The holidays are a time for family gatherings and fun, not worrying about stains on your lovely table linens. That’s why we created this handy stain removal guide to walk you through some of the most common stains you may encounter when cleaning up after your feast. Before doing anything, you should know exactly what type of fabric you are dealing with. Many antique linens or hand-embroidered items may require special care.

If all this still seems a little risky you can always bring your stained linens to Fashion Cleaners or our sister brand Omaha Lace Cleaners. We remove stains like these every day and have special equipment to ensure your linens hold their shape and color.

Table Linen Cleaning Tips

Candle Wax

Gently lift off the larger pieces.  Treat with a solvent-based stain removal product, after treating wash it in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

Wine Stain

Lightly touch with an absorbent towel to draw up the liquid or put paper towels under the spill.  Blotting can spread the stain.  After dinner: rinse in cool water; treat with a mild detergent and white vinegar.

Coffee

Treat it the same as wine.

Salad Oil

This is the worst because it can yellow with age if not removed.  Cover a big spill at the table with absorbent powder.  Shake off after supper.  Apply a mild detergent mixed with household ammonia, ASAP.  Wait 5-10 minutes and wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

Cranberry

Rinse with cool water and treat with a mild detergent and white vinegar before washing.

Time is of the Essence

It is always best to wash stained items or take them to your cleaner as soon as possible.  If your table linens are colored or have colored embroidery check for colorfastness before using the various stain removal products.  Any time a stain is not washed out before drying it can become more difficult to remove.