Our club had an outside party tonight and DH and I helped serve. He volunteered for me to take home the linens. My first thought was to just soak them overnight tonight in All Laundry Detergent (which I have on hand), but I'm wondering if I should perhaps wait til tomorrow to get some soda or seltzer water and let them soak in that. There are about 14 tablecloths, some bigger than others (but they're all pretty big--they're square cloths that we use on our round tables that sit 8 comfortably). I sure hope they're perma-press!!!
I use a product called Carbona on wine stained linens (there is one for each kind of stain) -- I bought an old good quality lace tablecloth that was big enough for my table with ALL the leaves in but it had two big OLD stains. I used the Carbona and they're gone -- you just soak them in it (as I remember and rinse I think == the instructions would be on the bottle).
I use their oil and grease stain remover all the time it's great. I have also used some of the others. They come in small yellow bottles. Sometimes you can get them online for less especially if you need a lot. The bottles aren't big but their stuff really works.
Posts: 2553 | Location: Ohio | Registered: Feb 25, 2006
Here is a home remedy that costs nothing. I think you should probably use this as soon as possible after you notice the stain but it really works. I got a punch stain on my grandmother's crocheted tablecloth years ago and my mother told me to stretch the part that was stained over a bowl and put a rubber band on it to hold it in place. Pour boiling hot water (held high) over the stain. It will come out immediately. I still have the crocheted tablecloth with no stain!
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds. --Mel Weldon
I've used that hot water tip in the past with fruit stains. Works beautifully. Wasn't sure it would work with red wine and I didn't want to go to the trouble of trying it with such large items.
The boiling water trick will take out any fruity stain, which wine is. If it doesn't get the stain out you can spoon a little water with some bleach in it over the stain and then pour on some more boiling water.
And just a bit of textile chemistry. Perma press tablecloths save on the ironing, but the polyester needed in the threads used to weave the cloth are not the best stain releasers. And never use chlorine bleach on white cloth containing polyester. Whew, does chlorine bleach ever turn polyester a dingy color. It is much easier to get stains out of a 100% cotton or linen tablecloth.
