Monday, 07/26/04

How do you get rid of berry, grape or fruit punch stains? Simple, says Carlene Johnson of Old Hickory. Once the kids are out of the clothes, she pours boiling hot water through the stain and they ''disappear like magic.''

Alcohol vs. ink

Isopropyl alcohol was the ink remover of choice when Elaine Meador's daughter discovered a pen and drew all over one of her church dresses. She put some of the alcohol on a cotton ball, rubbed it on the ink and removed the stain. Her mother-in-law later suggested using nail polish remover if there was some remaining stain.

All other stains

Heidi Davis of Hermitage suggests using baby wipes to remove almost any kind of stain off of anything, even tar on the carpet. She keeps a few in a plastic bag in the car for quick cleanup when needed. She also says Dawn liquid detergent can remove stains on clothes before you wash them.