Dealing with stains on your prom dress

Dealing with stains on your prom dress

Food served at proms is usually of the rich type: if you serve pasta, you’re bound to get little spaghetti-sauce splotches on your gown or tux. Red wine is also a common culprit. And never eat a burrito while wearing a dress!

However, if you’re unfortunate enough to get a stain on your garments, it’s better to deal with it as soon as possible rather than to let it stay and damage the cloth even more. So, without further ado, here’s a quick step-by-step guide to dealing with stains on your prom dress:

Mitigate the risk. If there are solid residues, scrape them off; blot out the excess stain. Always have a small bottle of stain remover in your purse; paper towels are usually available in restrooms. If you do not have a paper towel on hand, you can use rags instead. Turn the garment inside-out, put it on top of a paper towel, and apply some stain remover. Hopefully, it will reduce the stain to a negligible level.

If you’re satisfied that the stain has been brought down to a manageable level, do the following:
For cooking oil, margarine, or butter: Use cornstarch or talcum powder to soak up whatever you can of the oil then rub shampoo on the stain. Then wash with hot water. Of course, you wouldn’t want to do this with silk, so you better check the label first.

Lipstick: First you may remove the stain using nonflammable stain remover. This should work. However, if the stain persists, apply a stain remover then rinse. If it still persists, rub liquid detergent onto the stain then wash in warm water.

For candles or other paraffin-based materials: Scrape off the solid part, then place the garment between sheets of tissue paper. Press on the area with a warm iron (do not use a steam iron), this will ensure that the tissue paper will soak up the wax. Use a pre-soak made from enzyms, or treat with a stain remover that’s non-flammable, then wash using your hands. Repeat as needed.

For chocolate: Wet the fabric with tepid water, apply a pre-wash treatment and rinse. Place in an enzyme-based pre-soak. Wash normally, but don't tumble-dry until the stain is gone. If the stain persists, repeat the cycle.
For fruit and fruit juices: Soak the garment in cool water immediately. Soak the stain in a mixture consisting of a few drops of ammonia, hot water, and colorfast bleach for twenty minutes, then launder as usual.

For ink: Using a circular motion, dab isopropyl alcohol on the area around the stain, then on the stain itself. On a paper towel, place the stained area face-down. Using a sponge, dab alcohol into the stain from the reverse side. Rinse well. Rub some liquid detergent on the affected area, then hand-wash the garment in hot water.

For soft drinks: Soak the stain in cold water. Use a sponge to apply a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and cold water onto the stain. Then air-dry.

Always remember to bring some paper towels and small bottles of stain remover and rubbing alcohol with you. Stains need not be a pain in the neck with the handy tips above. Enjoy!