Stain Removal Tips

Audra Lowe: It has happened to the best of us, you’re all dressed up looking fine, ready to hit the town and then the unforgivable accident happens. You stain your dress, your pants; your shirt whatever. Don’t panic! John is here. John Mahdessian of the Madame Paulette Organization is really going to show us how to get some toughest stains out there. Your nickname Johnny on the spot, I didn’t get to give to you, you gave it to me, right?

John Mahdessian: I think it was given to me over years.

Audra Lowe: Yes, I love it. Good to have you here

John Mahdessian: Coming to the rescue, thanks for having me

Audra Lowe: Okay, so we have a lot of stains to get out for a bit amount of time, so let’s get to it. First of all, wine and coffee.

John Mahdessian: Yeah, wine and coffee. They’re earth base stains and basically have the solution that has a little safety bleach.

Audra Lowe: You’re going to use color-safe detergent on this one also, water and safety bleach

John Mahdessian: That’s right

Audra Lowe: Okay

John Mahdessian: Basically, you can make your home solutions. You can have them pre-made. You just put them on the damp rag.

Audra Lowe: And we got a wedding dress here is as an example.

John Mahdessian: And you can just see as you see it.

Audra Lowe: Does this come out like that?

John Mahdessian: Yeah. I mean, as long as you work -- times is the most important factor. If you can address the stain as soon as it happens, it will be much easier to remove.

Audra Lowe: And I notice how you’re doing this. You’re kind of patting it.

John Mahdessian: Yeah, you tamp up and down. You do want to rub back and forth because the certain finishes on blouses like silk and satin that will chafe and possibly discolor it.

Audra Lowe: Look at that! It’s almost gone. I love it!

John Mahdessian: Look at that.

Audra Lowe: Okay, so within how many minutes would you say you got to attack this stain to get it out?

John Mahdessian: I could say it's all relevant. This stain has been on here for over an hour but I figure the sooner the better.

Audra Lowe: And it's coming out.

John Mahdessian: And there it goes.

Audra Lowe: Over to the right here, you’ve got a lipstick stain. This poor girl, whoever is getting married in this dress has had some drama. Lipstick stains, it looks like you got to use water, ammonia, peroxide and color-safe detergent.

John Mahdessian: That’s right.

Audra Lowe: Hopefully you have all those on your disposal when it spills, right?

John Mahdessian: You know what? We just happen to have the pre-mix formula right here.

Audra Lowe: Okay. So, we’re going to tackle this lipstick stain that’s also been on here for about an hour you’d say?

John Mahdessian: Yeah. Lipstick is a little tougher because it’s a grease stain. It has grease particles on it.

Audra Lowe: So, in this one, you’re able to rub that.

John Mahdessian: This one, you can tamp it up and down

Audra Lowe: Okay.

John Mahdessian: I have the damp rag. You always start of with the damp rag with cold water and then you add the solution to it.

Audra Lowe: And you also say don’t use nail polish remover which some people will do.

John Mahdessian: Well, because that would work excellent but sometimes blouses are made with acetate and if it has acetone in it, it will dissolve the blouse. So, it’s better to play safe.

Audra Lowe: Stain and then your blouse start disappearing. That’s not good.

John Mahdessian: Yeah, you like to remove the stains.

Audra Lowe: Okay. So, you’re in a fight in the bar? Blood, sweat stains; you got that on the dress too.

John Mahdessian: Yeah. We don’t have that here. We didn’t have any fresh blood.

Audra Lowe: You’re going to use water, ammonia, peroxide.

John Mahdessian: Yeah, just basically a little water with ammonia and peroxide will remove any type of blood just like you put peroxide on a cup.

Audra Lowe: Peroxide works for everything, doesn't it?

John Mahdessian: Well, it acts like bleach. It’s a bleaching agent and then you use basically with earth base stains like fruit juices, teas colors, you use basically anything with a little vinegar which is on the acidic side and with the use of detergent, anything from the body, milk, blood, perspiration would be a neutral detergent with little ammonia. Anything that’s oily like hair gel would actually be degrease, which would be like a liquid dishwashing detergent.

Audra Lowe: So, that’s if you get like pizza grease, sauces.

John Mahdessian: Pizza grease, you use something like that with water and that usually works well as well.

Audra Lowe: Okay. Now, ink stains, things from your marker, you have the pen inside your pocket and all of a sudden, it starts leaking all over the place. That seems like it’s the death of your shirt.

John Mahdessian: That, you may have to call me.

Audra Lowe: Okay.

John Mahdessian: That will be a tough one.

Audra Lowe: Okay. That’s going to be a tougher one, right?

John Mahdessian: Like the enemy tough because ink spreads also.

Audra Lowe: Now, that’s one of the most common stains too from the ball point pens that you guys see.

John Mahdessian: Yeah, that’s it is.

Audra Lowe: Okay, got it. Johnny, it’s good to have you here. We’re going to do it in break, so trust me. Keep it out, keep it out because I’ve got some stains for you and if you guys want to get more information on how to get the toughest stains out or if you want to buy the a Madame Paulette Stain Removable Kit, just log on to BetterTV.com and then click on the links.