Hints from Heloise

Dear Readers: What’s worse than discovering you’ve stained your favorite outfit? Maybe it’s thinking about taking it to the dry cleaner or just getting the stain out. Don’t panic. You might have the perfect cleaning solution sitting in your cabinet right now.

As long as its label doesn’t say “dry clean only,” there’s hope. Next, figure out what the stain is – grease (butter, candle wax, chocolate), protein (baby formula, blood, cheese, grass) or sugar (fruit, juice, candy). The right formula or cleaning product just might make the stain disappear. The solution for eliminating just about any stain is in my Handy Stain Guide for Clothing. Please send $4 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (58 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Stain, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Remember, for grease and oil stains, treat them with warm or hot water. For protein stains, use cold water and always try to get to the stain as soon as possible. – Heloise