CONCORD, N.C. — I have found that it is worthwhile to review the spotting basics from time to time. Without a reliable foundation, everything else contains unnecessary risk of failure or damage. But when information is applied through thought and effort, success is easily achieved.
CATEGORIES OF STAINS
Stains can be divided into four general categories: solvent-soluble, chemically soluble, water-soluble, and insoluble.
Solvent-soluble stains are those that will be totally removed by the solution used in the dry cleaning machine. As the number of choices for a cleaning solution has increased, the definition of a solvent-soluble stain has become a product of experience. With variations in chemical content comes a trade-off in the machine between being garment-friendly and being stain-aggressive. Typically, solvent-soluble stains come from light oils and greases that are uncontaminated with carbon or graphite.
