How to Get Rid of Candle Wax Stains

Candle wax accidentally dripped from a lighted candle can make bright, ugly marks on clothes and carpets. Because wax is impervious to water, you’ll soon discover that your usual soaps and cleaners have no effect on it. What does work on wax is heat. In order to get it off of your jeans or tablecloth, you’ll need to re-melt it while giving it something else to adhere to. To do this, all you’ll need is an iron and some paper. Coarse paper works the best, with brown paper bags being the most effective. If you can’t get them, old newspaper or paper towels will do the trick. This method works for carpets too.

1. Begin by scraping off as much extra wax as you can. Use a dull sided knife or a spoon that won’t damage the fabric. Brush or vacuum up the extra bits.
2. Place your paper on top of the stain. In the case of paper towels, make it two or three.
3. Turn your iron onto the low delicate setting, without steam. You need it to be hot enough to melt the wax through the paper, but not hot enough to burn anything. Press down gently.
4. As you see the wax beginning to transfer to the paper, keep moving it a fresh spot. It can take a while to get all the wax up. Carpets are particularly difficult, as the wax tends to be stuck down into between the fibers. Try brushing it back and forth in different directions until you’ve been able to tackle it from every angle.
5. Once you’re no longer getting and wax up, if there’s any residue then hit it with a spot cleaner and scrub softly.

This method can be time consuming but if done properly should effectively remove any wax from your carpets, clothes or other fabrics.

How to Get Rid of BBQ Stains

Somewhere in the world it’s barbecue time, even more so today when fast food outlets serve BBQ wraps. So what happens when that lovely juicy sauce leaks out and before you know it, you have it all down your clothes? In this article we will give you some tips in getting the stain out so that your favorite item of clothing stays exactly that – your favorite. We will also provide advice on how to remove the stain from your rug or shag pile further on in the article.

Removing BBQ Stain from Clothes

The first thing you need to remember is that a wet stain is an easier stain to remove. In order to get the sauce out of your shirt, dress or trousers if you can, keep it wet. A dry stain is a tough stain. Needless to say check the cleaning instructions on your garments to make sure none of our advice is contrary to these. If they are, then skip that step.

1. Assuming you have kept it wet, blot the stain with kitchen towel or tissues. DO NOT rub it or apply pressure. Let the sauce soak in to the paper, until you have absorbed as much as possible. In the event the sauce has dried try and remove any excess using the blunt edge of a knife or something similar.
2. Run the material under a cold tap from BEHIND the stain at as high a pressure as possible in order to push the sauce to the surface.
3. Put on some detergent (liquid if available) so that it covers stain, then gently fold the stain on itself and rub gently. Leave to stand for a few minutes and then rinse again under the cold tap. If this is working repeat the process until the stain has been eradicated.
4. You can buy a proprietary stain remover from your local store. These come in all shapes and sizes such as roll-on stick,, spray, liquid with brush or sponge etc. whichever you choose make sure you read the instruction on use and follow these carefully. You could, if your article of clothing permits use a bleach product and soak it either in a bowl or in your machine. Hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and lemon juice make an alternative to bleach but be very careful if using this method. If your clothing says no bleach (a triangle with an ‘X’ ) do not use this method.

Whichever of the above you choose you need to wash the article after stain removal. Do this in the normal way using your usual detergent. If the stain has gone then dry it as you usually would. If it has not, then do not dry the article, but try again. If all this fails then take it to a dry cleaner and hope for the best.

Removing BBQ stains from Carpets

1. As with clothing the trick is to get to the stain as quickly as possible and keep it wet. Blot away at it with either, a clean sponge or paper towel, until it is dry, and then dampen again with water and a washing up liquid or detergent. Repeat the process over and over again as the stain gets lighter and lighter.
2. Baking soda and white vinegar will help if the stain persists. The vinegar will cause the soda to fizz and will help lift the stain. Then repeat the above.
3. If the stain has dried into the carpet then you will need to resort to the blunt knife again to scrape away any excess. If you have a deep pile try using a brush or comb (a dog comb is particularly good). Then vacuum your carpet in the usual way.
4. Next apply a carpet stain remover available from your local supermarket, again following the instructions very carefully.

If all the above fails then you will have to consider having the carpet cleaned professionally, or just buy a new carpet!

How to Get Rid of Armpit Stains

Nearly everyone is familiar with the yellowish stains that appear in the under-arm area of shirts, blouses and dresses, caused by sweating. The same often occurs around the collar area, especially on business shirts. People who sweat a lot particularly struggle with this, since it doesn’t look nice and can effect nearly all their clothes. Possible suggestions for lessoning this problem include switching to a deoderant rather than an anti-perspirant, or using scented power on the inside of your collars. You may also prevent stains after sweating by putting white vinegar on those areas right after you take the garment off.

1. Sometimes white fabric will turn yellow not from sweat, but because it’s been bleached too much. This is a reaction to the finish put on the fabric to make it look extremely white. Use Rit Color Remover to fix this problem, Rit Color Brightener if your clothes are yellowing due to age, and Rit White Wash for fabrics that aren’t appropriate for bleaching.
2.  Use the product called OxiClean, or pre-soak in a mixture of OxiClean, all-fabric bleach, and baking soda. OxiClean itself is safe for all kinds of fabrics and can be used on colored clothes as well as white. All-fabric bleach is not as strong as regular bleach, so it also can be used on colored fabrics.
3. Mix a half a cup of white vinegar and two teaspoons liquid detergent in two gallons of cold water water, and wash the shirt by hand. Alternately, try half a cup of powered dishwasher (not laundry) soap with half a cup of bleach. Scrub gently if necessary.
4. Make a paste of baking soda and let it sit for about twenty minutes before washing. A more unusal variety of paste is one made of crushed asprin in a little water. Coat the stained areas and let the paste should sit overnight. Repeat if needed and scrub with a soft-bristled brush. Once the stain is gone, wash the garment as usual.
5. Some treatments may surprise you. For instance, you can try rubbing a stick of chalk on the damp stain, something you can even do on colored garments with colored chalk. Some people say that clear mouthwash sprayed on and allowed to sit before washing will do the trick, while other advocate the use of paint remover. Take your garment outside, spray on the paint remover, and leave it for up to an hour. Spray on some more, scrub softly with and old toothbrush on both sides of the cloth, and rinse with warm water. Launder normally.

With so many choices, you should be able to find something that works well for you and your clothes. As always, check the care labels on your clothes and if you’re in doubt about something harming it, try it first on a small, inconspicious area. The sooner you deal with the stain, the easier it will be to remove. If all else fails, take your clothes to your dry cleaner and let them take care of it.

How to Get Rid of Lipstick Stains

Lipstick on your shirt is a faux pas for sure, but it can happen pretty easily. All it takes is a hug from someone wearing lipstick to end up with a smudge on your shirt or your collar. Accidents can happen while applying makeup too. If you do the wrong thing (such as washing it regularly then drying it) you could make that smudge a permanent part of the garment. If you treat it correctly, however, you should be able to remove it without difficulty.

1. Check your garment’s label for care instructions. Sometimes the safest thing is to take it to the dry cleaners rather than risk ruining the whole thing. If you do decide to dry clean, don’t do anything to the stain at all, such as put a stain treatment on it. If you’re not sure how the chemicals that are mentioned below will affect the fabric, try it on a bit that won’t be seen (such as the shirt tail that gets tucked in) first.
2. Lipstick is wax and oil based, which makes cleaning it different from something like coffee or grass stains. For lipstick, start with a little bit of rubbing alcohol, wetting a cloth and dabbing gently. Don’t rub it or you may end up spreading it around or rubbing it into the cloth.
3. Rub a small amount of dishwashing soap onto the stain using a cue tip or your finger. Put it under cold running water, lipstick side down. Repeat again, and keep at it until no more lipstick comes off.
4. Clorox makes a product called Lestoil. Look for it in the cleaning aisle of a grocery or all-purpose store. In this case all you have to do is soak the stains with it, let it sit for a quarter of an hour, and then wash the garment on its regular wash cycle.
5. Sometimes you may get a lipstick stain on your shirt because you put it on over your head after applying makeup. To keep this from happening again, cover your head with some kind of slippery fabric—silk, nylon, et cetera—before you pull your clothes on.
6. If applying makeup with your clothes already on, tuck a small towel around your collar or neck. This will keep you from getting makeup stains of any sort on your clothes during application.

Remember that dry cleaning is always a last option and sometimes the best first option. As always, avoid drying or ironing the garment before you’ve treated the stain, or it may never come out. Handle it carefully to be sure you don’t end up spreading the stain further, which overly zealous rubbing can do. A very last resort is to get the garment died a darker color to disguise the stain, but that really shouldn’t be necessary if you treat the original lipstick smudge properly and in a timely manner. No matter how disastrous you think that stain on your expensive blouse is, there is something you can do to save it.

How to Get Rid of Chocolate Stains

How many times has it happened to you or one of yours. You are tucking into a bar of chocolate, or an eclair, and when you look down there it is, a chocolate stain on your shirt/dress or whatever. Don’t worry it happens to all of us at some time or another. Here are a few steps you can take to restore your clothing to its former self.

Remedy for Removing a Chocolate Stain from Clothing:

1.  Firstly check the care label to make sure none of our tips will do any damage, if they will then skip that particular step.
2. Now you need to allow the stain to dry. You could pop it into the refrigerator to let it harden. When it has, try scraping off the excess chocolate with the blunt side of a knife.
3. Turn the garment inside out, and run the hot tap at as high a pressure as possible so that you are pushing the stain out of the material. (DO check the care label in case hot water damages the material).
4. You should now be looking at a smaller fainter blemish. Douse this with either washing up liquid or detergent and soak for ten minutes or so.
5. Fold the material in on itself and gently rub the two folds together to agitate the soap until the stain as disappeared. Rinse the soap off thoroughly using hot water.
6. In the unlikely event the above has not worked, or you spilt more choccie than was good for you. Put the item in your washer with a gallon of whole milk. Leave to soak for thirty minutes and then run the machine on your normal cycle.

If after everything there are any grease stains left, run the wash cycle again to remove any residue.

Removing a Chocolate Stain from Carpets or Furniture

Unlike the above your sofa and rug probably will not fit in your fridge, so lets approach it from a different angle.

1. As always we leave the stain to dry before trying to remove any excess chocolate with the blunt side of a knife. Vacuum up any particles you have dislodged.
2. Heat your iron to a low setting (usually 1 will suffice), place a sheet of paper towel over the stain and then place the iron on top, so that the chocolate begins to melt and soak into the paper.
3. Continue this process, replacing the paper towel regularly, so you do not re-iron the chocolate into the garment. Be careful not to have the iron too hot.
4. Finally spot treat the area with either a proprietary carpet cleaner, or liquid detergent, and blot dry.

Chocolate is a guilty pleasure the majority of us enjoy, but its better in your mouth than down your front, well when you are dressed it is!

How to Get Rid of Blood Stains

Have you ever cut yourself, on a very sharp knife or even paper, without knowing it? When you look down you have got blood on your shirt, blouse or dress. With immediate action you may be able to get rid of it. The thing about blood is, it is meant to go sticky and set (coagulate), if it didn’t you would just keep bleeding..

Removing Blood Stains from Clothing:

As with many stains, and blood in particular, you need to try and blot the stain away while it is still damp. Note, do NOT use hydrogen peroxide or bleach unless your garment is white and the washing label permits it. If it is white, then this should remove the blemish.

1. Using a paper towel or clean sponge dab the blood so it soaks into the paper/sponge. Do not rub it. You could add a little washing up liquid or hydrogen peroxide (see warning above).

If the garment is dry clean only, then you should now take it to the dry cleaners without taking any further action.

In the case of machine or hand wash only item you can carry on with the following per-treatments, until the stain has gone.

2. If your garment is not made of wool, linen or silk, try a mixture of ammonia and water, (window cleaner contains this combination).
3. Gentle rubbing with moistened lava soap will lift the stain.
4. If you have neither of the above try spit on the stain. Our own spittle contains the enzymes that break down the protein in the blood.

Hand wash items should now be washed in mild laundry detergent in a bowl or sink. Machine washable clothes require a cold or lowest heat setting for the first cycle. Use your usual detergent and add a stain remover such as Oxy, if you have it.

In both cases do not heat dry the garment until the stain has gone, as this will bake the blood. Repeat the above steps and wash again until the stain has completely disappeared.

Removing Blood from Carpets or Furniture:

As with clothes, avoid using bleach or hydrogen peroxide unless your carpet or fabric permits. This is highly unlikely unless they are pure white.

Follow the following steps to remove the stain:

1. Using a clean sponge or paper towel dab the stain to remove any excess blood. Do not rub at it.\
2. Put some mild liquid detergent (washing up or laundry) on the stain and using a small brush work for the outside inward scrubbing gently.
3. Blot again with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
4. \Using a little ammonia, window cleaner, or spittle, let it stand for a few minutes.
5. Blot again with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
6. Repeat the whole process from step 2. Again
7. Finally blot dry and hopefully the stain will have gone.

If there is excessive blood at the beginning of either process, try putting salt or a biological enzyme on it. This can soak up the excess, and you can then proceed as above. Remember at no time should you rub the stain as it will only push it further into the fabric.

How to Get Rid of a Family Doctor

Your Family Doctor

The family doctor is a crucial role, being responsible for the treatment of the people you care most about in this world; your family.

It is possible that you may have a family doctor who gives the wrong diagnosis or treatments on more than one occasion. Your family doctor may not have listened to you properly or may be over charging. Your family doctor may have committed worse acts by causing harm to you or your family through incompetence, misdiagnosis or faulty treatment methods.

For this and other cases you may have a genuine case for and need to get rid of your family doctor.
If you have a family doctor who is not providing the service you desire then there are a number of ways you can get rid of him or her, depending upon the severity of the case. The question you must ask before choosing which of the methods to choose below is whether or not you and your doctor just have a difference of opinion or if it is a case of serious malpractice.

How to Get Rid of a Family Doctor

• File a Complaint to the State Medical Board – this is for cases of malpractice or a doctor causing harm to his or her patients. The case will be thoroughly looked into and the doctor interrogated and the procedure reviewed. Make sure your doctor really committed a form of malpractice, or you may end up in a costly and losing legal battle. You can consult with other doctors to see if they think you have a genuine case.
• Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer – for more serious cases for example irreversible damage or something life threatening, then contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer. They will examine your case and present options about what to do.
• Create a Bad Write Up Online – If your doctor has done something that you think proves that other people should not use your doctor too, then you can write up on the internet through email, social networking sites, blogs and other online venues what your doctor has done. This could prevent him or her getting future patients and force the closure of the clinic.
• Send a letter to the papers – Your local newspaper or magazine may agree to publish your story especially if it feels your doctor’s actions could affect its local readership.
• Go to a new doctor – if it is a case of personality or disagreement then you do not have to use the same doctor but nor do you have to try to ruin his or her career either. Simply let it slide and go elsewhere.

When deciding remember that the course of action you choose should reflect the severity or potential severity of what you think the doctor is guilty of. Consult online or with other doctors or see if you can get a free consultation with a solicitor before deciding.

How to Get Rid of Warts

Causes of Warts

A single type of virus is the cause of warts, though there are many different strains that result in different forms of warts. The virus lives in the skin and is fed by blood vessels that keep it healthy and strong. Due to the fact that the wart is attached to the capillaries and is actually embedded in the skin, wart removal can sometimes be a fairly painful process.

Warts can spread through contact with an infected area, this can either be direct contact, or through contact with cells that have been shed from infected skin.

Types of Warts

There are several different kinds of wart that all vary in size, shape and appearance.
Plantar’s Wart – A common type of wart which is found growing on the side or base of the foot. They are generally flat and can be quite painful due to the location and the fact that pressure from the entire weight of the body is put on them.

Flat Wart – These small smooth warts are oval or round in shape and are grouped in large numbers of between 20-100 at one time and are found anywhere on the body.

Genital Warts – These are tiny soft flesh coloured lumps which may grow in clumps and resemble a cauliflower. They are found on the genitals, anus or mouth and are spread through contact between these areas.

Wart Treatments

• Over-the-Counter Wart Cures- There are several different varieties of products that you can buy to speed up the process of getting rid of warts. They are generally designed to either freeze or burn the wart off and destroy the cells which carry the virus.
• Home Remedies for Warts
• Duct tape – You can cut a piece of duct tape which can be placed over your wart. After six days you can remove the tape and soak your wart. File down the dead skin around the wart and repeat the process till the wart has gone. It is said that because this causes irritation in the area, the body starts to fight the virus.
• Garlic – Rub garlic onto the wart and cover with a bandage, apply fresh each day.
• Banana or Lemon Peel – Tape a piece onto the wart. The chemicals and oils are said to help repel and heal warts.
• Basil – Tape crushed basil leaves to the wart and the virus killing compound in the basil can work to combat the problem..
• Vinegar – Tape a cotton ball soaked in vinegar to the wart every one or two hours daily.
• Castor Oil – Rubbing castor oil on the wart will help to keep the area moist and causes the rough skin around the wart to relax and come apart.
• Surgical Method of Wart Removal –If none of these methods have worked and you are still looking for a solution on how to get rid of your warts, surgery is always a last option. There are a few different types of surgical procedure that a doctor can use to remove warts including:
• Cryosurgery
• Electrocautery
• Lasers
• Surgical Excision

How to Get Rid of Sunburn

Everyone loves to sit and relax on the beach and soak up the sun every now and again, but occasionally we can spend too long out there and end up with some painful sunburn. Here we will give you some helpful tips about how you can treat and prevent cases of sunburn.

What is Sunburn and how can you prevent it?

This condition is literally what the name says; it is a burn to the skin where there has been prolonged overexposure to UV rays from the sun. The most basic way to prevent sunburn is simply to limit your time spent in the sun. You should always apply high-SPF sun cream before lying out in the sun and make sure you try and have lots of time in the shade and don’t overexpose your skin to the naked sunlight.

As well as limiting your time spent in direct sunlight and applying a good SPF sun cream regularly, you should also try to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes in the light and a hat to keep your face shaded.

When you come inside after being out in the sun, you should apply a good skin moisturiser or after sun cream which will help to sooth the skin and keep it supple. Creams containing cocoa butter are said to be very good at preserving your tan and keeping the skin moisturized. You can also use a good exfoliating wash or wash down with a loofah in the shower so that you remove any dead skin or skin that may be peeling from sun exposure.

Sunburn Relief Remedies

Once you have gotten sunburn, the only thing you can do is to manage the pain and keep the skin moisturized until it has healed. There are many ways in which you can get rid of the symptoms of sunburn and ease the pain that it is causing you. While you are treating a case of sunburn it is important to stay out of the sun so as not to further cause any trauma to the skin.

• Topical Sunburn Remedies – Any cream or lotion that keeps the area of sunburn moisturizes and healthy is a great help in easing the pain and promoting the healing process. Although this is often the best method of treatment, if you have sun burn that has begun to blister then you should not put any lotions or creams onto the area. In this case, it can cause infection in the area and you need to make sure the area stays clean and as dry as possible till the blisters heal over. Here are some topical sunburn remedies that you can purchase or make at home to help ease the pain of the condition.
• Lidocaine – Any cream or product that contains this ingredient will help to dull the pain as it is an anaesthetic.
• Plain Yoghurt –Applied topically, this can offer a great sense of cool relief to the area of sunburn.
• Cold Milk – A washcloth that has been soaked in milk can be dabbed to the area to promote comfort.
• Skin Friendly Ingredients – If you are looking for products in the shops, some of the ingredients that are especially beneficial to the skin and should be looked out for are aloe vera, vitamin E, tea, lavender oil and cocoa butter.
• White or Apple Cider Vinegar – This is a great remedy for promoting healing and soothing the pain. It also helps to prevent blistering and peeling. Apply using aa damp wash cloth or add some to the bath water for a soak.

How to Get Rid of Scabies

What are Scabies?

Scabies, also known as itch mites are tiny mites which burrow into the skin of different hosts. This can happen to cats, dogs and many other animals, including humans. A human can generally only get scabies from another human and do not get the same kind of mites as animals.

What are the Symptoms of Scabies?

It can take up to 6 weeks before you see any of the symptoms of scabies appearing on your body. During this time, you will be infectious and can pass on the condition to other people. Symptoms come in the form of rashes which appear as itchy blister like spots. There is another form of scabies which does not cause itching on the skin, this is rarer and is called Norwegian Scabies.

Cortisone cream can mask symptoms of itchiness and is generally not recommended for use in fighting scabies. It is also said to inhibit the body’s immune system from fighting the infection.
Identifying Scabies

To gain a proper diagnosis of your treatment you need to make sure you see a doctor and have a professional check over your body. They can also discuss possible treatment options with you and help you determine the best method of scabies treatment to help you get rid of the condition.

Once you have determined that you are suffering from a scabies infestation then you will need to make sure that you contact all the people that you regularly come into contact with and prepare them to look out for any of the symptoms that may appear on their own bodies and what they should do if they notice anything. You should also avoid sharing a bed or partaking in intercourse with anyone until you are cured of all infestation.

Getting Rid of Scabies

The most common method of getting rid of scabies is through the use of different topical creams. These should contain either sulphur or permathrin, substances which are lethal to scabies and relatively harmless to humans. In the past there have been products that contain lindane, again this is lethal to scabies but is also toxic to humans and should be avoided in all products.

•  Sulfur Scabies Treatments – These are generally available over the counter in pharmacies and are available in different concentrations. You can use 10% solution for adults, though no more than 2.5% should be used for infants. Follow the directions on the package and you should be able to see results in less than a week of daily usage.
• Permathrin Scabies Treatment –This product can be bought over the counter and contains mitacide. This substance is slightly more toxic than sulphur and you can generally see some results after only 1 or 2 usages. It is not advised to use this treatment on infants unless you have consulted a doctor and they have specifically prescribed this method. Always follow the specific instructions on the packaging in order to make sure you are using it correctly and consult a doctor if there is no change in the symptoms.

Next Page »