SPAwash Latest Blog - A Few Words about Stains

Why do spots sometimes show up after dry cleaning that weren't visible before?
One of the dry cleaner's worst enemies is the "invisible stain" like spray from grapefruit, hair spray or perfume. These stains surface after dry cleaning and become very visible after processing. It is actually the heat associated with the dry cleaning cycle or pressing that makes the stains visible. Dry cleaning itself will not remove these and depending on the material, some can be removed by a technician. Some may never be removed. If you know of any such invisible stains, please point them out so that we may pre-treat the stain before dry cleaning.

That stain wasn't there when I brought it in! What did you do to it?
Sometimes, the dry cleaning process can result in additional stains which were not there before.
The fact is that many yellow and brown, or pink stains that appear after dry cleaning were really there before the item was brought in. Common stains such as fruit juice, coffee, tea, soft drinks etc dry invisibly soon after they occur. They are still there, you just can't see them. Heat or prolonged exposure to the air will make them appear again. Have you ever seen an apple with a bite out of it that gradually turns yellow before your eyes? Because the stain quickly turns invisible the customer usually forgets about it (out of sight, out of mind). When he sends the item in for dry cleaning, the heat used as part of the process brings out the stain making it look like us, the drycleaner caused it. Unfortunately the stain is now set and is very difficult to remove. The best defense is to take note of stains when they occur so that you can inform the dry cleaner when you send the items in. This greatly increases the chance of successfully removing the stain.

Yellow or Pink Underarm Stains
Yellow underarm stains on a white shirt are never a welcome sight – and here’s the kicker – those same stains are also lurking on colored shirts as well, just not as visible. Here’s a quick primer on what causes those stains, how to prevent them and how to safely remove the yellow stains:

How does this happen to me?
Underarm stains are caused by the reaction between anti-perspirant ingredients and the salts in your sweat. Most anti-perspirants contain aluminum compounds to reduce wetness. It is the aluminum that causes the build-up and yellowing on fabrics. The stains don’t appear overnight, but without proper handling of garments may happen after continuous wear.

How can I prevent stains?
Wear an undershirt to help protect your more expensive outer shirt. However, if an extra layer is just not possible, try switching to an aluminum-free deodorant. Read the labels and you’ll find that anti-perspirants have varying levels of aluminum compounds. Choose a brand with the lowest aluminum content that provides the protection you need.
After applying deodorant, allow it to dry before dressing to prevent rub-off on fabrics. If you don’t have time to wait, a couple of blasts of air from a hair dryer will do the trick.
If you have perspired while wearing a garment, send it to SPAwash as quickly as possible. Stains are much harder to remove once they become set in. If you notice the beginnings of yellow stains, stop using or switch to a different brand of anti-perspirant.

How do I get the rid of the pink/yellow?
Best way is to dry clean after each wearing to prevent the discoloration. If your shirt is white and washable, send it to a professional cleaner like SPAwash. Be sure to tell them those there maybe yellow stains underarm.

Follow these directions and you won’t have to worry about the yellow stains when you’re dressing for your next event!

The successful removal rate is 90% if:
If Customer knows what the stain is
If The Stain has never been treated before
If The Stain is less than 2 weeks old

The successful removal rate is between 50%-80% if:
If Customer NOT sure what the stain is
If there is a combination of different type of stain
If the stain has been treated before, either at home or at another cleaner
If the stain is more than 2 weeks old

Stain removal is somewhat of an art in itself; we can always try but cannot guarantee success.

Always Remember:
Fresh stains are easier to remove than old ones.
Avoid machine drying or ironing until you've exhausted all stain removal efforts.
Time and heat can set some stains permanently.

/Blog - A Few Words about Stains /