1. Never rub a stain or spill.
Rubbing grinds soils into the fibers of a garment and is similar to using sandpaper on your clothes. This can de-lustering, fabric damage that appears like a stain; weaken the fibers or even result in tearing or holes, and/or cause color loss. This is especially true of silks and satins. Resist the urge to rub, and instead, any time you spill anything on your clothes, blot up the excess soil/liquid using a clean, lint-free, light colored cloth on both sides of the garment.
2. Treat Stains Promptly
New, fresh stains are easier and more likely to be removed successfully. When stains are not treated immediately, damage can occur from chemicals and natural ingredients. For example, alcohol, sugar water, and perspiration can weaken fibers making garments more likely to tear. They can also react with chemicals in some dyes resulting in color loss. Finally, food particles can attract damage-causing insects like moths. And, did you know that if you leave soiled garments in a car on a hot California day, the heat can essentially bake them and set stains in about 15 minutes?
3. If Your Item Is Dry Clean Only – Take It To Your Dry Cleaner
If you have a silk blouse or acetate dress or any other item with a “Dry Clean Only” care label, do not even try to remove stains at home. Take them immediately to Flair, point out the stain, and tell us what caused it. Be specific. If it was coffee, did it have flavoring, sugar, milk, chocolate, sweeteners or other add-ins?
4. Don’t Treat If You Don’t Know The Exact Cause of the Stain
Washing or treating stains with commercial spot removers without knowing precisely what caused them, can cause a host of problems. It may cause stains to set permanently or damage fabrics and colors. For best results bring stained clothing to Flair and ask our clothing care specialists for their counsel on the best approach to treatment.
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