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            Engine oil:
          
        
        
          Removing an oil stain can often
        
        
          take longer than a complete oil change. Place
        
        
          a clean, absorbent pad under the stain. First
        
        
          treat the stain with alcohol, and then with
        
        
          turpentine. Allow it to soak in thoroughly, and
        
        
          then dab gently with a clean paint brush.
        
        
          Repeat until no more oil shows on the pad.
        
        
          Then pour a little liquid detergent onto the
        
        
          stain and brush carefully. Rinse thoroughly,
        
        
          then wash in the washing machine using
        
        
          powder detergent. For stubborn stains,
        
        
          repeat the procedure.
        
        
          
            Tip:
          
        
        
          Miele washing machines with the
        
        
          “Stains” option know what this stain is and
        
        
          will get rid of it for you!
        
        
          
            Fat and grease:
          
        
        
          Most fats and grease spots
        
        
          can be removed using washing up liquid
        
        
          or warm soapy water before being washed
        
        
          in the washing machine. It is advisable
        
        
          to use liquid detergent, which contains
        
        
          more surfactants than powder, making it
        
        
          more effective at removing fat. A more old-
        
        
          fashioned remedy is potato flour, which
        
        
          absorbs the fat so the stain can then be
        
        
          brushed off.
        
        
          If the stain is still visible, use soda crystals or
        
        
          a paste of detergent, and then wash at the
        
        
          hottest temperature possible for the fabric.
        
        
          Alcohol, liquid detergent and proprietary stain
        
        
          removers, including aerosol stain removers
        
        
          containing benzene are also effective against
        
        
          fat stains. After treating the stain, machine
        
        
          wash using a liquid detergent. Stains on silk
        
        
          ties can be treated by applying a little talcum
        
        
          powder with the tip of a knife to the spot and
        
        
          leaving it to absorb the fat, before removing it
        
        
          carefully with a piece of cotton wool.
        
        
          
            Tip:
          
        
        
          Miele washing machines with the
        
        
          “Stains” option know what this stain is and
        
        
          will get rid of it for you!
        
        
          Butter
        
        
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          Mayonnaise
        
        
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            Felt tip pen:
          
        
        
          Like ballpoint pens, marks
        
        
          made by a felt tip pen are hard to eradicate
        
        
          as the colour is absorbed deep into the
        
        
          fabric. It may help to dab the stain several
        
        
          times with alcohol, turpentine or glycerine
        
        
          before washing.
        
        
          Ballpoint pen
        
        
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          Ink
        
        
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