Types of Stains

In principle, Stains are divided into two groups:

Water- soluble stains

Solvent-soluble stains

Soluble means “capable of being dissolved” and to dissolve means to break or to separate in component parts.

Water  helps break the cohesion of some stains while in others, solvents are needed to take them out.

It is not common to find concentrated stains. They are normally compounds, that is formed by distinct substances. Thus it is important to know the properties each of the substance since stain removal is taking out the different components of the substance of the satin.

A) Water-soluble stains

1- Stains which contain albumin

They come from vegetables and animals.

Examples of these are the following: blood, milk, milk cream, dairy products, eggs, mayonnaise, ice cream, food leftovers, soup, fish, meat sauce, choclate, cacao, sweat, vomit etc….

It is easier to remove recent stains. Albumin coagulates at 45º and the stain becomes permanent.

How to know water-soluble stains?

These types of stains leave a distinct mark/ outline and shine when one scratches it with one’s nails.

2- Stains which contain tannin

Tannin is a substance present in fruits, vegetable extracts (coffee, tea), grass, green nuts, coca-cola, tobacco, red wine, beer, perfume, medical creams etc…

Fresh stains of tannin are easily removed yet difficult to recognize.

Old stains of tannin require time to be removed. Once tannin comes in contact with the albumin of the natural fibres (wools or silk), a chemical reaction occurs and provokes a change in color (yellow-ochre) which makes it difficult to remove. 

Stains of tannin become permanent when one puts them in high temperature or mixes them with alkaline. These are actually the yellow-ochre stains which one finds in one’s clothes.

3- Stains which contain sugar

Simple sugar which is contained in many fruits (monosaccharine) reacts chemically with the albumin of the natural fibres. This reactions creates a yellow-ochre stain which is difficult to remove.