Social scenarios often mean an array of edible goodies, whether it’s upscale hors d’oeuvres served at elegant gatherings or the game day standards of chips and dip. No matter the menu, these tasty tidbits all have one thing in common: they can stain anything from satin gowns to cotton jerseys. That begs the question: What do you do?
When a partygoer does the inevitable and drops a snack on his clothes, the most important thing she should do is stay calm, says Steve Boorstein, aka “The Clothing Doctor,” who has worked in the clothing industry for 30 years, authored books on the care of clothes, and appeared as a guest on "The View.”
“Most mistakes are made in the first 10 seconds,” he says. “People panic, get embarrassed, grab a napkin and start rubbing. Stains are like insects: people don’t rest until they get them off.”
Once panic subsides, the next step is to determine the origin of the stain, as that dictates the treatment. Oil-based stains from French fries, salad dressing, or caviar, for example, can result in a nebulous marking with no distinct outline. Water-based stains from coffee, soda, and wine are more common and form an outline around the stain.
With oil stains, there’s little to be done other than blot at it with a dry paper towel or napkin, and then stop. “Never use water or club soda,” says Boorstein. “That’s probably just going to help set the stain,” he says.
Even washing a garment with an oil stain isn’t going to get rid of it. In these cases, dry cleaning is the only option. “You can spill an entire cup of olive oil on a blouse and take it to a dry cleaner. It will come out, no problem. You can wash it 50 times at home and it’s not coming out.”
Boorstein has heard every convoluted trick imaginable for removing oil stains, from creating a Tide paste to spraying it with WD-40. In reality, no household product will remove an oil stain. Its only true nemesis is extremely hot water — about 190 degrees.
For the more forgiving water stains, Boorstein recommends Oxiclean’s new product “Spray Away.” It comes in a two-ounce container, so it’s easy to carry. Within 30 seconds of applying it to a water-based stain, the unwanted mark is gone, he says. Using water or club soda on a washable garment with a water-based stain also is acceptable. But always blot; never rub as the latter pulls color out of a garment. “It looks like it’s coming out, but once it dries the color is lost and there is lint and a white spot,” he says. “That damage is usually permanent.”
Whether a stain occurs when you’re chatting with someone at a party or presenting a business plan at work, remember that education is the key to preserving a wardrobe. As Boorstein says, “A little knowledge can take you a long way.”
