Penn State Home Extension Agent
Calls to International Fabricare Institute (IFI) Hotline
Questions & Answers Before 1990
QUESTION: How
to remove mildew from a tent without affecting water repellency.
ANSWER: Prepare a solution
of detergent, ammonia, and hot water. Proportion should be two oz. ammonia
and one oz. detergent to one gallon of water. Scrub the tent well with a
brush and hose off. Air dry in the sun. If the mildew is still present, prepare
a
solution of five oz. chlorine bleach to one gallon water. Scrub the tent
well with the solution, rinse thoroughly with a hose, and air dry. Remember
to
testthe tent for colorfastness to both solutions on an unexposed area of
the tent before continuing. Water repellency should not be affected by either
of
these solutions, but test an unexposed area before proceeding just to be sure.
QUESTION: How to remove
yellowing on clothes caused by rust in water.
ANSWER: Prepare a solution of 1/2 teaspoon oxalic acid to
2 oz. water. Run the solution with the clothes in the laundry load on a
hot setting. Rinse
the load thoroughly. Oxalic acid can be found in a local grocery store or
pharmacy.
QUESTION: Is there a way to rid a yellow polyester, vinyl, nylon and taffeta
baby basket cover of an odor which developed during two years of storage
in a plastic bag?
ANSWER: It was probably the vinyl component which contributed to the odor
while the cover was stored in the bag. There is no way to get rid of the
odor. You might try to mask it with a fabric softener or hang it out in the
air away from direct sunlight. Be sure to check the care label for any precautions.
QUESTION: Can you achieve the effect of stonewashed denim at home?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, no. Special washing procedures, including
pumice or similar stones are needed to produce the effect. These are not available
to the consumer. Home washing machines would probably be damaged if such
a process was used in them.
QUESTION:
- How should boiled wool and wool challis be preshrunk?
- Does boiled wool have selvages?
- How do I care for boiled wool and wool challis?
ANSWER:
- Since most boiled wool and wool challis is drycleanable, take it to the drycleaner to preshrink the fabric. Ask him/her to fully steam the fabric to preshrink it.
- A woven boiled wool should contain selvages, but these may have been removed due to puckering from shrinkage in processing.
- Consult the bolt of fabric or call the fabric store for recommended care instructions provided on the bolt of fabric. These instructions should provide the optimal method of care.
QUESTION: How can I remove ink from a blue marking pen?
ANSWER: Most ink from marking pens will be removed in laundering.
However, some of these inks will not be removed from whites,
and we have found no way to remove them. The packaging should warn against
using the marking pen on a white item, or suggest a method of pretesting the
item.
QUESTION: Can you set dyes, such as those in blue jeans, with
salt?
ANSWER: A study was done in Washington state on the effectiveness
of using salt or vinegar to help set dyes that bleed. The
study found no appreciable effect on the dyes. Repeated washings can help
remove excess dyes. It is the manufacturer who should fix the dye and make
it colorfast or provide labeling which cautions about washing items separately.
After repeated washings, the color will usually mute or lighten.
QUESTION:
- I need to dye some sheets black for a back drop. How can I get a true black?
- Should the sheets be laundered prior to dyeing?
- Should I set the dye?
ANSWER:
- The depth of color will depend on the dye used and the fabric's affinity for the dye. Cotton would be best, poly-cotton blends have less affinity.
- Yes. Launder the sheets to remove any softeners, sizings, or finishes. This will increase dye affinity.
- The dye should be set by following the directions which come with the dye. It is really only necessary if you will be laundering or cleaning the sheets later.
QUESTION: How can I clean a seventy-year-old, white,
cotton, lawn Christening dress?
ANSWER: First, check to see how tender the fabric
is from storage. Then, wash it with a neutral detergent
such as Palmolive or Ivory. Do not twist or rub it. Roll it in a towel to
remove moisture, and hang it to dry. Do not dry it in the sun. If you are
uncomfortable with home restoration, take it to a drycleaner specializing
in restoration of antique garments. If you don't know of a specialist, check
with a local museum.
QUESTION: I used Lestoil and Era to attempt stain
removal of a tar stain on black iced jeans. The
tar stain was removed, but there was a yellow stain left on the garment.
How can I remove this?
ANSWER: It sounds like your stain removal technique
also removed some of the dye from the fabric.
The yellow stain is one of the components of the dye that remains. There
is no way to correct this damage.
QUESTION: How do I clean the white feather plumes
on a band uniform?
ANSWER: There is no way to clean these at home.
Depending on how badly soiled they are, a drycleaner
who specializes in cleaning this type of thing may be able to restore them.
QUESTION: How can I remove red dye which has
bled onto the white portion of a bowling shirt?
ANSWER: First, test the colorfastness of the red
dye by blotting it with blotting paper or a tissue.
If the dye is extremely fugitive, you may want to take the shirt to a professional
cleaner. If you want to attempt restoration, soak the shirt in a neutral,
synthetic detergent (like Ivory) and cool water. If this does not work, soak
the shirt in sudsy ammonia and cool water (test for colorfastness first).
QUESTION: I ran a load of laundry and one of the
items had a tube of lipstick in the pocket. Is
there any way to remove the lipstick stains from the wash load? The load
was also dried.
ANSWER: Try "Spray and Wash," or another solvent-based
spray spotter available in any grocery store. Spray out the
stains following the instructions on the bottle.
Rewash the load, but do not dry it. Check to see if any stains remain. Soak
items that are still stained in a small amount of ammonia and detergent for
a short time. Rewash the items. If any stains remain, use a nonchlorine bleach
to attempt stain removal. Test the bleach on the items first in an inconspicuous
place before continuing with stain removal efforts.
QUESTION: I have a new, 65% polyester, 35% cotton
navy blue shirt. When I washed it, I accidently
left a label stuck to the front of the shirt. This label was put on the shirt
by the manufacturer, and left a sticky substance on the shirt when I washed
it. How can I remove the sticky substance?
ANSWER: Since the shirt is brand new, you may
not want to risk damaging it with home stain
removal methods. I suggest you take it to a professional cleaner to avoid
chafing and color loss. You might try a solvent such as K2R, but be careful
not to abrade the fabric. Test the fabric in an inconspicuous place for colorfastness
to the solvent.
QUESTION: A load of dress shirts went through
the dryer with a container of epoxy glue.
What can I do?
ANSWER: Once epoxy glue has stained a fabric,
it's almost impossible to remove. Special
chemicals will sometimes soften or remove part of the glue, but these must
be used only under laboratory controlled conditions and the success is limited.
QUESTION: How can I remove fabric adhesive
interfacing from fabric?
ANSWER: You can attempt to remove it by
using heat from a hand iron to soften the
adhesive again and gently separating it from the fabric. However, this may
cause damage to loosely woven or knit fabrics. Your drycleaner may be able
to soften some adhesives enough to remove them. However, in most cases, there
will be some traces of the adhesive remaining.
QUESTION: The green neon color from my sweatshirt
crocked onto my blue stonewashed jeans.
How can I remove it?
ANSWER: Place the stained area over a
clean, white towel and wet the area with
a little water and a mild detergent such as Ivory liquid. Then apply a small
amount of white vinegar. Check the towel to see if the green dye is coming
out. If so, move to another area of the towel and repeat. Rinse the jeans
thoroughly when the stain is removed. If this does not work, your professional
cleaner may be able to remove the stain.
QUESTION: When I washed a blue/gray cloth jacket lined with flannel, a bottle of white-out broke in the wash. The pockets stuck together because of the plastic balls formed by the white-out. Can I remedy this?
ANSWER: White-out is soluble in amyl acetate which can be purchased from the drugstore in the form of banana oil. However, because of the large amount of stain, I don't recommend that the consumer try this because the fumes will be offensive. You may wish to take it to a professional drycleaner.
QUESTION: I washed two pairs of navy
blue and brown slacks together. They
came out with white flecks. What could these flecks be? How can I
remove them?
ANSWER: These white flecks could
be undissolved detergent or lint.
Try rewashing. If they don't come
out, they may be caused by bleach damage.
It is hard to say without seeing
the garments.
QUESTION: How can I remove Scotchguard
from a silk blouse?
ANSWER: I suggest you contact
the manufacturer to determine how
to
best remove the Scotchguard.
QUESTION: I washed an off-white,
cotton/ramie sweater in Tide
with bleach. It came out with yellow spots.
I washed it again with a stain
removal
agent on the spots, but it came
out with more spots. How can I remove
them?
ANSWER: You have probably damaged
the whitening agents used to
make your cotton sweater white
by the use of a bleach and detergent together.
You have further damaged the
whitening agent with the stain removal
agent.
There is no remedy for this damage.
In the future, use a non-chlorine bleach
and a mild detergent on white
sweaters.
QUESTION: How can I get wrinkles
out of felt?
ANSWER: Press the felt with
a hand iron on the steam setting.
Be sure
to use a low temperature setting,
as felt is a synthetic fabric.
If you cannot remove the wrinkles,
your professional drycleaner may
be able to use specialized
equipment to remove them.
QUESTION: I have a vintage
(1800's) outfit, it's black
silk/satin
with cotton lace trim.
The black bled onto the cotton lace (the
lace is
removable), and it has
rust stains. How can I remove the dye bleeding?
Can I
bleach it? Will that affect
the rust stains?
ANSWER: Removing the rust
stains and the dye bleeding
will require
the use
of specialized chemicals
not readily available to you,
the consumer.
Therefore, I suggest that
you take this item to your professional
drycleaner. The drycleaner
will use a rust remover on the rust stains,
and a dye
stripper on the dye bleeding.
Since chlorine bleach will probably
adversely
affect such an old fabric,
your cleaner will probably use Titanium
or Hydro
to remove the dye bleeding.
QUESTION: How can I get
rid of moth ball odor
on a quilt?
ANSWER: The best way
to get rid of moth ball
odor
is to
hang the
quilt
out in fresh air. However,
remember to hang it out of direct
sunlight.
QUESTION: The pink on
my 100% cotton shirt
ran onto
the white
area. How
can I remedy this problem?
ANSWER: If you followed
the care instructions,
return the
item to
the retailer for some
kind of reimbusement. If you
think
you have caused
the bleeding due to improper
washing, try repeatedly
washing the
item. This may improve
the situation. However, do not dry
the shirt in the
dryer after washing,
that may make the dye more difficult
to remove.
QUESTION: I have a 100%
cotton navy and yellow
windbreaker. The navy
ran onto the yellow
yoke. What can I do?
ANSWER: Rewash the
item according to the
care
instructions. If the
result is not satisfactory,
return the item to the retailer,
as long
as you
followed the care
instructions. If you cannot return
the
item,
take it to
a professional drycleaner;
he may be able to help.
QUESTION: An article
in the October,
1989, Clothes
Care
Gazette mentioned
removing perspiration stains with an alkaline
detergent
and a solvent-based
prespotter. What are these items?
ANSWER: An alkaline
detergent would
be something like
Tide or Era; the
ones advertised as
heavy duty laundry detergents.
A
solvent-based prespotter
is something like
Spray and Wash.
QUESTION: I got
large coffee stains
on a
pair of white
cotton/polyester
pants. There was no cream or sugar
in the
coffee.
I washed them several
times, but was not successful
in removing
the stains.
I did not dry
the pants; can
I remove the stains?
ANSWER: Try using
white vinegar.
Mix 1/4 to
1/2 cup of vinegar
to a
gallon of water
with neutral soap, such as Palmolive
or Ivory.
Soak the
item in
this solution.
Rinse. If the stains are
still
present,
try an all-fabric
bleach, first testing
for colorfastness (does
the white turn
yellow?).
QUESTION: Can
I remove the
odor of
vomit from
a mint-green
carpet?
ANSWER: Use
a neutral detergent
and handheld
upholstery cleaner.
This will extract
the stain from the carpet,
rather
than push
the stain and
odor further
into the carpet backing. Allow
the carpet
to dry. If the
results are
not satisfactory,
contact a professional
carpet cleaner.
QUESTION: I
washed a pair
of 100%
cotton blue
denim
jeans with
a red blouse. The blouse
bled onto the
jeans,
and turned
the jeans
pink.
What can I
do?
ANSWER: Often,
just rewashing
the jeans
will correct
the problem.
If this does
not help, take them to
your drycleaner
for
possible restoration.
QUESTION: Can I bleach
light
moss-green
lined
drapes to
a tan color
using tea
water?
ANSWER: First, you
must test
to see if
these drapes
can
be washed.
Cut
a two-inch
sample from
the hem.
Pin it to
a towel.
Wash the
towel in
the washer
using warm water
and a gentle
cycle.
Compare
the fabric
to the original
for shrinkage
and fabric
change.
Unfortunately,
this test
is not full-proof,
the rest
of the drape
may not
behave
the same
way because
of
sun and
atmospheric
exposure.
Tea water would probably not be your best bet to bleach out color. Cut another sample to test with an all-fabric bleach and a bleach with dye remover. See if you like the results. Again, I cannot predict that the whole drape will react the same way. Remove the lining of the drape before bleaching.
QUESTION: I have
a Moroccan
dress
of 65%
polyester
and 35%
cotton;
it is
a gauze-like
fabric.
The care
instructions
said
to wash
it at
40 degrees
C (warm
water),
which
I did.
I
then
hung
the
dress
to dry.
The
dress
shrank. What
can I
do to
stretch
it
out?
ANSWER: Try ironing
the
dress
with
a steam
iron
on the
low setting.
If this
does not work
and
the fabric
is a
gauze-wrinkled
type
fabric,
maybe
a drycleaner
could
press
it out
so you
can wear
it.
It is
unusual
to have
that much
shrinkage
with
a poly/cotton
blend
of
those
percentages,
it could
be due
to how
the fabric
is
woven.
QUESTION: Is
it safe
to
use a stain-repellent
finish
on
tablecloths?
Will
it
do the
job?
ANSWER: Your
best
bet
is
to
contact
the
manufacturer
about
which
product
is
safe -
Scotchguard
or
Zepel.
The
finish
may
have
to
be
replaced
after
each
cleaning, depending
on
how
repellent
you
want
the
fabric
to
be.
QUESTION: Is it
safe to
spray a
sofa with
Scotchguard.
ANSWER: Again, it
is best
to check
with the
manufacturer first
- perhaps
the fabric
already has
a finish.
When spraying
on the
finish, spray
a sample piece
of fabric
and let
it sit
in the
same exposure
the sofa
has to
see how
it reacts.
This test
will let
you know
(somewhat) how
the entire
sofa will react.
QUESTION: A consumer
handwashed a
ramie sweater,
and then
laid it
flat to dry.
Afterwards, the
sweater had
a bad
odor which
wasn't there
the first
time she
washed it.
What could
have caused
the odor?
ANSWER: We need
to know
more about
what the
consumer washed
the sweater
with and
where she
laid it
to dry.
Although I
doubt either
was the
cause of
the problem.
Perhaps
the odor
is due
to a
finish. I
suggest the
consumer check the
RN number
so she
can get
the address
and send
the item
back to
the manufacturer.
QUESTION: How can
I clean
a lambs
wool duster?
ANSWER: Vacuum it
with an
upholstery attachment.
Where
trade names
are used,
no discrimination
is intended
and
no
endorsement is
implied.
Source:
International Fabricare
Institute
Contact for questions
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Updated 10/18/05