Stain Removal Dont’s

A great deal of information is available about using “home remedies” to remove stains on garments. While using an alternative method can sometimes be effective, it can often cause result in more damage to your clothing. Below are a few commonly used alternative stain removers with some information about why each may not be the best option. For best results, we recommend that you bring any garments with stains to Park Avenue Discount cleaners without attempting to remove the stain yourself so that we can increase our chances of being able to treat the soiled areas.

Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the more popular home remedies used to remove stains because it is a solvent. However, alcohol can discolor fabrics and alter the fabric dye. The damage can be irreversible. We do not recommend using alcohol for stain removal.

Nail Polish Remover
Nail polish is often used to remove make-up and similar stains. However, nail polish remover contains the chemical acetone which can wreak havoc on fabrics such as acetate and rayon, literally dissolving them. Nail polish can also dissolve decorative patterns, designs, and prints on fabric. For best results, stay away from nail polish remover and have your stains professionally treated.

Ice
Chewing gum is always a challenge when it becomes stuck to fabric. Ice is one of the most popular methods of removal, but this is not always effective. Chipping away at frozen gum can damage the fabric to an even greater extent by causing holes, tears, and scratches. It is a lot safer to remove the gum with dry cleaning. The dry cleaning process can actually dissolve the gum without any damage.