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1. Should you have such a spill on your sofa (or bedspread), first determine what kind of material you're dealing with. For most fabrics, you'll want to reach for a bottle of acetone—which you can buy in beauty supply stores or drugstores in the nail polish remover section. It's tougher on the polish than moisturizing, non-acetone removers. You'll want to use the non-acetone remover if you have an accident on a more delicate fabric, like acetate, which will be severely damaged by acetone. (It is incredibly unlikely, however, that you would have a couch upholstered in acetate.)
2. Always test the solution on an inconspicuous part of the fabric first, like, say, underneath the couch, to check for colorfastness and/or damage. When it seems like a go, rinse the tested area with clean water, then go to work on your stain.
3. Dab a little polish remover onto the stain with a rag or old towel, and place another old towel underneath the stained area, if possible. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area—acetone packs some serious fumes. When the stained area is saturated, begin scraping off the polish with a spoon or a plastic butter knife. When only a little is left, blot with the acetone-moistened towel or rag, gently and in one direction.
4.Once the polish is all gone, clean the fabric well, first with mild, soapy water, then with clean water, and let it air dry.
My mom's own triumph over a shimmery-pink-polish-stained pair of black jeans has become something of a family legend; you could have your own stain-removal legend soon enough.
What was your greatest stain-removal victory, and how did you achieve it?
Related links on Shine:
Boot camp for ugly winter feet
The low-down on toxic nail polishes
Tips for natural house cleaning
