Stain fighting STAIN FIGHTING Remove acrylic paint from clothes with pine cleaner. Soak, scrub, repeat. To remove acrylic paint stains, always clean the paint up while it's wet, and blot off the excess with a cloth or paper towel. Then douse it with Scotch using a cloth to blot and rub the paint until it is gone or substantially faded. Then wash the article with your usual detergent. Not paint or marks from the Scotch will remain. To remove berry stains, blot the stain and dip it in cold water. Rub the spot with a cut lemon, rinse, and air dry. Use prewash stain remover and then launder with warm water. To remove stains caused by bird droppings, allow to dry before scraping off excess. Sponge with a weak vinegar and water solution. To remove blood stains, cover area with meat tenderizer. Apply a few drops of water to make paste. Wait 15 to 30 minutes, sponge with cool water. Or, use peroxide to get the stains out. Put a few drops on the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. As soon as the blood disappears, wash as usual. Hydrogen peroxide will remove blood better than bleach. Saturate in peroxide, leave on overnight and rinse. To remove stains caused by butter or cooking oil, blot the spot and rub on some cornmeal. Brush off the cornmeal and then apply prewash stain remover, rinse. Wash in hot water. Make sure the label allows for hot water. Another surprising tip for oil and butter stains, is good old shampoo. Rub the shampoo on the spot with a soft brush. Let sit for a few minutes and then wash in hot or warm water. To remove candle wax, put the garment in the fridge for a few minutes. Then gently scrape off the excess wax. Next, put a plain brown paper bag on an ironing board. Put the garment on top of the bag. Now put another paper bag on top of the spot and iron (on low to medium setting) on top of the bag. You will see a dark spot on the paper bag. Now move the paper bag under the garment to a clean spot. Move the bag on top to a clean spot. Iron again, then repeat the steps until there are no more spots on the bag. Launder as usual. To remove chocolate stains from carpeting, blot or scrape off the excess chocolate, then flush with club soda. For a tough stain: Sponge with liquid hand soap and ammonia; launder as usual. To remove coffee stains, soak in cool water, then dab the stain with a liquid detergent like Dove. Flush with cool water and let air dry. To remove crayon marks, place the stained spot between paper towels or pieces of paper bag and press with warm iron. Repeat with clean paper. Blot with dry-cleaning solvent. To remove fruit stains, stretch the stained area slightly over a pot in the sink. Then pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 2 feet. Pre-treat grass stains on washable fabrics by sponging them first with warm water, then dabbing the soiled area with undiluted rubbing alcohol (use a clean cloth). Then launder item as usual. Another grass stain remover tip is to scrub the stain with toothpaste and a toothbrush before washing. Or, combine a few drops of household ammonia with 1 teaspoon of peroxide. Rub on the stain and rinse with water as soon as stain disappears. This week's Household Hints taken from www.google.com. | 