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Tip Store: Cleaning: Stain Removal

​Goo and Sticky Stuff Remover

For ten years I've had the same small jar of crunchy peanut butter in my fridge door. It is old and tattered and everyone in my house knows it is not for eating, but instead for use as a universal sticky label and sticky goo remover. I just put a small amount (1/10 of a tsp or less) on the tip of a cloth or paper towel and rub it on the gluey bit left by stickers, price tags or other sticky stuff that won't come off. Sometimes it takes a bit of elbow grease, but I've never had a situation where the glue/goo doesn't come off. I've used it on jars to remove labels, books and gifts to remove price tags, DVD labels, and many other places where sticker or sticky residue remains. The jar of peanut butter cost me about $3 ten years ago and is only half used. Any brand of crunchy works.
​- Contributed by Rachael Oliphant, 10th April 2012

​Sticky Residue

I don't need eucalyptus oil to get off sticky residue from labels etc. I just use a cotton wool bud (available from e.g. Priceline, supermarkets, chemists) soaked in cooking oil that I have in the cupboard (bought from Supermarket) combined with 'elbow grease' and the residue will eventually come off. For larger areas you may need a couple of attempts, persevere and it will work.
​- Contributed by Evelin Vordermeier, 20th July 2010

​Lemon Power for Grease Cutting

Use lemons to cut through grease and soap scum. If you use lemons in your cooking, as salad dressing or even in your daily water intake. Use the left over lemon wedges to rub straight onto stubborn grease stains in the kitchen or on surfaces in the bathroom to remove soap scum. Then clean as normal and see how much easier it is. You are getting more value for money out of your initial lemon purchase, saving time scrubbing surfaces (time is money) You will have a clean and lemon fresh smelling kitchen and bathroom. Of course you save even more if you can purchase from a farm stand or local market, or of course grow your own lemons.
​- Contributed by Maria, Kingscliff, 10th June 2010

​How to Dissolve Superglue

A tube of superglue leaked on to the tablecloth and the tube, tablecloth and table were all stuck together. Nail polish remover to the rescue! A few drops around the tube loosened it and a few more on the tablecloth to remove it from the table without harm.
​- Contributed by Anne, Esk, 28th April 2010

​A Cheap and Reliable Cleaning Solutiond

I use all the stain cures, but the cheap bleach hasn't let me down yet. I have a very old pure marble ash tray and when I read all the exotic cleaners on the Internet I threw it in my bucket of bleach and water...no more ancient nicotine stains ! A friend told me he did the same with his Karate gear, after trying expensive cures..it did the job and no damage.
​- Contributed by Lilian, Ringwood, 1st October 2008

​A Milky Solution

Milk is a good removal agent for oily inks (such as ball-point pen ink or franking machine ink). Saturate the area well with milk (whole, not skim please; it's the fat content in the milk which loosens the stain) and rub until the stain softens. Then work a good lather of soap into the area to wash out the milk/ink solution and rinse well.
​- Contributed by Jude, Yass, 22nd September 2008

​Homebrand Stain Removal

I ran out of stain remover found that home brand (Woolies) toilet cleaner removes practically any stain you can put in front of it, not sure on all fabrics but fleece, cotton drill and denim have all survived so fat.
​- Contributed by Bronwyn, Kadina, November 7th 2006

​Safe Stain Remover

​Besides absorbing odours in refrigerators and freezers, bicarbonate soda makes a good scouring powder because of its mild abrasiveness. It removes light soil and stains on sinks, bench tops and stovetops. A paste of bicarb and water onto stained Tupperware type containers will miraculously remove the stain. Mixed with water it makes an all-around, light-duty cleaner.