How-To Videos

One of the simplest ways to get better results with Stain Solver is to put it in a quality sprayer. Whether you are cleaning a carpet stain indoors, freshening up outdoor furniture, tackling dirty siding, or working on a patio or deck, a sprayer can make applying Stain Solver easier, more even, and more controlled. The basic Stain Solver process is already simple: Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. Using a sprayer makes each part of that process even easier, as long as you use a quality sprayer that won't clog due to the dissolved Stain Solver material remaining in the hot water mixture. We have tried a few sizes and they are available for purchase from us, or you can use your favorite reliable brand. Using a high-quality sprayer is especially important with a powdered cleaning product like Stain Solver because the solution must be thoroughly dissolved and move freely through the sprayer without interruption. The dip tube plays a critical role because it draws the mixed solution from the bottom of the bottle and delivers it to the trigger mechanism and nozzle. Inferior sprayers often use narrow, poorly designed, or low-quality dip tubes and internal components that can become clogged by small amounts of undissolved product or residue. This becomes even more important at the nozzle, where the solution must pass through much smaller openings to create a proper spray pattern. Any undissolved particles or buildup can restrict those tiny passages, causing weak, uneven spraying, sputtering, or stopping the spray entirely. A well-made sprayer with a quality dip tube and nozzle helps maintain steady solution flow, produces a consistent spray pattern, and makes applying Stain Solver faster, easier, and far less frustrating. Shop ours here.  Watch as Luke and Josh briefly discuss why they use sprayers and which ones they prefer in this short video >> 1. Get More Even Coverage When you pour cleaning solution directly onto a surface, it is easy to soak one area while barely covering another. A sprayer gives you much more control. Instead of dumping solution onto a stain, carpet, cushion, deck, or patio, you can apply a consistent layer across the entire area you are trying to clean. That is especially helpful when you are working on larger surfaces. The goal is not necessarily to use as much Stain Solver solution as possible. It is to make sure the cleaning solution reaches all of the area that needs to be cleaned. A sprayer makes that much easier. 2. Keep the Surface Wet While Stain Solver Works This may be the biggest advantage of using a sprayer. Stain Solver needs time to work. For many cleaning jobs, we recommend allowing Stain Solver to remain on the stained area for at least 30 minutes, and some jobs can benefit from a longer dwell time. Stain Solver's oxygen-based cleaning action starts when the powder is mixed with warm or hot water, so giving that solution time to work is important. The challenge, especially outdoors, is evaporation. On a warm day, a deck, patio, siding, outdoor cushion, or piece of lawn furniture can begin drying before your 30 minutes are up. That is where the sprayer really comes in handy. If you notice an area beginning to dry, simply give it another light mist of Stain Solver solution. You do not need to completely re-saturate the surface. You are just keeping it wet so Stain Solver has more time to work. This technique is particularly useful on patios and other outdoor surfaces, where keeping the surface wet during the dwell period can improve the cleaning process. 3. Avoid Over-Applying the Solution More cleaning solution does not automatically mean better cleaning. Pouring Stain Solver onto a surface can make it easy to use far more than you actually need. On carpet and upholstery, for example, you may put significantly more liquid into the material than necessary. A sprayer lets you control exactly where the solution goes and how much you apply. You can wet the entire stained area without unnecessarily flooding it. That means: More controlled application Less wasted cleaning solution Less unnecessary saturation Easier coverage of vertical surfaces Easier reapplication when an area starts drying We have seen the same advantage when using Stain Solver on carpet. Spraying helps distribute the solution across the stained area while reducing the chance of dumping too much liquid into one spot. 4. Mix Stain Solver Right in the Sprayer A sprayer can also eliminate another step. For many jobs, you can mix your Stain Solver solution directly in the sprayer. Stain Solver's standard starting ratio for most cleaning jobs is: 1 tablespoon of Stain Solver per 1 cup of warm or hot water That ratio scales easily: Water Stain Solver 1 cup 1 tablespoon 1 quart 1/4 cup 1/2 gallon 1/2 cup 1 gallon 1 cup These are the standard mixing ratios published in our Stain Solver usage instructions. For a one-gallon pump sprayer, for example, you can add the appropriate amount of warm or hot water and 1 cup of Stain Solver, then make sure the powder is completely dissolved before spraying. For a smaller hand sprayer, simply scale the recipe down. The important part is getting the Stain Solver thoroughly dissolved in the water before you begin spraying. 5. A Sprayer Is Especially Helpful Outdoors If you clean outside with Stain Solver, a pump sprayer may quickly become one of your favorite cleaning tools. Think about the surfaces around a typical home: Decks Patios Concrete Pavers Vinyl siding Railings Fences Outdoor furniture Patio cushions Hammocks Outdoor rugs A sprayer makes it much easier to cover large or irregularly shaped surfaces without continually dipping a brush into a bucket or trying to pour cleaning solution evenly. It is particularly helpful on vertical surfaces such as siding, railings, fencing, and outdoor furniture because you can direct the solution exactly where you need it. For outdoor fabrics, spraying also makes it easy to reapply Stain Solver as necessary to keep the material wet while the solution works. Don't Rush the Wait One of the most common mistakes when cleaning is wanting to scrub immediately. With Stain Solver, patience can actually save you work. Mix the solution, spray the surface thoroughly, and give the oxygen-powered cleaning action time to work on the stain. Check it after about 30 minutes. If you notice the surface beginning to dry, mist it again. Then scrub lightly if the particular job needs it, and rinse thoroughly with clean water. For many jobs, that simple process can reduce how much physical scrubbing you need to do. Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. You certainly do not need a sprayer for every Stain Solver job. Soaking is still a great option for clothing and smaller washable items, and some cleaning jobs are easier with a bucket. But when you need to apply Stain Solver across a surface, a sprayer is hard to beat. It gives you: Even application. Better control. Less waste. Easier reapplication. Longer wet contact time. And because you can mix Stain Solver with warm or hot water and get right to work, it keeps the entire process simple. Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. That is a pretty easy way to solve a stain. Shop our sprayers here >> FAQs Can you put Stain Solver in a sprayer?Yes. Stain Solver can be mixed with warm or hot water, dissolved thoroughly, and applied with a hand or pump sprayer. How much Stain Solver do I put in a one-gallon sprayer?For most general cleaning applications, the standard mixture is 1 cup of Stain Solver per 1 gallon of water. Why should I keep Stain Solver wet while it works?Keeping the treated area wet gives the mixed solution time to continue working on the stain. A sprayer makes it easy to lightly reapply solution if the surface begins drying. How long should Stain Solver sit before rinsing?Many Stain Solver cleaning applications benefit from about 30 minutes of dwell time, although some stains may benefit from longer treatment. The official guidance allows 30 minutes to 2 hours for many applications. Can I save leftover Stain Solver solution in my sprayer?It is better to mix what you expect to use for the job. Once Stain Solver is mixed with hot water, its effectiveness diminishes over a few hours.

Years of Kids, Spills, and Everyday Life Left Their Mark Furniture in a busy family home gets used. A lot. For Gia B., one living room chair had the stains to prove it. After years of use by her kids, the light-colored upholstered chair had accumulated spots, spills, discoloration, and the general evidence of everyday family life. Instead of giving up on the chair, Gia decided to see what Stain Solver could do. The before-and-after photos tell the story. In the before photo, the chair cushions and arm show numerous visible stains, including darker spots scattered across the light fabric. After cleaning with Stain Solver, the fabric looks dramatically cleaner and brighter, with the vast majority of those years of accumulated stains no longer visible. Her Upholstery-Cleaning Method Was Surprisingly Simple Gia didn't use a complicated upholstery-cleaning machine. She applied her Stain Solver solution with a sprayer, making it easy to distribute the solution over the areas that needed attention. She then followed one of the most important parts of the cleaning process: giving Stain Solver time to work. Gia allowed the solution to remain on the fabric for approximately 30 minutes. That dwell time gave the cleaning solution an opportunity to work on the accumulated stains rather than immediately wiping or rinsing it away. After about 30 minutes, she thoroughly rinsed the treated areas. That final step matters. When cleaning upholstery, you don't want to simply spray a cleaning solution onto the fabric and leave the residue behind. Thorough rinsing helps remove the loosened soils along with the cleaning solution. Before and After: A Big Difference on Light Upholstery Light-colored furniture can be beautiful, but it doesn't hide much. Small spills, dirty hands, snacks, drinks, pets, and ordinary household use can gradually leave an upholstered chair looking much older than it actually is. That's what makes Gia's results particularly impressive. Her before photo doesn't show one isolated stain. It shows years of accumulated use across several areas of the chair. The after photo shows just how much of that buildup she was able to remove. Rather than replacing an otherwise usable piece of furniture, Gia gave the chair a serious refresh using Stain Solver, some patience, and a thorough rinse. How Gia Used Stain Solver on Her Upholstered Chair Her process can be summarized in four basic steps: Prepare the Stain Solver solution according to the product directions. Apply it with a sprayer to the stained upholstery. Allow it to sit for approximately 30 minutes so the solution has time to work. Thoroughly rinse the fabric to remove the solution and the soils it has loosened. When cleaning any upholstered furniture, always check the furniture manufacturer's cleaning instructions and test your cleaning solution on a small, inconspicuous area first. Don't Assume a Stained Chair Is a Lost Cause When furniture has been subjected to years of kids, food, drinks, and everyday life, it's easy to look at all those stains and think replacement is the only realistic option. Gia's chair is a good reminder that it may be worth trying to clean it first. Her results came from a straightforward process: spray, allow time to work, and rinse thoroughly. And in this case, the difference between the before and after photos is hard to miss. Have a chair, sofa, cushion, or other washable surface that has seen better days? Before giving up on it, give Stain Solver a chance to solve the stains.