - STAIN:  Grey, brown, stiff when dry

  1. Let dry, remove excess
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

MUSTARD - STAIN:  Yellowish, brown

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

NAIL POLISH - STAIN:  Red, pink, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

OILS / GREASES  - STAIN:  Brown, darkens with age

  1. Apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

PAINT (oil based) - STAIN:  Any color, stiffens when dry, built up on surface

  1. Apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply P/V remover, weight down with tissues on spot, let stand; replace tissues and apply P/V remover periodically
  3. Apply detergent solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

PAINT (water based) - STAIN:  Any color, stiffens when dry

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry
  4. Apply P/V remover, blot

PRESERVES, JAM, JELLY - STAIN:  Usually reddish or blue purple; will cause stiffness of fiber

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot

RUBBER CEMENT - STAIN:  Colorless or white, sticky when wet, stiffens when dry

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Apply detergent solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

RUST - STAIN:  Red, brown, usually built up on surface

  1. Apply rust remover
  2. Allow to stand for 5 - 10 minutes, blot; repeat
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

SHOE POLISH - STAIN:  Black, brown, built up on surface

  1. Apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

SOFT DRINKS - STAIN:  Yellow, red, brown, darkens with age

  1. Apply cold detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  3. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

SOOT - STAIN:  Black spots, smudges (Recommended for minor spots/smudges only.)

  1. Vacuum first, apply P/V remover, blot
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

TAR / ASPHALT - STAIN:  Brown, black, built up on surface

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply P/V remover, blot
  3. Apply detergent solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

TOOTHPASTE - STAIN:  White, green, built up on surface

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

URINE - STAIN:   Yellow, brown, darkens with age

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Rinse with water, blot dry

VOMIT -  STAIN:  Various colors, built up on surface

  1. Remove excess
  2. Apply detergent solution, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry

WINE - STAIN:  Red, purple, absorbed appearance

  1. Apply detergent solution, blot
  2. Apply vinegar solution, blot
  3. Apply ammonia solution, blot
  4. Rinse with water, blot dry
 
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