Removing Cranberry Stains from Cotton Tablecloths

It can be incredibly annoying and frustrating to find a cranberry stain on your favorite white cotton table cloth. This is even more true when you find it too late to really do anything about it. However, if you were one of the lucky people to have found the stain within two hours of it actually happening, then you are in luck! Removing cranberry stains from cotton tablecloths requires immediate action is usually required within two hours. So, generally speaking, if you notice the stain as you are removing the dinner plates from the table, you still have plenty of time to clean the stain.

1. Is the tablecloth white or color fast? The best way to remove cranberry stains from cotton tablecloths will require the use of some fairly strong cleaners. Before you actually begin to use the cleaners though, you want to make sure that your cotton tablecloth is either white, or at the very least color fast. If you try to use this cleaning method on a tablecloth that is not white or color fast, then you can easily find yourself faced with discolorations that are worse than the stains.
2. Stretch the cloth over the sink. If you can, utilize a friend to help you stretch the stained portion of the tablecloth over or your sink. If you don't have a friend, then use some heavy objects to hold the tablecloth in place so that you can stretch the tablecloth.
3. Use some HOT water. Pour some boiling hot water directly onto the stain. As you do this, be sure that you are allowing the water to fall from a height of about two to three feet. This will give an extra "oomph" that is needed to remove the cranberry stain. You may need to repeat this a couple of times, but whether you do or not be sure that you do not allow the water to splatter everywhere as that could lead to the stain getting spread around.
4. Soak and rinse. If the stain does not get washed away by the hot water, you may need to allow the stain to soak for awhile. Get a large bowl or tub, and soak the stained portion of the tablecloth in a homemade cleaning solution made up of one quart of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite cleaning detergent. Allow everything to soak for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water and proceeding to the next step.
5. Sponge and launder. Pour a little bit of rubbing alcohol onto a clean sponge and begin sponging the area clean. Periodically rinse out the sponge and repeat the process. Once you have gotten the stain out, immediately start laundering the tablecloth as you normally would.