How to Remove Old Wine Stains From a Pima Cotton Blouse
- 1). Test your blouse to make sure it is color-fast by first trying this cleaning method on an inconspicuous part of the garment. This can be done on an inside seam, or any other part of the blouse that is not visible when being worn. Skip this step if your garment is white.
- 2). Mix a few drops of dish-washing liquid with enough 3-percent hydrogen peroxide to soak the stained area. Gently rub this mixture into the stain using a soft toothbrush. Pima cotton has a high thread count and is tightly woven, so apply the cleaning mixture to both sides of the stain.
Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then machine wash as usual. Hang the blouse to dry in the sun, if possible. The sun can be a surprisingly effective bleaching agent. It is important to hang the blouse dry because a stained garment should not be put in the dryer until you are sure that the stain is gone. It is easier to see whether a stain remains remains on the blouse when it is dry. - 3). Treat the stain with an oxygen-based stain remover, such as Oxy-Clean, if the stain is still visible. These stain removers are marketed under a number of different brand labels, and work particularly well with organic stains like red wine. After treating with the stain remover, wash and hang dry.
- 4). Check to see if the stain remains. If the oxygen-based cleaner has not removed the stain, refer to the garment's laundry label to see whether the manufacturer warns against the use of bleach. If it is safe to bleach your blouse, soak it in cool water and bleach for about 15 minutes before machine washing. Hang to dry.
