bearisgray

For commonly encountered stains/smells, do you have one "go-to" product to remove them from fabrics, especially for old stains/smells that may have been there for YEARS?

Has anyone found one method/product that works for almost everything?

Mildew
Mold
Blood
Rust
Urine
Smoke
Skunk
Musty/Old people smell (no offense to old people - I'm one of you!)
Sick people smell
Sweat stains
Inks
Grunge

Onebyone

I haven't found a product that works on all stains. I use Grandma's Spot Remover mixed with Tide detergent and rubbed into the stains. That works for all but the most stubborn stains. For smells I use Lysol spray before washing or add Lysol liquid to the wash.

nanna-up-north

I've used Oxyclean.... just soak it over night. Maybe test it on a corner first.

GagaSmith

I have had good luck with a product called Awesome. I've only found it available at a dollar store. Haven't tried it on all the stains you mention but like it for what I have tried it on. It also works great to clean most surfaces in the house. Be sure to test it on an inconspicuous spot first.

JustAbitCrazy

Zout has removed old set-in stains for me which other products failed to remove.

mike'sgirl

White vinegar. I use it in my kitchen in a spray bottle, mixed about 1:1 with water and a squirt of dish soap. I also use it in the bathroom and in the laundry, in the rinse cycle. Look it up, it really is a very versatile product.

dflynn

I like Awesome for more strains on clothes. Only one dollar at The Dollar Store. Can be found at
Walmart also. Can soak clothes over night. Spray the stain and wait 20 minutes before putting in the washer.

Prism99

Zout removed dried blood stains for me and seems to work well on all organic type stains.

I honestly don't think there is one thing that will work for both organic stains and oil-based stains *and* odors. I use a different product for each.

For odors in laundry, this sounds unorthodox but it works really really well:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TSO20W/
Yes, it's cat litter additive. I add a heaping teaspoonful to the soap dish in my front loader when I have a load of "smelly" clothes. It has worked every time for me -- especially for that old sweat smell that seems so prevalent in teen clothing (especially athletic clothes). It also worked on dirty clothing left on the floor that the cat decided was a handy litter station.

We don't get many grease stains, so not sure what I would use on those.

Edit: Just read the original post over. I think the cat litter additive would work great on the old people smell, sick people smell, and urine smell as well as stale sweat smell. Might work on skunk, but I haven't needed to try it that way (thank goodness!!!) It might work on mildew and smoke; again, haven't had to try it on those. A container lasts a long time, but you may need to use more per load than I do if your washer uses a lot of water. Mine is a small front loader and a heaping teaspoonful works well with that amount of water.

coopah

Retroclean cleaned a 40 year old tea stain our of a cutwork tablecloth that had been washed and dried several times. The same solution was used for several more pieces of work. That's probably not the recommended, but I like to stretch a penny. Cat urine was in some quilts for over 5 years (I didn't know). It took out the stains and any residual smells. Retroclean also removes yellowing. You can check here using 'antique clean' to search for more thoughts on this product. I am not affiliated in any way, but just a happy customer. It took out rust from pins, too.

Up4BigChal

Hydrogen Peroxide Dawn dish soap and washing or baking soda Works great on all kinds of stains Good Luck