Penn State Calls to International Fabricare Institute (IFI) Hotline
QUESTION: How can I remove pine pitch from my suede
shoes?
ANSWER: Use any over-the-counter solvent
such as Carbona. However, test first to see if the solvent
damages the shoes.
QUESTION: Some of the coating from my latex-backed
bathrug came off in cleaning. I'd like to fix it by
spraying on a new coating. How can I remove the rest of the backing?
ANSWER: Try rewashing the rug to remove
more coating. Even if all thecoating is not removed,
maybe the new coating will
help hold the remainder in place.
QUESTION: How can I remove candlewax from my linen
tablecloth?
ANSWER: Scrape off any excess wax
with a dull knife. Then use any over-the-counter drycleaning
solvent such as Energine
or Carbona to remove the remainder of the stain.
If you cannot remove the wax, take the tablecloth to
a professional drycleaner.
QUESTION: I got permanent solution on the collar
of my blouse. Can I remove or improve the stain?
ANSWER: The best thing to do when this happens
is to wash the blouse immediately. If you wait
too long after staining the blouse, the bleaching agents will react
with the dyes in the blouse and cause a permanent stain.
QUESTION: I have heard that hairspray is beneficial
in removing ink stains. Is this true?
ANSWER: Hairspray contains alcohol, which
is helpful in removing some ink, or traces of
ink stains. However, it may also pull the color from an item, especially
on acetate and silk. Ink stains should be blotted with solvents until
all ink bleeding stops, and then washed or drycleaned, depending on
the care label instructions.
QUESTION: My husband had diesel fuel
on his pants. I washed them, and
now the washer has an odor in it. How
can I get rid of the odor?
ANSWER: Make up a good amount
of suds in your washer and add bleach
(like Clorox). You may have to run
the washer several times to eliminate all of the
odor.
QUESTION: How can I get rid of the
diesel oil stains on the pants?
ANSWER: Oil stains are best
removed by the drycleaner. You
can't wash
them out without adding additional
alkali and temperature.
QUESTION: Can I clean down pillows
at home?
ANSWER: Washing down pillows
is not practical because it is
very
difficult to dry them. Cleaners
use a special machine, sometimes called
a pillow vac. They replace old
ticking and fluff up the feathers.
QUESTION: Does vinegar in the
final rinse act as a fabric
softener?
ANSWER: No, fabric softeners
contain cationic surfactants,
vinegar does not.
QUESTION: Will using washing
soda and soap instead of
detergents be more environmentally friendly?
ANSWER: Yes, soaps are
made from vegetable oils;
detergents
from petroleum. However,
soaps will build up a scum which may be difficult
to rinse, requiring the use
of more water. Clothing may
also
gray.
QUESTION: I've seen steamers
advertised on television
which use water and salt.
Can the salt affect garments?
ANSWER: They would probably
not have any appreciable
effect on garments unless
great amounts of salt were used. Salt could
damage
silk. Check with the manufacturer
for more details on the
individual steamers.
QUESTION: Is it okay to
hang an antique tapestry
behind
glass?
ANSWER: The tapestry
should not be hung behind
glass
because of the
chance of it developing
mildew. A tapestry is usually
hung like
a quilt, with a fabric
pocket stitched to the back
and a dowel
rod used to hang it.
Hang the tapestry away from light and heater
vents.
You might want to have
it appraised for value and
to determine
whether it is a good
idea to hang it or not because
of its
present condition. Many
museums will perform this service.
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Updated 10/18/05