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chrisnrob

Ecologically removing tomato stains!

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I cooked a rather splendid (even if I do say so myself!) veggie cobbler last week when my sister came round for dinner.

 

Unfortunately, in serving it up, some managed to get spilt on the white tablecloth.

 

The sauce was tomato-based and I'm not having much luck removing it using Ecover washing liquid or Ecover stain remover :( Anyone got any sure-fire ecological tips for removing tomato-based stains?

 

Rob

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Have you washed it in the washing machine yet? If you have, it's probably too late to remove it, as the warm water will have "cooked" the food into the fabric.

 

If not, my ancient copy of "Home Ecology" suggests boiling water poured onto taut fabric, preferably from a height (stretch the stained area over a bowl, put the bowl in the bath and pour water on). Also, I don't know what the weather forecast is for the West Midlands today, but if it's sunny it might be worth hanging the shirt outside where the sun will shine on it - UV is quite effective at bleaching!

 

Good luck :)

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Have you washed it in the washing machine yet? If you have, it's probably too late to remove it, as the warm water will have "cooked" the food into the fabric.

 

Oh dear - yes I have :( Once just on a normal wash and once with Ecover stain remover. It's not as bad as it was but it's still there...

 

If not, my ancient copy of "Home Ecology" suggests boiling water poured onto taut fabric, preferably from a height (stretch the stained area over a bowl, put the bowl in the bath and pour water on). Also, I don't know what the weather forecast is for the West Midlands today, but if it's sunny it might be worth hanging the shirt outside where the sun will shine on it - UV is quite effective at bleaching!

 

Good luck :)

 

Thanks - I think I might need it! It's sunny here at the moment but the forecast is for rain later and I'll be out all day so I might not risk it. Plus, our neighbour's conifer hedge blocks most direct sunlight to our garden at this time of year - but that's another story!

 

Rob

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I used to find when the children were small and they got tomato stains on everything hanging them out in the sun when they had just been washed made a big difference and if they were really bad i would rub washing up liquid into the stain first because most tomato stains are mixed with oil in some way and this helped to shift them, and with the cloth being white you should be able to use laudry bleach to good affect.

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Oh and another thing I once saw a tip that I have tried with success for removing tumeric stains when curry has been spilt because it is oil based use some vegetable oil on the stain because the stain will further dissolve in the oil and then when washed will come out with the detergent. The same would apply to your stain but maybe not now it has been washed once

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Also, I don't know what the weather forecast is for the West Midlands today, but if it's sunny it might be worth hanging the shirt outside where the sun will shine on it - UV is quite effective at bleaching!

 

 

I will also add that I have tried this on blackcurrant and other foodie stains on a beautiful white crocheted tablecloth, and it does work as the stains are hardly noticible now. I was amazed as I didn't think it would :D I hasten to add I am not a messy eater, a neighbour threw the tablecloth out as it was so badly stained, and I asked to have it. :D

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