Stain Removing Secrets

After a conversation the other day about stains (don't be jealous of my fascinating life :p ) I was told I had to write a blog about it and share with you my secrets. I didn't know they were secrets, but surprisingly few people know about the magic powers of... *drum roll* salt and bicarbonate of soda!
(Sorry for the dramatics, I need to somehow make stains interesting...)

I've talked about bicarb of soda a few times before, both as a cleaning solution and for cooking. It really is an all-purpose product that you simply must have in your cupboard. When you can pick up a pot of it for 80p there really isn't an excuse. I've even used it to get cooked-on cheese off of pyrex dishes after a pastabake with no scrubbing, such is its power. You can even clean your teeth with it or use it as deodorant in desperate times!

Bicarb is good for most stains, but it really comes into its own as an alternative to bleach for whites. Simply make it into a paste with a little water and rub it into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes (1 hour for really tough stains). Then rinse the solution out with some lemon juice and dry in the sun to get the white really sparkling, or if you're in a hurry just a quick wash in the machine will be fine.

The other stain remover is salt. Just the common stuff you find in your cupboard will do, fabric isn't fussy. This one is especially good for getting out anything red - red wine, blood etc. As with any stain, your best chance of removing it is as soon as it happens. Grab some salt and rub it into the stain, letting it soak up the red liquid. Don't be afraid of using a lot, especially if its fine grain, as you don't want it to dissolve entirely. Once you think its soaked up all it can, sweep it up and get the bicarb on the job to finish things off. If you're lucky there won't be a stain left at all and if you're unlucky, at least it's not as obvious anymore!


So there you have it. :) A quick guide to getting rid of stains! Have you tried either of these? Or do you know of another magical stain remover without reaching for chemicals? Get in touch using the comments below!