1.

Water as a Stain Remover

Water can be used to remove stains and is generally refered to as a
"universal solvent" because of it's special properties of being a bent
polar molecule. This polarity makes water a great stain remover for
other polar molecules and ionic compounds.
Water is an inorganic substance (no carbon), so it can only be used to
dissolve other inorganic substances. With that said, water is extremely
useful in delivering detergents (also known as surfactants) to the
source of the stain, so is widel used in many applications of stain
removal.
2. Surfactants as a Stain Remover
Surfactants (detergents) are molecules that have one polar end and
one non-polar end. You can think of them like a magnet. They can
help to emulsify compounds that are not usually soluble in water. For
example, if you put oil in water, they tend to stay separated. If you put
oil, detergent, and water together and shake them up, then you get a
mixture. This is the power of a surfactant.
3. Phosphates as a Stain Remover
Phospahates are chemical compounds that have an ionic charge and
contain a phosphate.
One example of how a phosphate can help to remove stains is with
blood stains, which contain iron oxide. When you use iron phospate,

which is a colorless, you can remove a blood stain by a chemical

reaction called a displacement.
4. Acids and Bases as Stain Removers
Many soaps are bases, or basic, and can be used to remove stains
that are made with basic liquids and solids. Basics are also generally
polar, so they easily dissolve in water and can be used to remove
stains.
There are many acids that can be used to remove stains that are
created with an acidic liquid. For example, lemon juice is a common
stain remover.
In short, if you know the pH of the stain, then you can select the
appropriate acid or base with a similar pH level cleaner.
5. Enzymes as Stain Removers
There are many types of laundry detergents that use enzymes to help
fight stains. The way that enzymes work is as follows:
- The enzyme passes close to the stain agent
- The stain agent molecules latch onto an "active site" of the enzyme
- An enzyme/substrate complex is formed
- The enzyme breaks the stain agent molecule into smaller molecules
- The smaller molecules can be more easily dissolved and removed

Enzymes typically work well in warm water, so laundry detergents that

have directions that recommend using in warm water often utilize
enzymes.
6. Oxidizing Agents as Stain Removers
Oxidizing solutions like bleach are commonly employed to remove
stains. Hydrogen peroxide is another example of an oxidizing agent
that can remove stains.
Oxidizing agents work on stains by removing double bonds from a
chromophore (e.g., ink). Through a chemical reaction (redox reaction),
the double bonds become single bonds. Single bonds do not emit
color, so the end result is that it looks colorless.
That is why oxidizing agents used to remove stains like bleach and
hydrogen peroxide leave white spots on colored clothing, so be
careful.
7. Removing Stains with using Temperature
Temperature is important because is makes molecules "excited".
When stain molecules are excited, they can more easily be removed in
many cases because they are moving faster.
When the stain molecules and solution, or detergent molecules, are
moving faster, it makes the stain easier to remove and also,
simultaneously, more difficult to reattach.

However, too much heat can make some types of stains become
"fixed" or to "set", so be sure to use caution when using heat to
remove stains.
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