Stain-Fighting Solutions For The Holidays

As anyone who does the laundry can attest, stubborn stains are no fun to tackle. With the holiday entertaining season upon us, the number of stains battled in the laundry room rises. Whether its yellowing linens, or the spots from that Bolognese or hot fudge sauce, these stubborn stains fear some people into refraining from indulging in holiday treats all together.

This year, though, will be different. We asked Lindsey Wieber Boyd and Gwen Whiting of The Laundress to share some of their stain-fighting secrets (and a holiday gift for you—read on to find out more!), no matter the substance, so you don't have to let fears of inconquerable stains hold you back from indulging this year... —Allison Beck

What do do when your guest spills red wine on the table?

1. Once your table is cleared, take the tablecloth to your laundry room.

2. Apply our Stain Solution directly to the affected area.

3. Work the Solution into the fibers with our Stain Brush.

4. Pour hot water directly on the spot, preferably from a height where it can penetrate the fibers.

5. If the stain isn't completely gone, repeat until satisfied.

6. Launder as normal.

The kids are playing outside at the family holiday party, and Jane is bumped. She runs in with a bloody nose streaming down her new white party dress. How do I get the blood out?

Our Stain Solution again can come to the rescue! It's specially formulated to target and break down stubborn stains, and not just red wine or blood. It also tackles grass, chocolate, coffee/tea, grease, pit stains, and more.

When treating Jane's dress, follow the same steps as above, except that with blood stains, always use cold water, as hot water will "cook" blood or any substance that contains protein.

Also, it's important to remember that if you get something like chocolate on your delicates—say a silk blouse or cashmere sweater—use tepid water for soaking these fabrics, and to never let them sit for more than 30 minutes.

I forgot to launder last year's holiday clothing, and now they smell smoky and slightly mildewed. How do I get the odors out?

For an all-purpose stain and odor-remover, our Scented Vinegar is perfect. It effectively removes stubborn odors from your fabrics, no matter the source.

Pre-soak the affected piece with ¼ cup of the Scented Vinegar in a washing bucket or sink, then launder the piece as normal.

Over the summer, I found my grandmother's lace tablecloth in the attic, and want to set the table with it this year—but it's slightly yellowed over the years. Can I get the yellowing out, without using bleach?

Our All-Purpose Bleach Alternative is a gentle, yet effective, whitener and stain-fighter that will help remove any graying or yellowing from vintage or heirloom clothing or linens.

Pre-treat any stains on the fabrics with our Stain Solution, as above, then prepare a bucket or sink of hot water. Add 1/8 cup of our Bleach Alternative, and then the affected item, and let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Launder as usual, taking care with delicate fabrics.

As a holiday gift to you, The Daily Meal readers who shop online at The Laundress receive a 15% discount when you use the code dailymeal at checkout. But act quick–it's only good until November, 23rd!

Then, once your linens and clothes are clean, how about ironing that dress shirt... the right way?