How to create a stain-stopping toolkit for household messes

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Speedy treatment can help prevent stains from becoming permanent. But it’s hard to be quick if you don’t have the right supplies.

The cleaners, cloths, and more, listed alphabetically below, will come in handy whenever a spill or splash threatens to ruin your clothing, countertops, carpeting or furniture. You’re likely to use some tools—like paper towels and the cleaning solution—more than others. Just be sure to stash them where you can access them easily.

For how-tos on tackling a variety of stains—from coffee and wine to tomato sauce and blood stains—on a range of surfaces using this toolkit, see Consumer Reports’ The Ultimate Stain-Removal Guide.

Toolkit supplies

Acetone nail polish remover

This solvent does a remarkable job on some mishaps—like makeup and super glue. (But don’t use it on synthetic fabrics; it could damage them.)

Ammonia, bleach and distilled white vinegar

These liquids can be useful in a few stain emergencies, but do not mix them.

Baking soda and cornstarch

Each of these absorbent materials is excellent at soaking up a greasy spill.

Cleaning solution

Mix ¼ teaspoon of a mild white or clear dishwashing liquid (Dawn is often recommended)—no bleach—in 1 cup of lukewarm water.

Cotton swabs

These are great for testing the safety of a stain remover on fabric. Use a swab to dab the product on a small or hard-to-reach area of upholstery or an inside seam of an article of clothing.

Enzymatic laundry pretreat

“These make a huge difference. They really break down organic stains,” says Jessica Ek, associate vice-president, strategic communications, at the American Cleaning Institute.

Plain white paper towels or cloths

Paper towels or cloths are perfect for blotting up spills. If you use a cloth, choose cotton or microfibre and make sure it’s clean. Using white cloths or paper towels means there’s no worry that a dye will transfer from fabric or paper and make an already bad situation worse.

Plastic wrap

When you apply a baking soda paste to a spot on a hard surface, such as a natural stone countertop, covering the area with plastic wrap will help keep it moist as the paste soaks up the stain.

Regular mayonnaise

Regular mayo contains no less than 65 per cent vegetable oil by weight (vs. reduced-fat products) and the experts at Molly Maid cleaning service recommend using it if you have a water ring on wood furniture. Put a layer over the ring, let it sit overnight, and wipe it clean in the morning.

Toothbrush

This tool can come in handy when you need to clean dirt or food spills from ceramic tile grout. Use it to apply a little white vinegar to the grout. Let it fizz and wipe up after a minute or so.

Upholstery cleaner

Because you can’t throw your sofa or dining-chair seats in the washer, a targeted stain-lifter such as Resolve Upholstery & Multi-Fabric Spot & Stain Remover may save the day if you have an oil, food grease or salad dressing spill. Be sure to check the fabric care label before you apply it to make sure you can use liquids.

3% hydrogen peroxide

Dabbing a little on spills of coffee, tea, wine or fruit juice, or tomato-based or yellow spice–based foods, will often lift them off older vinyl flooring, which may be more vulnerable to staining. A stubborn muddy carpet stain may also come clean if your cleaning solution hasn’t completely erased it; moisten the area with 3% hydrogen peroxide, wait an hour, and then blot.

The pros’ secret cleaning tool

Laundry experts use a dry cleaner’s spotting bone to get stains out without spreading them. Use this simple device, about 10 centimetres long, to work a cleaning solution into a washable fabric and press the stain out. Layer a towel behind the soiled item to wick away whatever was spilled, says cleaning expert Melissa Dilkes Pateras.

By Janet Siroto, Consumer Reports