“Can You Get This Stain Out?” (Probably. And Here’s How We Decide.)

One of the most common messages we get is:

“Hi Vicky, can you get this stain out?”
(Attaches photo of a stain that looks like it’s survived a small house fire.)

Let me take you behind the scenes on how we actually deal with stains - because it’s more chemistry lesson than magic trick.

Oil & grease stains (foundation, butter, that mysterious patch on your lapel)
→ These dissolve better in solvent cleaning - water just shrugs at them.

Protein stains (blood, sweat, milk)
→ We use special enzyme solutions. But here’s the rule: heat sets protein stains, so don’t chuck it in the wash and then panic.

Tannin stains (coffee, tea, wine)
→ These need gentle acidic solutions. It’s like coaxing the stain out rather than attacking it.

Mud & earth
→ Half water-based, half chaos. We brush, dry, treat in layers. Wet cleaning is brilliant for this.

Dye transfer
→ The troublemaker. Requires reducing agents, patch testing, patience and sometimes prayer.

And here’s the most important bit:

Brown stains = often permanent.
They’ve crystallised in the fibres.

But even then, we always try. Everything goes through a two-stage quality check, and we only return an item when it’s genuinely the best it can be.

We also photograph every item when it arrives with us so we can always compare the difference.

So if you’re ever unsure - send it.
The earlier we get it, the better your chances.
And no judgement, ever.