Three Household Items to Remove Stains

Sometimes you get one of those stubborn stains and don't have any specialty products to remove it, plus those stain remover products can be expensive. Fortunately for you frugal consumers, there are a few ways you can transform regular household products into effective stain removers. A few things to keep on hand in case of a stain emergency are rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and club soda.

One effective home method for stain removal is using rubbing alcohol. You can use this technique on stains from red drinks, ices, or berry juices and the technique is quick and simple. Take the rubbing alcohol and rub in on the stain, working the alcohol into the stain on the fabric. Rub it until the stain starts coming out and in some cases you'll be able to completely remove the stain. You should then wash your clothes so you can remove that icky alcohol smell!

You can also add baking soda to suds for cleaners that just don't cut it. Especially with oil or grease stains, you can achieve fresher and cleaner results if you add a half cup of baking soda to the wash cycle. You can make grease disappear like magic! Also remember, if you happen to get a grease spot on your favorite blouse while cooking, quickly open your pantry and get out some baking soda, cornmeal, or cornstarch. Rub it into the spot to absorb the grease. Then let it dry, brush away the remaining powder, and wash the item as soon as possible.

Club soda is also most effective in treating fabric stains. On double knit fabrics you can pour a bit of club soda on the stain and simply rub the soda into the stain until it disappears. It's like magic! You should always keep in mind, though, that sometimes you may just need some high-powered product to remove a stain. Sometimes—especially when it comes to nice fabrics and favorite clothes—you should opt for dry cleaning or a more professional product. You don't want to damage your clothes further!

Removing stains isn't that hard when you use household items and many times they are quick and simple. Always keep in mind however the quality of the garment and the potential factor of damage. They're your clothes so you want to treat them right!