Stain Buster — Spaghetti Sauce

Fabric

Working from the back of the stain, rinse with cool water. Pretreat with a liquid laundry detergent and leave for several minutes. Rinse well and then sponge with white vinegar. Rinse again. Reapply liquid detergent and repeat the process until you have removed as much stain as possible. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover and wash as usual. If the stain remains, rub with a liquid laundry detergent, and then soak in warm water for up to 30 minutes. Wash again with fabric-appropriate bleach, if necessary.

Upholstery

Using a clean white cloth, apply a proprietary dry-cleaning solvent to the stained area. Blot until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, applying and blotting the solution until the stain disappears or is no longer absorbed onto the cloth.

If the stain remains, mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid with two cups of cool water. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution and blot until the liquid is absorbed. Keep sponging and blotting until the stain disappears. Sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Carpet

Mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid with two cups of cool water. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution and blot until the liquid is absorbed. If the stain remains, mix one tablespoon of ammonia (warning: never mix bleach and ammonia – the resulting fumes are hazardous) with 1/2 cup of cool water. Sponge the stain with the ammonia solution and blot until the liquid is absorbed. Sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the ammonia solution.