News Article

For: December Issue

To: Gulf Coast Womens News

By: Linda K. Bowman, Ext. Agt. IV - Family & Consumer Sciences

Santa Rosa County Extension Service

Telephone: 850/623-3868 or 939-1259, ext. 1360

The Twelve Stains of Christmas

Tis the season for entertaining, and with the tinsel and merriment come spills and stains. Try these tips to handle every drip and drizzle of the Twelve Stains of Christmas.

12 candles dripping

Scrape off excess wax with a dull knife. Place stain between paper towels. Press with warm iron from back of fabric. Then, place stain face down on clean paper towels and sponge with a dry-cleaning solvent. Air-dry and launder as usual. If traces of color remain, launder again using color-safe bleach according to fabric instructions.

11 aunties kissing

To remove lipstick, scrape fabric stain with a dull knife. Use a dry-cleaning solvent or pre-treat with detergent or stain treatment. Wash in warm water. Air dry.

10 chocolates melting

Pre-treat with a liquid laundry detergent containing enzymes. Difficult stains may require using a bleach safe for the garment.

9 toasts a-tipping

To remove wine, rinse in cold water to dilute stain. Soak up to 30 minutes in detergent, weighted with a towel to keep submerged. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric and color. Air-dry and repeat if necessary.

8 hosts perspiring

Dampen stain with warm water and rub with bar soap. Launder in hot water with chlorine bleach, if safe for fabric. Note: If perspiration has changed the color of a fabric, apply ammonia to fresh stains or vinegar to old stains and rinse. Launder in the hottest water safe for fabric and color.

7 fruits a-falling

Rinse in cold water to dilute stain. Soak up to 30 minutes in detergent, weighted with a towel to keep submerged. Launder in warm water. Air-dry and repeat if necessary.

6 cups of coffee, tea or pop

To remove coffee, tea or soda pop, sponge or rinse stain promptly in cold water. Pre-treat with liquid laundry detergent, launder using bleach (chlorine or color-safe) and hottest water safe for fabric.

5 candy canes

To remove colored candy stains, rinse in warm water to dilute stain. Wash in warm to hot water and dry as usual.

4 meat slices

To remove grease or cooking oil, use a dry-cleaning solvent or pre-treat with a laundry product by rubbing into stain until saturated. Wash in warm to hot water. Air-dry and repeat if necessary.

3 trees a-tipping

To remove tree sap, use dry-cleaning solvent and then wash in detergent in warm to hot water. Dry and repeat if necessary.

2 upset egg nogs

To remove milk or other dairy products, rinse in cold water to dilute stain. Soak up to 30 minutes with detergent, weighted with a towel to keep submerged. Wash in warm to hot water and air-dry.

And 1 gravy boat splashing ‘round

Scrape off excess with a dull knife if dried. Pre-treat: 1) soak with a laundry product containing enzymes, or 2) rub with liquid detergent or past of powder laundry detergent and water. Launder and dry as usual.

For further information contact: Linda Bowman, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, The University of Florida--Santa Rosa County Cooperative Extension Service--IFAS, at (850)623-3868 or (850)939-1259, Ext. 1360 for south county residents, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Hearing-impaired individuals may call Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Service at 983-5373 (TDD).

Extension Service programs are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. The use of trade names in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved to the

exclusion of others.