Removing difficult stains

I have chosen to start with blood as this is one of the most common everyday stains; it is generally easy to remove, responding well to the application of kit protein removers or a solution of 5% ammonia.

However, once blood has been heat set on the ironing table or press it can be a very difficult type of stain to remove. As with all stain removal procedures, where appropriate, and particularly when using a bleach, it is important to test for colour / fabric safety. cleaners should also appreciate that when dealing with difficult stains the fabric / fibre can be more of a problem than the stain and while it may be possible to remove most heat set blood from robust fabrics, it may not be possible to safely remove the same stain from silk, linen or similar textiles.

Understanding the problem

Blood, along with some other bodily and animal fluids like mucus, egg and milk, contains albumin. In its fluid and dry states albumin is soluble in cold water and the protein removers used in spotting, however if exposed to the high temperatures used in ironing or pressing, albumin becomes insoluble in water based reagents and may well require the use of a digester (enzyme) product to stand any chance of removing the stain - enzymes can convert albumin back to a water soluble state. When heated, a reddish blood stain may qchange to grey/ black and may bear little resemblance to blood. To enable cleaners to communicate clearly with customers they must have a clear understanding of these changes that can of course also take place within a domestic environment. Blood is a complex stain and in addition to albumin and proteins it also contains iron.

 Blood removal methodologies

Factors that influence the removal of stains (all of which come into play when treating blood) ­

• Time ­
• Temperature ­
• Reagent ­
• Mechanical action ­
• Fabric/fibre type

On robust textiles start with a kit protein remover and work into the stain using the spatula, leave for 5 min, then continue to work the stain with the reagent and the spatula while using an absorbent white cotton cloth to confirm that the blood is responding. If it stops responding apply more of the protein reagent, place the item in a polythene bag and leave in a warm place for at least half an hour to allow the enzyme/digester in the protein remover time to react with the remaining stain; then work the stain with the spatula flush out with water and dry off. If any stain remains, place 1 drop of 5% ammonia on the stain followed by two or three drops of 9% hydrogen peroxide, then gently heat with just a wisp of dry steam from the steam gun (peroxide works best at around 80C) constantly varying the angle of the gun to keep the peroxide focussed on the stain. Peroxide can take a little time to work and may require more than one application. Treat any remaining brownish stain with rust remover as this could be due to residual iron from the blood.

Be sure to wear eye protection when using rust remover or bleach.

In the case of at risk textiles like linen or silk, test before every step, do not use the spatula and tamp gently with a soft brush. However, the limitations imposed by the risk of colour loss or fabric damage mean that it may not be possible to remove some stains. ­