need extreme help!!!!!

today while in class, someone's coffee spilled on my quilt blocks. the blocks were immediately rinse in cold water. but the stains were still left. i was told to soak them in oxyclean. i have soak them for a hour and with it. to my dismay, the stain are still present. do anyone know any other way to remove coffee stains. i am working with limited and out of print daiwabo fabrics.

desperate seeking solution............

tea :cry:

I use Awesome Cleaner for taking out coffee stains all of the time. I get it at the Dollar Tree stores..I have seen it at other discount stores, too. It works great on lots of different stains and is only $1 for a quart sized bottle.

thanks amma. i heard of awesome cleaner but never use it. i guess there no time like the present. i'll go out 2morrow to purchase some and give it a try. let you know how it works.

tea

I had some stains on my blocks and I remembered reading something about white vinegar and baking soda. So I put cold water in the kitchen sink and added vinegar and baking soda and let them soak. After I drained that I just soaked them in cold water. I then wrung out the water and ironed them dry. I t got out the stains. Hopefully it will work with your coffee stains.

how much vinegar and baking sode per gallon of cold water i use?

tea

My mom uses one of those cheapie cleaners from the Dollar Store like Amma suggested. Mom swears by it for her T-shirts.

Here are a couple ideas I found on the net. I don't know if they will do anything for you or not, but at this point I guess you have nothing to loose.


Stretch the stained area over a bowl and secure with a rubber band.
Pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 2 to 3 feet. Stand back to avoid splatters.
Although cotton and linen can stand boiling water, some of the finishes and colors used on the fabrics might be damaged by such harsh treatment.
Be sure to test on an inconspicuous corner first.



Vinegar

You can lift out many water-soluble stains-including beer, orange and other fruit juices, black coffee or tea, and vomit-from your cotton-blend clothing by patting the spot with a cloth or towel moistened with undiluted white vinegar just before placing it in the wash. For large stains, you may want to soak the garment overnight in a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part cold water before washing.

Maybe you need to give the soaking longer to work. I once had a waitress spill a large quantity of greasy, tomato-bassed buffalo chicken sauce on my lap and down my leg, all over a new pair of light kahki-colored pants. I soaked in Oxy Clean for several hours and it didn't help. I nearly pitched them out but decided I had nothing to lose be trying again. I soaked them for 3 days, changing the water and rubbing the stain every day. The stain disappeared and I had my pants back.

I have used Greased Lightning to take out iron stains from clothing back when we had well water and before the water conditioner. I don't know if this could damage your fabric or not, but I used it. It's available at dollar stores and hardware stores around here. I wear rubber gloves when I use it because it is rough on skin.

I didn't measure. I put a 2 or 3 gallons of cold water and then about 1 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda. Something like that. Just whatever feels right really. Sorry I can't give exact measurements.

I guess that's a good reason to only allow water in a classroom area - or one's own area, for that matter.

Hope you get the stains out. Hope the other classmate at least apologized to you.

A dry cleaner that specializes in drapes and linens can almost always get the coffee stain out. I have taken all kinds of things to a specialty cleaner. Tennis shoes, thread crochet items, stuffed animals and even a lamp shade. One thing I learned when something like this has happened. It's only fabric. A guild member by accident, cut off a big chunk of a quilt top I just finished sewing together. She was beside herself and was crying. I told her I was stunned but not angry, but if she hadn't been upset about it then I would have been upset. She punished herself by feeling so bad and that made me feel bad. We ended up in a laughing fit over it by the class end.

That's what I think too. In my own area, I use that rule when I have anyone else's items.

Just wanted to add she sent me a beautiful basket of fat quarters a few weeks later. Quilters make the best friends!

BellaBoo, that was very sweet of her. You know she felt really bad now.

Silly question: does the design lend itself to coffee die (like tea die)?

That's not a silly question...some quilt blocks could be "enhanceed" by that, depending on their design and fabric. It could be the last ditch effort to still use them if none of the stain removal works. Nothing to lose by trying at that point!

Interesting idea madquilter. I wouldn't have ever thought of that, but it could be an answer.

thank you all for all your suggestions. i have been away from home most of the day. i'm going to try vinegar and baking soda now. will let you know how it come go.

tea

I swear by vinegar and baking soda....I never measure, I just kinda go by the size of the stain and the type. Also depending on same for the length of time I soak it for. I have left some really soiled things for up to 3 days and it has never failed! It is also very inexpensive and ecologically friendly too.

I don't measure either, just wanted to give her something to go by being it is her first time. It got my stains out. And you're right, so inexpensive.

I use Biz on all of my stains and I live in red mud country. I do soak them overnight. You might test on a small corner but I have not had any problems
Good luck!

Let it set in the Oxyclean overnight....I have done this many times to even fine linen tablecloths. Remember to use hot water when you mix it...it improves the effect of the stain removal. Good luck!!

I have had the best luck getting stains out with Dawn dish soap.

I have not seen Awesome where do you get it?

I buy Awesome from the Dollar Tree stores, I have seen it in other dollars stores, discount stores and such. I buy 2 or 3 bottles at a time and I spray stains before the clothes go into the hamper...when my grands are around I go through a lot of it LOL I have used it on all types of fabrics and so far it has worked on them all. It doesn't hurt if it stays on the fabric for a week or so either... sometimes it takes me a week or so to get to the laundry mat. :wink:
Regular Dawn dish soap is what I use on oil or grease stains...I put a few drops on the stain, rub it in well and throw it in the hamper too :wink:

Try Borax 20 Mule Team Laundry Powder. Make a paste with water and apply directly on fabric. Let it set overnight and rinse. A pitcher of ice tea got spilled on a brand new off white capris and all of it came out with that mixture. That Awesome stuff is very good but I would be careful with fabric. Hope it comes out.

.


Stretch the stained area over a bowl and secure with a rubber band.
Pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 2 to 3 feet. Stand back to avoid splatters


I think boiling water might set the coffee stain

hi everyone,

i soaked my blocks in vinegar and baking soda overnite. the stain is very stubborn and doesn't want to come out. between the oxyclean and vinegar mixture, my blocks has shrunk by a 1/2 in. so the 5 remainder block may not be completed and another ufo will set until i can decide whether or not to ever complete it. i thank everyone for their suggestions and support.

tea
"now devastated and an trying to move on to a new project. "

I feel so badly for you. Should we get a posse together and come steal the other ladies blocks for you?

Since all else has failed, try tea dying them to a uniform color and turn them into funky potholders. Maybe you could try out a new quilting technique on them.

If you can find a product called "Gal Friday" it will take that stain out. It takes out everything from grease to blood to grass stains and doesn't hurt the fabric.

no i don't think that would be good ;-). but you made me laugh. thanks for that and the suggest for making potholders.

tea

never heard of gal friday. where do you buy it

I buy it at the grocery store. It is in with the cleaners. Pink and white bottle.

I wouldn't give up on it quite yet :wink: If it has only shrunk 1/2" you could rewet it and block it and get it back to the needed size... Sharon Schamber has an excellent video of doing this on her website 8)

I use oxyclean all the time. As a matter of fact, I just used it tonight on a top I spilled coffee on. I usually let it set overnight. If it is an old stain, I let it set longer, changing the water and oxyclean.

Don't be too hard on the poor lady who did the spilling. I vote for "spilling" coffee on the rest of the blocks and move on. Life is too short.

If the stain won't come out I would throw all of the blocks and any of the fabric pieces/scraps into a big bowl of coffee. All would shrink the same and be the same color.

i have given that a thought. thanks. i'm putting is aside for now and work on something for the holidays.

tea

I know this is kinda late - very busy last week. BUT, I had a full glass of strong tea spilled on my cream colored tablecloth and everyone had just filled their plates, so couldn't snatch the cloth off the table. Needless to say, it was quite a huge stain and I got it out with Biz. I tried several other things, but finally made a paste and let it sit overnight. I think the stain is almost totally out - haven't ironed it yet to be sure.

use simple green . It will remove almost any stain