Stain Identification

How Do I Know What it is??

Smell it and try to identify the odor.

Look at its color and appearance.

Feel it to check the

stain

Identification of Stains through Look of Stain Smell of from fabric Fabric

If dried fabric got stiff and hard If dried Become granular/po wdery and fabric got stiff. It is yellow to brown in colour and No objectionable odour unless stain is very old. Earthy smell

Results Not

Feel

remove d
Can be removed

remove d

Blood

Reddish brown in color Yellowish brown in color

Mud

Can be removed

Urine

yellow /pale

Unpleasant and objectionable

Difficult to remove

Ice Cream

Absorbed stain of various colours . On scratching , will turn white.

Stiff if dried. Sticky if fresh No in form of objectionable splashes on odour the garment.

Can be removed

Beer

Yellow to light brown stain

Fabric got little bit stiff

Maltysweetish-sour smell

Can be removed

Coffee

Light brown dark brown in colour

Fabric got stiff

Emits the smell of coffee Emits sour odour due to presence of milk

Can be removed

Tea Soft drink

Beige to brown in color

Fabric got stiff Sticky if stain is fresh. Turns white when scratched on

Can be removed

Varied in colour

No objectionable odour

Can be removed

Hair oil

oily surface in varied colour Brown to Black in colour Pale yellow in colour Blue, black, red in colour, in form of lines or spots. Oily surface in form of smears/sp

Oily/greasy to touch Sticky surface

Perfumed, pleasant smell

Can be removed

Grease Cooking Oils BallPoint pen

No smell

Can be removed

Oily to touch

No objectionable odour No smell

Can be removed

Stiff when dried.

Can be removed

Creams

Oily and sticky and got stiff on drying

Unpleasant and objectionable odour, when moisten with

Can be removed

Carbon Paper

Colour ranges from brown to black, red , green, blue

Grey to black in colour depending upon amount of soiling adhering to it. Reddishbrown in colour

Greasy and mostly in form of smears.

No smell

Can be removed

Chewing Gum

Sticky and rubbery to touch.

Smell depends on the flavour added to the chewing gum

Can be removed

Chocolat e Crayon

Sticky when wet. And in irrgular shape Has greasy appearance

Sweet odour

Can be removed

It can be of any colour

No smell

Can be removed

Gelatin

Light brown semitransparent Stain resembeling to glue.

Partially absorbed in the fabric, imparting stiffness to fabric

odourless

Can be removed

Grass

Green to light green in colour.

Stain can be in form of smears.

No smell

Can be removed

Gravy

Its pale yellow to brown in colour.

If absorbed in the fabric, imparting stiffness to fabric

Emits objectiona ble smell when moisten Strong pungent smell

Can be removed

Ketchup

It is light red to If absorbed light brown in fabric got colour. lightly stiff.

Can be removed

Lipstick

Usually red in colour and in form of smears. Ranging in colour yellow to brown. Found with a ring of same colour of the fabric.

Has greasy appearance

Has pleasant smell.

Can be removed.

Mustard

Its a powdery stain, fabric is lightly stiff. A ring of colour same as fabric,the ring being lighter in the centre than edges.
Powdery surface.

Produces Pungent essential oil smell when moisten. When moisten the stain can give off an odour.

Can be removed.

Perspirati on

Can be removed.

Rust

Reddish Brown in colour. It can be of any shape or size. Can be

No Smell

Can be removed

Smoke

Black Patches Sooty and appearance smears allover sooty appearanc e

Found on hem of Waxy /greasy pants and surface dresses. Colour can be brown, black and mahogany . Dark brown in colour. Irregular in shape. Yellow to Found with a ring of dark brown colour on the fabric.

Smoke character odour

Can be removed.

Shoe Polish

Strong smell of turpentine oil.

Can be removed.

Tobacco Juice

Tobacco smell

Can be removed.

Curry

Cherry/ Black berry

Yellow to brown in colour.

Sticky in nature depending upon ripeness of fruit. Stiff and ugly appearance of the fabric.

Fruity smell

Can be removed.

Candle wax

White /semi transparent in form of drops or bloches. Found with a ring of same colour of the fabric.

Smells like oily surface

Can be removed.

Deodrant s

A ring of colour same as fabric,the ring being lighter in the centre than edges.

When moisten the stain can give off an odour.

Can be removed.

Fruit juice

Yellow to brown in colour

Stiff if scraped

Emits sweetishsour smell

Can be removed

Classification of Stains
Protein Stains Tannin Stains Oil-based Stains Dye Stains Combination Stains

Protein Stains
Baby food Milk Baby formula Mucous Blood Cheese sauce Mud Cream Pudding Egg Urine Feces Vomit Gelatin White glue; school paste Ice cream

 Fresh protein stains can be removed by soaking and agitating in cold water before washing. If hot water is used first, it cooks the protein, causing coagulation between the fibers in the yarns of the fabric, making the stains more difficult to remove. If protein stains are dried or old, scrape or brush off crusted matter (if any), then soak in cold water using a detergent or an enzyme presoak product. After treating the stain, launder in warm (not hot) water, rinse, and inspect. If stain remains, soak an additional half-

Tannin Stains
Alcoholic beverages Beer Berries (cranberries, raspberries, strawberries) Coffee Cologne Felt-tip water color pen or washable Fruit juice (apple, grape, orange) Soft drinks Tea Tomato juice

 Fresh tannin stains are usually removed by detergent (not soap) washing in hot water (as safe for fabric) during laundering without any treatment. Use of soap (bar soap, soap flakes, or detergents containing natural soap) will make a tannin stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove. Old tannin stains may need bleaching for more complete removal.

Oil-based Stains
Automotive oil Hair oil Bacon fat Hand lotion Butter/margarine Lard Car door grease Mayonnaise Collar/cuff greasy rings Salad dressing Cooking fats and oils Suntan oil or lotion Face creams

 Oil stains can be removed by pretreatment with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, an aerosol petroleum-based solvent pretreatment spray, or a pump-type detergent-based pretreatment spray. Work the full-strength heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain or spray with the pretreatment product, then wash the garment using hot water (if safe for fabric), the recommended amount of detergent for a regular laundry load, rinse, and inspect before drying. Repeat this treatment if removal is incomplete the first time.

Dye Stains
Cherry, blueberry Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer) Felt-tip pen (permanent inkmay not come out) Grass India ink Kool-Aid Mercurochrome Mustard Tempera paint

 Dye stains are very difficult to remove. First, pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly. Soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach. If the stain persists, and the garment is white or colorfast, soak in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. If the stain is not removed in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric. Caution: Since bleaches can alter the color of a fabric as
well as the stain, bleach the whole garment and do not try to bleach just a spot

Combination Stains Wax / Oil / Dye Combination

Stains Ball-point ink Candle wax Carbon typewriter ribbon Carbon paper Crayon Floor wax Furniture polish Lipstick

Livestock paint Pine resin Shoe polish Tar Eye make-up (mascara, pencil, liner, shadow)

 First, spray or sponge with dry cleaning solvent like perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene, then rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stained fabric area and rinse thoroughly. soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach. If the above steps do not remove the stain try soaking the garment in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach damage to colored garments is irreversible.
Since bleaching can alter the color of the garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching

Other common combination stains

Barbecue sauce Calamine lotion Gravy Catsup or Ketchup Hair spray Tomato sauce Cocoa or chocolate Face make-up (powder, rouge ,foundation)

 First, rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain then rinse thoroughly. soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach. If the above steps do not remove the stain try soaking the garment in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored.
Warning - bleach damage to colored garments is irreversible.
Since bleaching can alter the color of the garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching will only weaken the fabric.