At Comphy, we’re often approached with questions about stain-removal. And though our sheets are treated with a high-performance stain release, even Comphy can sometimes be bested by the likes of certain oils, makeup, & inks. We recently decided to test several of these culprits with some of the commonly suggested stain removers from a variety of sources. But before we reveal what we learned, let’s review some of the basics of stain removal.
The first step in stain removal is identifying the stain. The approach you take will be different depending on the material. And though, in the B&B world, you may often be uncertain about the type of stain, try to make an educated guess to dictate your treatment solution.
• When it comes to bleach, not all stains are created equal. Bleachable stains are coffee, tea, blood, wine & basically anything that can be “de-colorized” by bleach. But as we all know, use caution when treating any fabric with bleach.
• Protein stains can be removed using enzyme technology. This includes things like grass stains, tomato stains, and human waste.
• Grease and oil stains require a high wash temperature and a high pH level so be sure to wash food & beverage linen and spa linen in these conditions.
And while the technical and scientific information are extremely important, sometimes you just want to know what works! The following are our top picks of stain treatments for some of those stubborn stains that might be driving you crazy.
And remember, these results are specific to the type of stain and our experience with treating them on our microfiber. Other stains & fabrics will create varied results. One stain we tested didn’t yield a satisfying result: foundation makeup. It was never fully removed with mineral oil, isopropyl alcohol, or OxiClean.
Undoubtedly, there are many more stains– and treatments to go with them– than we could ever cover.
For a quick removal guide for the stains covered in this article, check out our Stubborn Stain Guide below, and learn the do’s and don’ts of treating stained linen
What are some of your favorite tricks for removing tough stains? What is your biggest laundry challenge? Let us know below!
