Most of us want our clothes to last a good, long time, especially those expensive pieces we purchase on occasion. But it is a fact of life that stains happen, and it is not always convenient for us to dash off to the nearest dry cleaner to have them removed. Besides, dry cleaning clothes can become costly. So is buying new clothes to replace the ones you think have been ruined by stains. You may be happy to learn, then, that you can remove many of the most common stains from clothes yourself. Curious? Check out the following laundry tips for stain removal.

On-The-Spot Removers

You are standing in line waiting to pay for your morning cappuccino when suddenly someone bumps into you and then ? yep, that's coffee spattered all over your new white blouse. There goes your lunch hour! You will have to rush off to a nearby store to buy another top, then to the nearest dry cleaner to have your blouse cleaned. Something similar has probably happened to your before, and you can count on it happening again at some point. What's the solution? Next time, carry a portable spot remover with you or keep one handy at the office. These remarkable quick-drying cleaners are designed to remove stains instantly, even from dry-cleanable fabrics (FULLER Super Spot Remover). Just spray and blot with a clean cloth, and the stain is gone.

Stain Sticks

Tough laundry stains such as blood, grass, and grease are notorious for being difficult, if not impossible, to remove. There is still no getting around pre-treating stains of this nature prior to laundering. But before you start up your washer, set it for a hot water wash and rinse, and use up electricity to clean a single pair of grass-stained pants, consider using a stain stick as a pre-laundry treatment (FULLER Pre-Laundry Stain Stick). These easy-to-use twist-up and twist-down pre-treatments are solid sticks of dynamite that blast stains with protein-active enzymes to break down and prevent tough stains from setting into the fabric. The beauty of these stain sticks is that you can rub them onto the stain and wait up to a week before washing it with a regular load of laundry. Ingenious!

Other Laundry Stain Removal Suggestions

Conventional liquid stain pre-treatments are still recommended for really tough, ground-in stains. Again, enzymes are the key active ingredients here, but combined with the cleaning power of citrus solvents (FULLER Pre-Laundry Stain Remover), these stains don't stand a chance. To gain the full benefit of these powerful pre-treatments, the stain must be saturated completely while working the treatment into the fabric. Throw in with your regular wash.

Quality clothing these days is expensive, and finding a stain on one of our prized pieces is frustrating. Don't throw away your favorite blouse because you think a stain has ruined it forever. Following these helpful tips can prolong the life of your clothes, not to mention lower your dry-cleaner bill. In fact, you just may save enough money to have a croissant with your morning cappuccino.