After washing more than 500,000 pounds of Sioux Falls laundry, we've seen every stain there is. The good news: most of them come out completely if you treat them correctly within the first 24 hours. The bad news: the internet is full of bad advice that sets stains permanently.
1. Coffee and tea
Cold water rinse first, then dish soap, then a 30-minute soak in cool water with a tablespoon of white vinegar. Never use hot water until the stain is gone — heat sets tannins permanently.
2. Red wine
Blot, don't rub. Cover with table salt to pull liquid up, then a 1:1 mix of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Wait 20 minutes, then cold wash.
3. Grease and oil
Dish soap, period. The stuff designed to cut grease on a frying pan also cuts grease on cotton. Work it in, wait 10 minutes, then warm wash.
4. Blood
Cold water only. Hot water cooks the proteins. Soak first, then dab with hydrogen peroxide if needed.
5. Ink (ballpoint)
Rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball, blot through to a paper towel underneath. Repeat until the towel stops picking up color, then wash.
Or — and we'll be honest here — bring it to us. Stain pretreatment is included on every wash-dry-fold order, and we have commercial-grade solvents that handle what household products can't.