There Are 3 Types of Stains

There are 3 Types of Stains

1. Organic Stains Explained Organic Stains refer to stains that are created by organic compounds. Organic compounds are composed of molecules containing carbon and hydrogen and other elements, but do not include metals. Some organic stains are polar and others are non-polar, which essentially refers to a positive and negative charge on the molecule. Some organic stains are very long molecules and must be broken apart into shorter "chains" before the stain can be properly removed.

2. Inorganic Stains Explained Inorganic stains or inorganic compounds that stain are not biological in origin. In other words, the compound is usually man-made or was not found in a plant or animal to begin with. Inorganic stains are typically removed, or covered up, through the application of inorganic solvents. This is achieved through a redox reaction, where oxygen is introduced and the composition of the stain agent is chemically altered.

3. Pigments and Dye Stains Explained Pigment stains and dye stains that contain pigment are composed of chromophores, which are molecules that contain double bonds and emit a specific wavelength of light that shows as the color of the stain. Two typical examples of pigment are wine stains (tanin) and grass stains (cholorophyll), which are both organic chromophores. These a difficult to remove stains because they don't readily respond to oxidation. - See more at: http://remove-stain.com/science-stain-removal#sthash.T1hOwXRJ.dpuf

The Science of Stain Removal Explained There are a number of different types of stain removal solutions available to treat different types of stains. The factors that impact how likely a particular solvent or detergent is to remove a stain depends on the size of the molecules, the polarity and the solubility of the molecules. The basis rule of thumb to go by is the classic adage "Like Dissolves Like".

1. Water as a Stain Remover Water can be used to remove stains and is generally referred to as a "universal solvent" because of its special properties of being a bent polar molecule. This polarity makes water a great stain remover for other polar molecules and ionic compounds. Water is an inorganic substance (no carbon), so it can only be used to dissolve other inorganic substances. With that said, water is extremely useful in delivering detergents (also known as surfactants) to the source of the stain, so is widely used in many applications of stain removal.

2. Surfactants as a Stain Remover Surfactants (detergents) are molecules that have one polar end and one non-polar end. You can think of them like a magnet. They can help to emulsify compounds that are not usually soluble in water. For example, if you put oil in water, they tend to stay separated. If you put oil, detergent, and water together and shake them up, then you get a mixture. This is the power of a surfactant.

3. Phosphates as a Stain Remover Phosphates are chemical compounds that have an ionic charge and contain a phosphate. One example of how a phosphate can help to remove stains is with blood stains, which contain iron oxide. When you use iron phosphate, which is a colorless, you can remove a blood stain by a chemical reaction called a displacement.

4. Acids and Bases as Stain Removers Many soaps are bases, or basic, and can be used to remove stains that are made with basic liquids and solids. Basics are also generally polar, so they easily dissolve in water and can be used to remove stains.

1 There are many acids that can be used to remove stains that are created with an acidic liquid. For example, lemon juice is a common stain remover. In short, if you know the pH of the stain, then you can select the appropriate acid or base with a similar pH level cleaner.

5. Enzymes as Stain Removers There are many types of laundry detergents that use enzymes to help fight stains. The way that enzymes work is as follows: - The enzyme passes close to the stain agent - The stain agent molecules latch onto an "active site" of the enzyme - An enzyme/substrate complex is formed - The enzyme breaks the stain agent molecule into smaller molecules - The smaller molecules can be more easily dissolved and removed Enzymes typically work well in warm water, so laundry detergents that have directions that recommend using in warm water often utilize enzymes.

6. Oxidizing Agents as Stain Removers Oxidizing solutions like bleach are commonly employed to remove stains. Hydrogen peroxide is another example of an oxidizing agent that can remove stains. Oxidizing agents work on stains by removing double bonds from a chromophore (e.g., ink). Through a chemical reaction (redox reaction), the double bonds become single bonds. Single bonds do not emit color, so the end result is that it looks colorless. That is why oxidizing agents used to remove stains like bleach and hydrogen peroxide leave white spots on colored clothing, so be careful.

7. Removing Stains with using Temperature Temperature is important because it makes molecules "excited". When stain molecules are excited, they can more easily be removed in many cases because they are moving faster. When the stain molecules and solution, or detergent molecules, are moving faster, it makes the stain easier to remove and also, simultaneously, more difficult to reattach. However, too much heat can make some types of stains become "fixed" or to "set", so be sure to use caution when using heat to remove stains. - See more at: http://remove-stain.com/science-stain-removal#sthash.T1hOwXRJ.dpuf

What makes stain removers, remove stains?

Even though our mother warns us time and again, we somehow manage to drop something like tea or dal on our favorite shirt. That shirt would be ruined if it were not our mother's stain remover. Did you know that there are more than ten different types of stain remover? These range from stain removal powders, tablets, liquids, to sprays.

How do stain removers work and the chemistry behind stain removal? Stain removers work purely on chemistry. Water has a property known as surface tension. This means that the surface of the water is attracted to other surfaces. Water molecules are attracted by each other, however on the surface of water there are no other 'like' molecules. This is why they are more attracted to other molecules that they come in contact with on the surface. Why surface tension is so important? Due to surface tension, when a drop of water falls onto your kitchen counter it does not spread quickly. Instead it roughly stays in the shape of a drop. Detergents on the other hand, are surfactants, substances that lower the surface tension of water. These surfactants surround the stain molecule and make it easier for water to remove it from the fabric, allowing it 2 to get washed away. Today synthetic surfactants like sulfonates are used as unlike soap they do not react with hard water to give calcium deposits. Tackling tough stains There are some stains that just seem too hard to remove. Stains like grease can only be removed by hydrocarbon solvents. The oxidizing agents attack and destroy the links formed by the molecules of the stain, and the leftover molecules are water soluble and just wash away. There are certain stain removers which have whiteners in them which don't just remove the stain but whitens your clothes? This type of stain remover contains chemicals which absorb UV-light and instead emit a visible-light.

There are three basic ways in which stains are removed - 1. In some cases, the molecules of the stain just get dissolved in the water and detergent molecules, and flow away. After which, you rinse the fabric with lots of clean water. 2. Sometimes, with the help of bleach or an enzyme the stain molecules can be oxidized into lesser colorful or at times even colorless molecules which get carried away with the stain remover. 3. Some "set" stains that have strongly bonded molecules cannot be dissolved. Instead they require non-water based strong solution which is used by drycleaners.