Remove a lipstick stain from fabric with a bit of toothpaste and eucalyptus essential oil. (Shutterstock)

It is the festive season and many partygoers who have stained their special holiday outfit want to know how to remove the spots so they can wear their clothes as planned.

The most common questions involve red wine, lipstick, makeup, and coffee. Here are some stain removal instructions for washable items.

Caution:

• Never rub a fresh stain with bar soap. Soap sets many stains.

• Time and heat can set some stains permanently. Deal with the problem as soon as possible. Avoid machine drying or ironing until you've exhausted all stain-removal efforts.

• Test stain-removal agents on a seam or hidden area of the garment to make sure it does not affect the colour or finish of the fabric before starting on the stain.

• Keep in mind that “like dissolves like” so use this as a guide. For example, avoid using hot water on stains of unknown origin. Hot water can set protein stains.

Removing red wine stains from your washable clothes:

Pour or sponge club soda on stain and blot with a clean cloth until stain is gone or until no more colour transfers onto the cloth. Then launder.

If any of the stain is still evident sponge with the following natural mix: 1 cup of vinegar, 1 Tbsp. of clear dishwashing liquid and 1/2 cup of water. Let set for 15 minutes, and then launder as usual.

Removing lipstick:

Rub with a wet bar of soap; launder as usual or treat the spot with undiluted glycerin, and then launder as usual. If the stain does not lift try a solvent–type cleaning fluid or take to the dry cleaner.

Removing make-up:

Try using a slice of bread to wipe away makeup. Alternatively, wet a cloth with white vinegar, wring it out, and use it to wipe away the makeup spots.

Removing coffee stains:

For coffee stains with cream, rinse first with cold water, then hot, and then launder as usual. Alternatively place item over a container or the sink and carefully pour boiling water through the stained area.

Removing lipstick:

To remove a lipstick stain from fabric toothpaste and eucalyptus essential oil is all you need. This stain removal is completely natural and requires no smelly chemicals. Read more on removing lipstick stains naturally at ehow.com.

I always try to use eco friendly solutions to remove stains. The book Natural Stain Removal Secrets by Deborah Martin treats almost every conceivable stain naturally and the methods above have worked for me.

When stains are front and centre and cannot be removed even by the dry cleaner, you can try salvaging your item by camouflaging the spot with a strategically placed scarf. Alternatively, a vest or third piece of clothing can extend the use of your imperfect item. Never wear anything when a stain is visible.

There are solutions to remove most spots. It becomes a matter of taking the time to find the perfect answer to your particular problem. Set a standard of dressing immaculately and look after stains and spots as soon as you can. It usually pays off.

"Wardrobe Doctor" Marilyn Wetston is the owner of Marilyn's in Toronto's fashion district, the host of a weekly radio program and the author of columns helping people with their fashion dilemmas. Visit her site at Marilynwetston.com.

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