Bloodstains
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"Out, damned spot! Out, say!" cried Lady Macbeth, fretting over imaginary blood on her hands. Real bloodstains are just as hard to get out, but don't despair! There are several effective methods--some of them quite surprising--that will do the job.
Keep in mind these three points When you have a bloodstain to clean up:
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"Out, damned spot! Out, say!" cried Lady Macbeth, fretting over imaginary blood on her hands. Real bloodstains are just as hard to get out, but don't despair! There are several effective methods--some of them quite surprising--that will do the job.
Keep in mind these three points When you have a bloodstain to clean up:
- Tackle a bloodstain as quickly as possible. The stain is much harder to remove as the blood dries.
- Always use cold water to flush a bloodstain, because any kind of warmth, be it from water or from a clothes dryer, could set the stain.
- Refrain from scrubbing too vigorously. Othewise, you'll leach the stain into the clean fabric that surrounds it.
For blood spilled on clothing, first blot the stain with cold water on a clean rag. Don't rub. If the stain persists, mix a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of cold water in a bowl and dab this on the stain, allowing it to set for at least 10 minutes. Rinse by blotting again with a clean rag wrung out in cold water. Use a dry rag to blot it dry. If the stain won't come out,add a splash of ammonia to the detergent mixture and try, try again.
Here are some other methods for removing bloodstains from garments:
Here are some other methods for removing bloodstains from garments:
- Hydrogen peroxide can work wonders on garment bloodstains, but only if the garment is white or otherwise colorfast. (Test the fabric first by dabbing peroxide on a cotton swah, then on an inconspicuous area.) Spread out the stained area over a sink or laundry tub and pour full-strength hydrogen peroxide through the stain. Scrub gently with a scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Rinse with cold water.
- A tactic your grandmother probably used; Mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 1/2 cup of water. Pour the water on the stain and allow it to dry. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
- still another technique: Use an oxygen alkaline stain remover, such as OxiClean, on fabric that you know to be colorfast. Make a paste of 1 scoop of OxiClean to 1 cup of water. Scrub this into the stain, let it dry for two hours, and then rinse with cold water.
- In a pinch, and right after a bloodstain occurs, pour club soda through it or dab and blot carefully with a clean rag.
For bloodstains on washable upholstery, cover a fresh spot as soon as possible with a paste made from equal parts cornstarch and cold water. Rub gently and dry in the sun, where the blood should leach onto the cornstarch.
Brush lightly. If this doesn't work, try the technique a second time. Or make a similar paste with cornmeal and water or talcum powder and water and follow the same procedure.
For bloodstains on carpeting cover the stain with equal parts meal tenderizer and cold water. Let this sit for 30 minutes. Then sponge it off with cold water. Or sprinkle a carpet stain with table salt,then with cold water. Gently blot with a clean cloth and wipe with a sponge.
For bloodstains on cotton bedding as well as clothing, an unlikely but often effective method is to use shampoo. The key here,as always, is to attack the stain right away. Douse it with a capful of
Split and Polish
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When nothing else is handy, police officer will James recommends using your own saliva to eradicate small bloodstains. For small stains, thoroughly wet a piece of string or thread in your mouth and use it to blot at the stain. For larger spots, saturate a cotton ball or the edge of a clean rag with your saliva and blot.
James is putting his knowledge about bloodstains to work.An eight-year veteran of the Lower Pottsgrove Township Police Department in suburban Philadelphia, James recently started J-Tech Bio-Recovery, a company that cleans up bloody crime and natural death scenes and other places where blood and bodily fluids spill.
Another of his tips: Use full-strength tooth-paste--the white kind, not a colored gel-on bloodstains. Dab it on the stain and wipe up with cold water on a fresh rag.
Shampoo (any kind will do), making certain the shampoo covers every bit of the stain. Rub the area until the shampoo is completely absorbed, then wet with cold water. Once those telltale bubbles appear, scrub vigorously with a stiff-bristled nylon scrub brush. Rinse the stain in cold water. If a ring remains, repeat.
Boats
Brush lightly. If this doesn't work, try the technique a second time. Or make a similar paste with cornmeal and water or talcum powder and water and follow the same procedure.
For bloodstains on carpeting cover the stain with equal parts meal tenderizer and cold water. Let this sit for 30 minutes. Then sponge it off with cold water. Or sprinkle a carpet stain with table salt,then with cold water. Gently blot with a clean cloth and wipe with a sponge.
For bloodstains on cotton bedding as well as clothing, an unlikely but often effective method is to use shampoo. The key here,as always, is to attack the stain right away. Douse it with a capful of
Split and Polish
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When nothing else is handy, police officer will James recommends using your own saliva to eradicate small bloodstains. For small stains, thoroughly wet a piece of string or thread in your mouth and use it to blot at the stain. For larger spots, saturate a cotton ball or the edge of a clean rag with your saliva and blot.
James is putting his knowledge about bloodstains to work.An eight-year veteran of the Lower Pottsgrove Township Police Department in suburban Philadelphia, James recently started J-Tech Bio-Recovery, a company that cleans up bloody crime and natural death scenes and other places where blood and bodily fluids spill.
Shampoo (any kind will do), making certain the shampoo covers every bit of the stain. Rub the area until the shampoo is completely absorbed, then wet with cold water. Once those telltale bubbles appear, scrub vigorously with a stiff-bristled nylon scrub brush. Rinse the stain in cold water. If a ring remains, repeat.
Boats
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Buoy your spirits by washing that dirty boat.
When washing a wooden boat, you have to be careful. Most are painted, and solvents or abrasives can eat through the paint. Use a mild, biodegradable detergent, such as Wisk or Meguiar's Boat/RV Gel Wash, available at marinas. Dissolve 1 cup of detergent in a bucket of water and use a large sponge to clean your boat from stem to stern,preferably when it's out of the water. If dirt is particularly stubborn, use a cleaning pad with a bit of scratch to it, such as one of the gentler Scotch-Brite pads. (Look for the "light duty" label.) To keep bare teak boats sparkling, mix 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water in a bucket. Scrub with a soft-bristled nylon brush.
To wash a fiberglass boat, the tools of choice are good old soapy water-mild, biodegradable detergent in a bucket of warm water--and a large sponge. When attacking stubborn crud or greasy stains, avoid using solvents such as lacquer thinner or acetone, which could etch
the tender fiberglass surface. Instead, use mineral spirits (paint thinner) on tough dirt,dabbed on a soft cloth. Thoroughly rinse the boat with water. Use marine wax, sold at marinas, as directed to rewax any spots where the wax has worn off. Always wax your boat with marine wax
before you store it for cold weather.
To wash a polyethylene vessel--canoes, kayaks, and other small boats today are sometimes made of this durable yet pliable plastic-give it the standard mild-detergent-and-water treatment described above. If you have obstinate stains, apply a touch of mineral spirits or acetone on a soft cloth.
If these don't work, and only as a last restort, use a smidgen of lacquer thinner on a soft cloth to remove a stain.
Wash your painted aluminum boat as you would a painted wooden one. (see instructions above.) If your vessel is unpainted, consider it almost indestructible.That means that you can use a strong solvent, such as lacquer thinner or mineral spirits, to remove hardened grit.
Books
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| bucket along with dirty |
When washing a wooden boat, you have to be careful. Most are painted, and solvents or abrasives can eat through the paint. Use a mild, biodegradable detergent, such as Wisk or Meguiar's Boat/RV Gel Wash, available at marinas. Dissolve 1 cup of detergent in a bucket of water and use a large sponge to clean your boat from stem to stern,preferably when it's out of the water. If dirt is particularly stubborn, use a cleaning pad with a bit of scratch to it, such as one of the gentler Scotch-Brite pads. (Look for the "light duty" label.) To keep bare teak boats sparkling, mix 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water in a bucket. Scrub with a soft-bristled nylon brush.
To wash a fiberglass boat, the tools of choice are good old soapy water-mild, biodegradable detergent in a bucket of warm water--and a large sponge. When attacking stubborn crud or greasy stains, avoid using solvents such as lacquer thinner or acetone, which could etch
the tender fiberglass surface. Instead, use mineral spirits (paint thinner) on tough dirt,dabbed on a soft cloth. Thoroughly rinse the boat with water. Use marine wax, sold at marinas, as directed to rewax any spots where the wax has worn off. Always wax your boat with marine wax
before you store it for cold weather.
To wash a polyethylene vessel--canoes, kayaks, and other small boats today are sometimes made of this durable yet pliable plastic-give it the standard mild-detergent-and-water treatment described above. If you have obstinate stains, apply a touch of mineral spirits or acetone on a soft cloth.
If these don't work, and only as a last restort, use a smidgen of lacquer thinner on a soft cloth to remove a stain.
Wash your painted aluminum boat as you would a painted wooden one. (see instructions above.) If your vessel is unpainted, consider it almost indestructible.That means that you can use a strong solvent, such as lacquer thinner or mineral spirits, to remove hardened grit.
Books
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For a cultured person such as yourself, the only kind of dirty books you'll ever be concerned with are the sort that are gathering dust on a forgotten shelf or get splashed with mud on the way home from school.
To clean books, it's best to just dust them, using a vacuum cleaner armed with its soft brush attachment or wielding a feather duster. Or a dip a clean rag in water, wiring it out, wipe the books and then dry with another rag. If the cover of a book is smudged with fingerprints or smeared with food, use a damp rag to remove spots. If you need more cleaning power, mix 1/2 cup of mild detergent, such as Dreft or Ivory snow, in a bucket of cool water and test iton an inconspicuous spot.(Sometimes covers will come apart if you use too much soap and water, so it's best to test first.) For a cover that appears safe, wipe with a rag slightly dampened with the detergent solution, then dry with a soft cloth.
Can't stand that grimy paperback cover? Use a soft eraser clean it up. Butbe careful: Too much pressure can rub off some colored inks.
For a cultured person such as yourself, the only kind of dirty books you'll ever be concerned with are the sort that are gathering dust on a forgotten shelf or get splashed with mud on the way home from school.
To clean books, it's best to just dust them, using a vacuum cleaner armed with its soft brush attachment or wielding a feather duster. Or a dip a clean rag in water, wiring it out, wipe the books and then dry with another rag. If the cover of a book is smudged with fingerprints or smeared with food, use a damp rag to remove spots. If you need more cleaning power, mix 1/2 cup of mild detergent, such as Dreft or Ivory snow, in a bucket of cool water and test iton an inconspicuous spot.(Sometimes covers will come apart if you use too much soap and water, so it's best to test first.) For a cover that appears safe, wipe with a rag slightly dampened with the detergent solution, then dry with a soft cloth.
Can't stand that grimy paperback cover? Use a soft eraser clean it up. Butbe careful: Too much pressure can rub off some colored inks.
A technique favored by booksellers: Use Talas Clean-Cover Gel on cloth or paper covers (available at http://talasonline.net). Follow the directions on the jar.
When cleaning leatherbound volumes, use restraint. Try wiping with a clean cloth first, or use the vacuum to remove visible dust. Fine booksellers sell leather cover cleaners, but be careful: Some conservationists no longer favor using products that contain neat's-foot oil,lanolin, or other oils that can permanently darken or stain the cover and give it a greasy feel. Another consideration is that leatherbound books treated with oil tend to mold when they're jammed in a bookcase.
expert advice
A Book Fan >
Book conservationist David Baldwin of West Chester, Pennsylvania, favors this technique for freshening a musty book: set up an oscillating fan nearby and open the book so that its pages rustle as the fan sweeps over it. Once the book is dry to the touch, sprinkle the pages liberally with medicated baby powder. Use a soft brush to remove any excess.
Boots
When cleaning leatherbound volumes, use restraint. Try wiping with a clean cloth first, or use the vacuum to remove visible dust. Fine booksellers sell leather cover cleaners, but be careful: Some conservationists no longer favor using products that contain neat's-foot oil,lanolin, or other oils that can permanently darken or stain the cover and give it a greasy feel. Another consideration is that leatherbound books treated with oil tend to mold when they're jammed in a bookcase.
expert advice
A Book Fan >
Book conservationist David Baldwin of West Chester, Pennsylvania, favors this technique for freshening a musty book: set up an oscillating fan nearby and open the book so that its pages rustle as the fan sweeps over it. Once the book is dry to the touch, sprinkle the pages liberally with medicated baby powder. Use a soft brush to remove any excess.
Boots
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Many boots come with a protective coating that keeps them shiny bright until they take that first step outdoors. But in most cases the coating will wear off, so that dirt and grime can work their way in, clogging the pores that allow the boot to breathe and dy and breaking down seams as well as leather or fabric itself.
To dislodge dirt, first bang your boots together. Then wipe off surface grime and dust with a damp cloth, paying special attention to creates and wrinkles. Dive into those stubborn stitched areas with a dry, stiff nylon brush or an old toothbrush.
To clean a boot, close the zipper on the boot (if it has one). Wet the nylon brush and rub it on one side of a bar of soap. Then scrub down the zipper channel. wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Then undo the zipper and, using a dry corner of the soap bat, rub down each side of the zipper to lubricate it for an easy slide. Wipe off the excess with a soft, dry cloth.
For a smooth finish, get rid of the old wax or factory coating. Using either saddle soap or a fabric cleaner, such as Woolite, and a dry cloth, rub the entire outside in small circles until stains disappear. Stuff the boots with crumpled newspaper and let them dry at room temperature. Ready for polish!
If you have salt stains on your boots, get rid of them fast--salt breaks down leather and fiber. Pick up a calicum neutralizer product from a shoe store or leather shop and follow the package directions to get rid of those wavy white lines. If it doesn't do the trick immediately, let it dry. Then spritz some water on the stain and reapply the neutralizer.
Simple SOLUTIONS
Scuffs Aren't So Tough >
Here's how to give scuff marks the boot. They often come right off with a few swipes of a pencil eraser. For more stubborn scuffs, mix 1/5 cup ammonia with 1 cup rubbing alcohol. Use a soft cloth to gently rub the solution into the scuff mark until it disappears.
Bottles
Many boots come with a protective coating that keeps them shiny bright until they take that first step outdoors. But in most cases the coating will wear off, so that dirt and grime can work their way in, clogging the pores that allow the boot to breathe and dy and breaking down seams as well as leather or fabric itself.
To dislodge dirt, first bang your boots together. Then wipe off surface grime and dust with a damp cloth, paying special attention to creates and wrinkles. Dive into those stubborn stitched areas with a dry, stiff nylon brush or an old toothbrush.
To clean a boot, close the zipper on the boot (if it has one). Wet the nylon brush and rub it on one side of a bar of soap. Then scrub down the zipper channel. wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Then undo the zipper and, using a dry corner of the soap bat, rub down each side of the zipper to lubricate it for an easy slide. Wipe off the excess with a soft, dry cloth.
For a smooth finish, get rid of the old wax or factory coating. Using either saddle soap or a fabric cleaner, such as Woolite, and a dry cloth, rub the entire outside in small circles until stains disappear. Stuff the boots with crumpled newspaper and let them dry at room temperature. Ready for polish!
If you have salt stains on your boots, get rid of them fast--salt breaks down leather and fiber. Pick up a calicum neutralizer product from a shoe store or leather shop and follow the package directions to get rid of those wavy white lines. If it doesn't do the trick immediately, let it dry. Then spritz some water on the stain and reapply the neutralizer.
Simple SOLUTIONS
Scuffs Aren't So Tough >
Bottles
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Cleaning the outside of an ordinary bottle is as simple as any other glass-cleaning task. The real challenge, of course, is removing gunk from the outside--unless you happen to have a Lilliputian cleaning crew.
To scrub the outside of a bottle, use warm water and dishwashing liquid. Mildy abrasive dishwashing pads are fine for use on modern glass. If the glass is pre-20 century, use copper wool pads (not just copper colored pads).
To remove hardened residue inside, let the bottle stand full of soapy water (warm water and dishwashing liquid) for several hours, until the residue softens and can be loosened by shaking or by use of a bottle brush. If dirt still remains inside the bottle, here are two ways to provide a little extra help:
Cleaning the outside of an ordinary bottle is as simple as any other glass-cleaning task. The real challenge, of course, is removing gunk from the outside--unless you happen to have a Lilliputian cleaning crew.
To scrub the outside of a bottle, use warm water and dishwashing liquid. Mildy abrasive dishwashing pads are fine for use on modern glass. If the glass is pre-20 century, use copper wool pads (not just copper colored pads).
To remove hardened residue inside, let the bottle stand full of soapy water (warm water and dishwashing liquid) for several hours, until the residue softens and can be loosened by shaking or by use of a bottle brush. If dirt still remains inside the bottle, here are two ways to provide a little extra help:
- Pour a thimbleful of uncooked rice or sand into the bottle fill it again with warm, soapy water, and shake.
- Fill the bottle with water and drop in a denture-cleaning tablet.
A tough white crust can build up inside a bottle that has held water for a long time. You may be able to remove this by filling the bottle with a cleaner designed for vanquishing mineral deposits. Lime-A-way is a good bet.
Another kind of white hazing is tougher to deal with--etching, caused by some elements of the glass leaching away after long exposure to liquid. A cure for etching is beyond the ability of the average Jane or Joe, unless you want to fork over hundreds of dollars for an exotic tumbler machine. Professional bottle cleaners (yes, they exist) will do the job for$10 or more per bottle. So think seriously about the value of that bottle.
see also Baby Equipment (for baby bottles) and Decanters
Another kind of white hazing is tougher to deal with--etching, caused by some elements of the glass leaching away after long exposure to liquid. A cure for etching is beyond the ability of the average Jane or Joe, unless you want to fork over hundreds of dollars for an exotic tumbler machine. Professional bottle cleaners (yes, they exist) will do the job for$10 or more per bottle. So think seriously about the value of that bottle.
see also Baby Equipment (for baby bottles) and Decanters
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