Six Secrets to Keep your Clothes Stain Free!

First - NEVER, EVER, RUB A STAIN OR SPILL 

Rubbing stains, grinds soils into the fibers of your garment AND because rubbing acts like sand paper, rubbing will likely cut fibers in your garment and cause 1) de-lustering (which looks like a stain, but is actually fabric damage because the material is no longer reflecting light like the rest of the garment) and/or 2) it can cause color loss.  I know its hard, but please refrain from rubbing any stain or spill if you want to prolong the life of your garment.  This is especially true of silks and satins.  AND alcohol can easily remove the dyes from silk items - so BOT, BLOT, BLOT until your beverage stain is gone!

TIP: Men, take off your tie before eating. Or at least throw it over your shoulder!
Another TIP: NEVER put water (including club soda) on a silk anything to remove a spill.  It will make it harder for your drycleaner to fix the garment in the end!  

The best thing you can do any time you spill anything on your clothes is to BLOT up the excess soil/liquid with a clean, lint-free, light colored cloth

Second - treat your stains promptly

Mom was right (isn't she always?). Fresh stains are easier and more likely to be removed.  Less well known is the physical and chemical damage that can be done by leaving stains in your clothes.  When some stains (alcohol, sugar water and perspiration to name a few) are left in clothes they can weaken fibers causing your garments more likely to tear, or start holes.  The can also cause a chemical reaction that damages the dyes causing color loss.  Also, soils left in clothes will attract insects which, besides being gross, will eat holes in your clothes and then destroy any wool items in your closet. 
Also keep in mind, that if its hot, or you leave soiled garments in a car, the heat will effectively cook your clothes and set stains in a matter of 15 minutes!  Another reason you should find a cleaner that picks up and delivers!

Third - If your item is Dryclean Only - take it to your drycleaner and ignore the rest of this post

If you have a silk blouse or acetate dress or any other item with a "DryClean Only" care label, STOP HERE and take your items to your favorite drycleaner.  You will know if your item is dryclean only if there is a circle symbol on the care label like this

Disclaimer: The following information is ONLY for items that can be safely laundered

Fourth - Carry a stain stick with you  

Like the third rule says, treat you stains promptly.  Carry a stain stick in your purse, and your car. They are cheap and easy to tuck into your purse, glovebox or desk.  I personally like the Clorox and Tide sticks the best.

Fifth - work the stain from the "wrong side"

If you are going to "work" a stain before you put it into the laundry, use this drycleaner trick; Flush the stain from the backside first.  Its easier to "push" the stain off the surface of material, rather than force it to travel through the material. Another way to say this is to "lift" the stain off the material.

Lastly - For greasy stains

For a lot of grease (pizza anyone?) put a little dishwashing detergent in with your load.  Be sure the water is already filling your basket,  You want the water and detergent to mix (dilute) before adding your clothes.  You may apply this de-greaser directly to clothes, but FIRST you will need to dilute it considerably with water.  I love Dawn, however I would never apply a colored anything to clothes directly.  I always dilute any product with water before adding clothes.

As for specific stain removal tips (mustard, grass, etc.), I ran across this fabulous article by the University of Nebraska:  http://lancaster.unl.edu/home/articles/2002/summerstain.shtml.
It was written in 2002, but the tips are as true today as they were then.
As a drycleaner, because I have access to all sorts of stain removal chemicals the average person cannot get, I did not try these stain removal techniques, and their effectiveness is up to you to determine.  I would love to hear your favorite home stain removal techniques!

Nothing last forever; How long should your comforter last?

I just received and email from the Drycleaning&Laundry Institute.
You can read about the DLI here: http://www.dlionline.org/Drycleaners

As I looked at their analysis of the life of house hold items (comforters, drapes, etc - you can review their chart below) I knew that the average consumer of drycleaning services would not agree with the average life expectancies the DLI publish.

The DLI compiles this data for their drycleaner members, as they should, because better than 95% of textiles that are past their life, die during the cleaning process.  Textile damage is often hard to spot before cleaning, and the drycleaner is not usually told the story of the items in their care.  Alas, sometimes the drycleaner is left holding the bag, after the fact, to an unhappy and frustrated customer.

As I thought about it, I realized it was a question of averages; some things wear out after one use, some last over 10 years.  I have towels for well over 5 years that look great.  My Thanksgiving tablecloth has been in the family for 2 generations and my drapes are over 20 years old (I hesitated to share that with you - I don't think that is a good idea and I have just put it on my list to replace them!).  However I also have t-shirts that have holes after one washing (I can explain why that happens, but it is not the content of this story).

In my case I clean all items right after use, even if they don't appear dirty AND their use is limited.   Heavy use, means heavier wear.  And I have the understanding of exactly what forces are at work on my household textiles.

The challenge with trying to put a timetable to the life of a textile is that a brand new tablecloth, even if it is well made, could be used and then stored without cleaning, and when it gets pulled out the following year - aged stains, or even holes may have destroyed it.

My favorite example of unexpected wear in a household item is a down comforter.  I have had clients bring in a comforter for cleaning.  I always recommend washing down comforters in water.  Every once in a while (writing this I realize its been years since Ive had this complaint, so I had better prepare for it) The comforter will lose 20%, 50% or more of the down on cleaning!  What happened?  Typically it is an older comforter (over 5 years) and it had been put away in storage.  I think in the extreme cases it may have been slightly damp during storage and the down deteriorated over time.  When the item was cleaned, all that loose down dissolved and was washed away.  Under poor conditions, that comforter could be destroyed after only a year.

My point?  It is impossible to know how long something will last - but these averages should make you feel good about your things if they are lasting longer.

My father once told a client who's item had torn during cleaning (turns out it was over 7 years old), that the value of the item depreciates similar to an asset.  She had worn the item for years and had gotten pleasure, utility out of that use.

In line with that analogy, I suggest, that the next time you have a textile (clothes or comforter) last longer than the life expectancy, appreciate the extra time and be aware that nothing lasts forever!

Think of it this way: your $1000 custom bed set is really costing you $200 a year, and after 5 years, its all gravy:-)


DLI Vol 28:
Life Expectancy of Household Items

The American National Standards Institute, Inc. approved the Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Textile Products. This standard provides the guidelines for determining liability for claims adjustment purposes for textile products. It also includes the following life expectancy chart for household textile items: 

Life Expectancy Table
Item	Years
Bedspreads	six years
Blankets
Heavy Wool and Synthetic Fibers	10 years
Lightweight	five years
Electric	five years
Comforters	five years
Down	five years
Curtains
Sheer	three years
Glass Fiber	three years
Draperies
Lined	five years
Unlined	four years
Sheer	three years
Glass Fiber	four years
Sheets and Pillow Cases	two years
Slipcovers	three years
Table Linen
Fancy	five years
Other	two years
Towels	three years
Upholstery Fabrics	five years
Articles Coated or Flocked	two years

How long the items last also depends on selection. Consider the following before purchasing a household product:

• Will the material be durable?
• Will the fabric resist stains and soil?
• Are there any protective coatings of finishes available that will prolong the useful life of the textile?
• Is the fabric preshrunk?
• Is the fabric resistant to light, fading or pollution?
• Do any care instructions come with the purchase? Read all instructions or information before buying the item.

Proper care will always help prolong the beauty of the household textile. Here are some basic rules to protect and prolong the beauty of household textiles:

• Protect all furnishings from sunlight, fumes, and pets.
• Damage, like tears, should be repaired immediately.
• Vacuum and/or brush to remove dust regularly.
• Follow the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations.
• Do not allow the item to become extremely soiled, and have any stains removed immediately.
• Clean household textiles before storing.