Stain Removal For Almost Everything

(Please also refer to our Stain Removal Guide for more hints and tips).

Always keep a travel sized bottle of Roux Maison Stain Remover in your purse, car, desk at work, travel carry-on bag, and anywhere else you frequent.  You will always have the best chance of eliminating stains if you treat them as soon as you see them. 

Sometimes, stains and yellowing will fade and diminish from exposure to sunlight.  So, after treating and washing an item, assuming it is not a delicate fabric or a bright color that would be harmed by the sunlight, place it outside in a bright area to dry and see if the sun will help bleach out the stain naturally.

General Stain Removal:

Glue Removal

As long as you do not have a very delicate or fragile fabric, douse a cotton swab in lighter fluid and then gently wipe it directly on the affected area until the glue begins to come off of the garment.  As always, when you are using any strong chemicals on your fabrics, test under a seam or another less visible area first to make sure that the color does not run or that you do not ruin your fabric.

Lip Balm Stain Removal

If you ever forgot to remove lip balm from a pocket and it melts on your laundry in the dryer, place the stained areas on a paper towel and spray with WD-40.  Let it sit for a little while and then turn the fabric over to spray the other side.  Rub some liquid dishwashing liquid into the stain and be sure to replace the towels as they absorb the stains.  Wash the items in the hottest water that you can with the appropriate Roux Maison detergent, and then rinse in warm water.

Please make sure to check your dryer and clean it out in case there is any residual lip balm stuck in the drum.  You can spray WD-40 on a cloth to wipe it out.  Also, dry a load of old towels or rags to make sure that you removed all of the remaining wax.

Nail Polish Stain Removal

Either nail polish remover or dry cleaner fluid should help remove spilled nail polish from your clothing. First, try the mildest nail polish remover that you can find.  As always when using any non-laundry products, first try under a seam or another less visible area to make sure that your colors do not bleed. 

Iron-On Patch Removal

If you heat the patch with an iron, this should loosen the adhesive.  Try to carefully peel off the patch from the edges.  It may take a few passes of ironing and peeling to remove the entire patch.  Rub the area gently with lighter fluid if any adhesive remains after patch removal. Launder as usual with the appropriate Roux Maison detergent.

Salad Dressing Stain Removal

Apply talcum powder or cornstarch to absorb oil.  If the spot remains, repeat this procedure and then use Roux Maison Stain Remover, as directed.

Silly Putty Removal

Tar Removal

Make sure you keep any items that have tar on them away from any direct heat sources like dryers or irons.  A good way to remove tar is to freeze it off.  You can put an ice bag the size of the affected area directly on it and place on a flat surface.  This should cause the tar to harden so that it may be gently scraped off with a dull knife or by hand. 

Tree Sap Removal

Spread a small amount of real mayonnaise directly on the sap and rub it in prior to laundering as usual with your preferred Roux Maison detergent.  As an alternative, WD-40 or Goof Off may be applied directly to the stain and gently rubbed in prior to laundering with the appropriate Roux Maison detergent for your garment. 

Wax Removal

To remove wax from garments, freeze the affected area for about 20 minutes: either place an ice bag directly on the stain or place the item in the freezer.  Once frozen, you can chip away at the hardened wax.  If any wax remains, you can try to lay a plain brown paper bag on the affected area and then hold a warm, but not too hot, iron directly on the area.  Keep repeating this process with clean paper until all of the wax gets soaked up by the bag.   If any residual candle dye absorbs into the fabric and stays after you have all of the wax removed, treat with Roux Maison Stain Remover and wash the item with the appropriate Roux Maison detergent. You can also try adding a color-safe bleach alternative to the wash.

Leather and Suede Cleaning:

General Leather and Suede Stain Removal

Gently and carefully rub the soiled area with an artist's eraser that you can buy at a craft store, or try a suede brush, but only on suede.  On leather, if the stain will not wipe or brush off, you should take to the dry cleaner as soon as possible for more aggressive treatment.  Often, using leather cleaning products may just cause more problems.  Most shoe stores sell silicone sprays that will protect your leather and suede garments from harm when treated prior to wearing them. 

Ink Stain Removal from Leather

Inexpensive hair spray and Armor All are both effective ways to remove ink stains on leather items.  Spray directly on the stain, then wipe gently with a soft cloth. Always test first under a seam or another less visible area to make sure the dyes in your leather do not run or fade.   Another method is to try putting a big spoon of petroleum jelly on the ink stain and letting it sit for several days prior to wiping it off completely.

Ink Removal from Suede

These are really challenging stains to attempt to treat on your own and it is usually best to take your item straight to a professional suede cleaner for treatment and for best results. However, if you are willing to try cleaning the ink yourself prior to going to the professionals, douse the stain with hairspray and then wipe with a clean white cloth.  You may need to repeat this process a few times in order to see results.  You can also try using Armor All or gently rub the spot with an artist's eraser or an emery board and then steam the specific area.             

Silk Stain Removal:

General Stain Removal from Silk

When you have water stains on silk, you can try a mixture of 8 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide as a spot treatment.  Follow this process by gently hand washing the item with Roux Maison Delicate Detergent.  As always, do not wring or twist the item and allow it to hang or lay flat to dry.  Repeat if necessary. 

When you need to treat localized oil-based stains on silk, try sprinkling either cornstarch or baby powder that contains cornstarch directly on the affected area. Allow it to sit for about 10-15 minutes and then wipe away excess and wipe again with a clean cloth or soft brush.  As usual, repeat process if necessary.      

Mayonnaise Stain Removal from Silk

Check your garment's label first to make sure it is washable. If it is dry-clean only, unless you feel comfortable trying to launder it yourself anyway, you will need to consult a professional dry cleaner.  If it is washable, try to remove the stain by gently rubbing it with Roux Maison Stain Remover, and allow item to soak in for 15-20 minutes prior to laundering as usual.  If evidence of the stain still remains, repeat the process again.  An alternative would be to try using liquid dishwashing detergent formulated to cut grease.  If that doesn't work, try waterless mechanic's soap that you can obtain from an auto parts store.  Launder as usual.  

Silk Ties

If the stains are organic and food-based, always first carefully wipe away any excess with a soft cloth.  You can then spot treat the affected area with Roux Maison Stain Remover. If a ring develops around the affected area, steam it by holding it above a kettle of boiling water until the spot fades out.