Festive meals and white tablecloths are a risky combination. The good news is that most stains come out if you treat them quickly and correctly. The bad news is that the wrong first move, like hot water on a protein stain, can set them for good.
Golden rules
- Act fast. Fresh stains are far easier to remove than dried ones.
- Blot, don't rub. Rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper into the fibres.
- Check the care label before using any treatment.
- Don't tumble dry until the stain is gone. Heat sets stains.
Red wine
- Blot up as much as possible with paper towel.
- Rinse from the back of the fabric with cold water.
- Apply a laundry prespotter to the stain, leave it for the time on the label, then wash as normal.
Gravy, butter and grease
- Scrape off any solids with a blunt knife.
- Apply prespotter or a drop of dishwashing liquid to the stain and work it in gently with your fingers. It breaks down the fat.
- Wash in the warmest water the fabric allows.
Cranberry sauce, berries and fruit punch
Rinse with cold water first, then treat with prespotter before washing. For white cotton, a diluted bleach soak can help with stubborn fruit stains, but only on fabrics labelled bleach-safe.
Candle wax
Let it harden, then scrape off as much as you can. Place paper towel over and under the wax and press with a warm iron to lift the rest, then treat any leftover mark with prespotter.
For restaurants and caterers
Busy venues can't treat every cloth individually. Pre-spot visible stains as cloths are collected, then wash in batches with a quality liquid detergent or washing powder at the right dose for your machine and water hardness.
Stock up
Laundry Prespotter, Liquid Laundry Detergent and Wash Powders are available in bulk from maxproducts.co.za.
Products mentioned in this guide
Available now from our sister company Max Products at maxproducts.co.za, in trade sizes and delivered in Cape Town.
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Laundry Prespotter
Liquid Laundry Detergent
Wash Powders
