Spilling coffee, soft drinks and raspberry trifle is as much a part of party life as making the smallest of small talk. Most people rub the stain with a dampened napkin. Wrong. You can damage the surface yarns of delicate fabrics and remove dye. Here are suggestions on what to do from the International Fabricare Institute in Maryland.
– Blot the stain, never rub.
– If it`s a dry clean-only fabric, blot with a dry cloth and take to the cleaners as soon as possible.
– If using a spotting agent in the wash, do a test first on an unobtrusive part of the garment for colorfastness.
– If you`re at a party, just blot and bear it. Quick fixes often backfire.
– Heat and age set a stain. The sooner you can remove a stain, the better.
– For blood, chocolate, egg, ice cream and milk stains: Blot with cold water. Spot with enzyme detergent. Rinse with water.
– For coffee, tea, soft drinks, wine, liquor and food coloring: Blot with cold water. Spot with synthetic detergent. Rinse with water.
