Remove Almost Any Stain: A UK Household Cheat Sheet

Stains are far easier to deal with in the first sixty seconds than the next sixty minutes. Here's a quick-reference fix for the ones that show up most in UK households.

Red wine

Blot — never rub — with a clean cloth, then apply cold water and a pinch of salt. Salt draws the wine out before it sets.

Grease

Warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid (it's designed to cut grease) and gentle dabbing usually shifts it on fabric and worktops alike.

Ink

Rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad, dabbed — not rubbed — from the outside of the mark inward, stops it spreading further.

Coffee

A vinegar-and-water solution (roughly equal parts), applied while the stain's still fresh, breaks down coffee's tannins before they set permanently.

Cold water for protein and tannin stains, warm water for grease — that one rule covers most household accidents.

For the stains that have already set, a professional deep clean usually has products and tools that cut through what a cheat sheet can't.

Quick answers

Q: Should I ever rub a stain instead of blotting?
A: Almost never — rubbing pushes the stain deeper into fibres and spreads it outward. Blotting from the outside edge inward contains it instead.

Q: Does hot or cold water work better for stains?
A: It depends on the stain type. Cold water is safer for protein and tannin-based stains like wine, blood, or tea, since heat can set them permanently. Warm water suits grease and oil-based marks.