SpotZeroEmergency Stain Triage
New stain

Make-up & lipstickon stone & wood surfaces

Water
Lukewarm water (30–40°C)
Urgency
Act within the hour
Fibre care
No acids on stone, no standing water on wood

Phase 1: Immediate first aid

Use what you have right now. Nothing to buy.

  1. Blot & isolate

    Lift off excess product with the edge of a card or a dry cotton pad. Don't wipe — it smears the pigment. On stone or wood: wipe up fast — porous surfaces wick stains in quickly.

  2. Pantry pre-treatment

    You need

    30 ml Bicarbonate of Soda (Bicarb)+15 ml cold water

    Bicarbonate of Soda (Bicarb): Not baking powder — that has added acid and starch.

    Called something else where you are?
    Bicarbonate of Soda (Bicarb)
    🇺🇸 🇨🇦Baking Soda
    🇬🇧 🇦🇺 🇳🇿Bicarbonate of Soda (Bicarb)
    🇩🇪Natron
    🇫🇷Bicarbonate de soude
    🇪🇸Bicarbonato de sodio

    Method

    Mix to a peanut-butter paste, spread 5 mm thick over the stain, cover with cling film and leave 24 hours. Lift off with a plastic card. Stone only — on wood, skip this and just dry the area.

  3. Final flush & wash

    Wipe clean with a cloth dampened in lukewarm water, rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly. On wood, never leave water standing.

Phase 2: Deep restoration

If a faint shadow remains after the initial rinse, or for fabrics that cannot tolerate water agitation:

Residual ghost-ring or dry-clean-only fibre?

Normal washing often won't shift the last trace of a set-in stain. Treat it with a targeted spotter before it goes anywhere near tumble-dryer heat — heat locks in whatever is left.

Professional grade

AlbaChem Dry Spotter

Solvent-based spotter for grease, oil, wax, make-up and ink. Works without water, so it suits fabrics that can’t be wet-cleaned.

Apply a few drops with a cotton bud, tamp gently, then flush as the label directs. Patch-test first.

Easy to find 🇬🇧
  • Dr. Beckmann Stain Devils
  • Vanish Oxi Action

Pick the formula labelled for this stain type — the range is split by stain.

Build your laundry first-aid kit

Top 3 essential spotters for next time — one for each stain family.

  1. AlbaChem Dry Spotter
    Grease, oil, wax, make-up, ink
  2. Alba-Pro
    Blood, urine, grass, chocolate
  3. Alba-Tan
    Wine, coffee, tea, tomato, curry

Always patch-test on a hidden area first. Never mix bleach, ammonia, vinegar or peroxide together. For valuables, see a professional cleaner.