I'm by nature a person who likes to keep myself looking neat. I'm having a logistical problem with that. [more inside]
posted by WCityMike on Oct 20, 2009 - 27 answers

How can I easily darken already varnished wood? [more inside]
posted by hulahulagirl on Oct 11, 2009 - 8 answers

My landlord just bought a brand new sofa (this beige model) for my apartment, and I seem to have ruined it already by letting my friend sleep on it for a few days using dark-colored sheets. The area under the head/pillow is now slightly darker than the rest of the sofa; it looks as if it's always slightly wet. The cover can be dry-cleaned but will be expensive; what are the chances of it working? Are there any easier/less expensive alternatives?
posted by helios on Oct 11, 2009 - 5 answers

My apartment leaked, mold grew on the walls, and the maintenance guy just bleached off the outer layer ... right? [more inside]
posted by SpringAquifer on Sep 28, 2009 - 9 answers

Suggestions for removing large, set-in blood stains from cotton fabric? [more inside]
posted by happy scrappy on Sep 11, 2009 - 22 answers

I cannot for the life of me find a photo (or any other mention) of this coffee table. [more inside]
posted by furnace.heart on Aug 21, 2009 - 2 answers

I left a new bottle of toilet bowl cleaner on the bathroom counter while unpacking groceries. It leaked, and I didn't notice until the next day. Now there's a rough white stain on the counter (marble) that won't come off. Any ideas on how to remove it?
posted by shelayna on Jul 27, 2009 - 8 answers

How can I remove Dr. Pepper stains from an unpainted plaster wall/ceiling? [more inside]
posted by MrToad on May 4, 2009 - 5 answers

Staining/treating pressed/sanded pine chairs. On the cheap. [more inside]
posted by porpoise on May 2, 2009 - 7 answers

StainFilter: So, I've seen plenty of questions about getting wax off clothing, but what about the dark stain it leaves behind? [more inside]
posted by kmtiszen on Apr 28, 2009 - 10 answers

I need to stain copper with a variety of different colors. How do I do this? [more inside]
posted by whatisish on Nov 13, 2008 - 3 answers

Ho do I remove confetti and streamer stains from hardwood floors? [more inside]
posted by Felicity Rilke on Nov 5, 2008 - 7 answers

Should we put a misbehaving dryer in permanent time out? [more inside]
posted by mrhaydel on Nov 2, 2008 - 10 answers

Quotidian-question-filter: I seek a high-quality antiperspirant that won't stain clothing. [more inside]
posted by Captain Rayford Steele, Tribulation Force on Oct 26, 2008 - 8 answers

Furniture crafters and woodworkers: Is it possible to darken a stain on furniture after the fact? [more inside]
posted by Gordion Knott on Sep 26, 2008 - 5 answers

Faint but visible blue handprint on white leatherette couch...help me, Heloises! [more inside]
posted by yellowcandy on Sep 23, 2008 - 4 answers

Heyyylup! I just got some butter on my new suit. It's all synthetic material, dry clean only. Is there anything I should to between now and when I can get to a dry cleaner in the morning? It was a nice lemon-sage-garlic butter, it truly was. But I do wish it was not on my suit.
posted by footnote on Sep 2, 2008 - 4 answers

Stain Removal Filter: Help me get a rust stain out of a bathing suit! [more inside]
posted by lunit on Jul 1, 2008 - 7 answers

I got black ink on a birch wood bookshelf from Ikea. Help me get it out. [more inside]
posted by rileyray3000 on Jun 7, 2008 - 9 answers

Is it safe to burn untreated pine which was stained ~10 years ago? [more inside]
posted by mezzanayne on May 31, 2008 - 6 answers

Accidentally splattered hot chili sauce onto the kitchen floor. Any sneaky (the less toxic, the better) tricks to remove the stain?
posted by pea_shoot on May 30, 2008 - 12 answers

How to remove dye (paper, not hair) from a bathtub? [more inside]
posted by naoko on May 23, 2008 - 10 answers

I have this white/cream dress made out of a viscose lace. I just discovered a faint stain of what I think is coffee or tea or something. [more inside]
posted by mooza on Apr 27, 2008 - 7 answers

I have about a week or so to find some of this carpet. Yep, it is that stuff that's everywhere. You probably even have 3 rolls of it under your house as we speak. It's almost safe to say, at some point, you really did have like 3 rolls of it - what did you do with them?!! Where should I inquire about getting a scrap of it?? (30cm/12inch -sq.) Demolition.. people? The dump? Is there like an Elephants Graveyard but for carpet?? Also.. I need a hand with repairing melamine/laminex?? ( Bathroom vanity and a cupboard). And (omg!) this blind ( /s)... [more inside]
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har on Apr 2, 2008 - 5 answers

How can I refinish my kitchen table so it will look nice again? [more inside]
posted by LoriFLA on Mar 5, 2008 - 10 answers

How have you successfully removed old grease stains from shirts using common household items, rather than specialty products I'd have to go out and purchase? [more inside]
posted by Stewriffic on Feb 10, 2008 - 16 answers

I bought these suede moccasin slippers at Target back in November. My local store no longer carries them, and target.com says they are out of stock. Where can I find them (or at least shoes similar to them)? [more inside]
posted by kidsleepy on Jan 27, 2008 - 8 answers

How can I get this parking-deck-drip-residue off of my car's paint and windshield? [more inside]
posted by Askr on Jan 18, 2008 - 7 answers

My dogs destroyed the house while I was shopping, how long do I have for damage control? Football filter of all things. [more inside]
posted by stormygrey on Dec 31, 2007 - 9 answers

Has anyone had any success with removing sweat / antiperspirant combo stains? [more inside]
posted by GleepGlop on Sep 8, 2007 - 17 answers

Dear Metafilter, Please help me save my favourite pearly white Lacoste shirt, which now looks as if I've been wearing it whilst rolling around in nuclear waste. [more inside]
posted by Zé Pequeno on Aug 21, 2007 - 10 answers

How to remove a deep blue Lysol toilet cleaner stain in the carpet [more inside]
posted by unsurmountable on Aug 16, 2007 - 4 answers

How do you deal with red wine staining your teeth purple during an evening out? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 7, 2007 - 11 answers

How do I get a stain out of a silk tie? [more inside]
posted by davehat on Aug 1, 2007 - 11 answers

I just poured a cupful of dark blue liquid detergent and purple liquid stain remover over a load of white towels. Setting aside the admonition that I should have poured the detergent in BEFORE the clothes: why doesn't dark blue detergent turn white towels blue? I mean it obviously doesn't. But it seems counterintuitive. What kind of coloring is added to detergent that allows it to be blue and pretty but wash right away?
posted by Bud Dickman on Jul 28, 2007 - 7 answers

I cut my foot pretty severely on a broken glass, and now it looks like someone slaughtered a pig on my hardwood floor. How do I get the blood stains out? [more inside]
posted by gemmy on Jul 22, 2007 - 10 answers

Khaki pants— $50 or less solution to fix girlfriend's khaki pants. Went through laundry with detergent on top; got orangish bleach stains. Dye? Some sort of hot soak with other khakis?
posted by klangklangston on Jun 30, 2007 - 10 answers

(PISS FILTER) A guest just relieved himself on my futon. [more inside]
posted by CoinOp on Jun 20, 2007 - 26 answers

Our white porcelain enamel sink has a stain on it. The stain is silver/grey and seems to have resulted from dropping a steel cup into the sink (probably repeatedly). Two related questions: Is it possible to stain a sink in this way? And how can we remove the stain?
posted by beniamino on Jun 18, 2007 - 10 answers

Is it possible for me to refinish my cheap piano (pics inside) [more inside]
posted by primer_dimer on Jun 11, 2007 - 13 answers

Spilled chocolate milkshake + cloth car seat + several months time = Icky stain. Remedies? [more inside]
posted by sprocket87 on May 18, 2007 - 14 answers

How do I get blood out of denim? [more inside]
posted by cosmic osmo on Apr 15, 2007 - 18 answers

Advice on removing a stain from my canvas bag? [more inside]
posted by piers on Apr 11, 2007 - 6 answers

Good lord I'm in trouble! Last night I soaked a few white shirts in Clorox, rinsed them, and then hung them up over the tub to drip dry. One of the shirts had a little black design, and when I got up in the morning I found this hideous stain in the enamel of my tub which looks like was caused by the bleach/ black dye combination drip dripping all night, and which my landlord will *freak out about* when he sees it! Any ideas?
posted by forallmankind on Mar 31, 2007 - 24 answers

Stain-on-favorite-shirt-filter: Is my favorite button-down oxford still salvageable? [more inside]
posted by roomwithaview on Dec 7, 2006 - 13 answers

I just got my teeth cleaned and I'm bleaching them too. I drink 5-6 cups of black tea (with milk) a day which is no good for white teeth - what alternative beverages can I switch to that won't be so bad for my pearly whites? [more inside]
posted by forallmankind on Nov 28, 2006 - 11 answers

In colder weather, while taking a shower, water eventually condenses on our bathroom walls (even with the exhaust fan on). The odd thing, which I cannot figure out, is that a faint yellowish substance appears from nowhere and runs down the wall. I wouldn't notice this on the semi-gloss lavender paint, but it pools on the white wainscotting below. It's an old house but was painted a few years ago and the paint seems clean on the surface. I've wiped down the walls, but it doesn't seem to help. What is the yellow stuff? [more inside]
posted by _sirmissalot_ on Nov 7, 2006 - 25 answers

What kind of wood is my deck made of? [more inside]
posted by designbot on Oct 27, 2006 - 13 answers

What caused these stains in such a weird shape? The day's events... [more inside]
posted by 0xFCAF on Jul 30, 2006 - 12 answers

Stainfilter: Kool-aid, children, and puke don't mix. Help me remove a stain from white carpet [more inside]
posted by huy_le on Jun 25, 2006 - 7 answers