Boiling Water for Berry Stains

I had some dark red beverage spilled on our polyester tablecloth and didn't realize it until the next day when I was putting the table back to normal size and taking the tablecloth off.

It so happened I was talking to my friend who told me her granddaughter had thrown up blackberries all over her light colored dress, white shoes, and her mom's dress. My friend scraped off the berry seeds; boiled water and poured the boiling water over the 2 dresses and shoes. Presto! Stains completely gone.

I tried this on my tablecloth - same result! I also poured boiling water over the cloth napkins as some of them had food stains and lipstick on them and the stains came right out. I then took out a very old, delicate lace tablecloth which had some very old coffee and other miscellaneous stains on it. I had been reluctant to toss it but embarrassed to use because of the stains. Presto! After pouring boiling water over the stains, they disappeared!

I think this would work on grass stains, wine stains, or any type of stain. Coffee, tea and lipstick, and hubby's grease-stained clothes are the ones which I've fought with for years. I wish I had known about this when our daughter was a baby and then youth and stained so many beautiful clothes. Now that I know this trick, I'll be saving energy, time and money on stain removal products.

By Mary Feldhahn from Twin Cities, MN