Spilled sauce on your favorite shirt or tablecloth often causes panic, but reaction speed is your main ally in this fight. If you act wisely and avoid making common mistakes, your item can be saved even without expensive dry cleaning. The main rule to remember right away is: never use hot water for the first cleaning step.
First actions after an accident
As soon as the drop touches the fabric, you instinctively want to start rubbing the stain with a napkin. This should absolutely not be done, as you will only drive the pigment deeper into the fibers. Carefully remove excess sauce with a spoon or the blunt side of a knife, being careful not to smear the edges of the contamination. If the sauce is runny, just get wet his paper towel.
After this, turn the item inside out and place the stain under the stream. ice water. The water should pass through the fabric, washing the sauce particles out rather than pushing them in. Hot water can “cook” the protein found in many sauces, leaving the stain permanent.
How to remove oily base
Most sauces, whether mayonnaise, pesto or ketchup, contain fat. Regular washing powder does not always cope with them the first time. The best remedy here is the usual dishwashing liquid. Its formula is created specifically for the breakdown of fat.
-
Apply a drop of dish gel to the wet spot.
-
Gently lather with your fingers, moving from the edges to the center.
-
Leave the product on the fabric for 10-15 minutes.
-
Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
Fighting color pigments
If, after removing fat, a colored mark remains on the fabric (for example, from turmeric, tomatoes or red wine), you will need oxygen bleach or improvised means. Hydrogen peroxide works well for white fabrics, but must be used with caution. For colored items, it is safer to use table vinegar diluted with water.
Soak a cotton pad in the vinegar solution and apply to the stain for a few minutes. The acid will help neutralize the dyes. After treatment, the item must be washed in a machine at the maximum temperature allowed for this type of fabric.
Old sauce stains require a more aggressive approach, and this is where glycerol. It should be slightly warmed up, applied to the stain and left for 20 minutes, then rinsed off with warm water with the addition of ammonia. This method softens dried fibers and releases stubborn dirt.
Proper care and timely processing can return clothes to their original appearance, preserving the structure of the fabric and the brightness of the color even after heavy soiling.
About the Author
