Handling Spills While Dining Out

It has happened to all of us.  You’re out for a lovely evening and you spill something down the front of your shirt, blouse, dress, what have you, and instinctively, you try some club soda or water, take a napkin, and try to rub it out.  But wait – we have some advice; here’s what Shores recommends:

1. Take a moment before instantly reacting.  Damage occurs when there’s a hasty reaction.
2. Never rub a stain.  Rubbing a stain can push it deeper into the fabric making it more difficult to remove, and it can also cause the stain to spread.  Instead, gently blot the area with a clean, dry, white cloth to absorb the spill.
3. Never add water or liquid.  There’s a whole host of reasons why this is a bad idea.  For example, if your garment is silk, then anything you use on it to try and remove the spill will likely leave a ring.  If the spill is oily, then adding water could cause the stain to set.  If the stain is water-based, putting more liquid on it could cause it to spread.
4. Handling the stain at home.  If you choose to go that route, we recommend checking the care label first to see if the garment is machine washable.  If it is, then before washing, place a dry white towel behind the stain and wet another white towel with cold water and add some mild detergent.  Delicately dab the stain, use a damp cloth to blot, and allow the area to dry.  You could also try spraying the area with a pre-treating product, allow the product to sit for 15 minutes, then launder according to the care label’s directions.  Be sure to check to see if the stain is removed before placing the garment in the dryer.  Otherwise, the heat from the dryer could cause the stain to become permanent.
5. Leave it to a professional. If you are unsuccessful in removing the stain at home, we recommend taking it to a professional.  Too many attempts could lead to permanent damage.  If the garment is silk, wool, has a dry clean only or professionally wet clean only care label, then we recommend taking the garment to a professional.  Any attempts at home could lead to permanent damage.  Just be sure to point out the stain and share any removal attempts at drop off.

We realize that finishing your dinner with a dribble down the front of your garment is less than ideal, but by waiting and following these recommendations, it is likely that you’ll get to enjoy wearing that garment again down the road.  Remember, Shores is always here for your garment care needs.  Please feel free to contact us or stop by one of our locations if you need help.