Purdy Rubin and Charlotte Figg, founders of the eco-cleaning company Purdy and Figg, say there is not a single type of stain that cannot be removed if treated with the right combination of natural ingredients and persistence. The pair this month published their first book, Clever Cleaning, which the authors describe as a practical guide to natural cleaning remedies and includes a dedicated chapter listing 54 different types of stains with step-by-step instructions for removal.
The book is scheduled for release on Sept. 25. A pre-order promotion noted in advance copies offered Clever Cleaning at a reduced price through an online retailer with terms requiring orders to be placed by Oct. 1, 2025; the promotion is online only, excludes delivery charges and cannot be combined with other offers. The authors emphasize a methodical approach: treat a stain step by step and move to the next treatment only if the previous one fails.
Rubin and Figg set out separate routines for fresh and dried beetroot stains. For a fresh beetroot mark they advise a warm-water rinse and laundering as a first measure, followed by applying liquid laundry detergent with a brush or fingertips and leaving it for five minutes before laundering again. If the stain persists, they recommend soaking the garment in a cooled oxygen-bleach solution — about two tablespoons of oxygen-bleach to one litre of warm water — for two hours before laundering. For a dried beetroot stain the sequence begins with a cool-water soak for 30 minutes and laundering, then the same detergent application and a longer soak in the oxygen-bleach solution for about six hours before laundering.
For sweat stains, the authors recommend the same routine for both fresh and dry marks, beginning with a spray of an equal-parts mixture of white vinegar and water, left for 15 minutes and followed by a cool-water soak of at least two hours and laundering. If the stain remains, they suggest rubbing in netted gall soap, leaving it for 15 minutes and laundering, and repeating that step while adding a pinch of oxygen-bleach granules rubbed in with a brush or fingers if necessary. A final remedial soak in the cooled oxygen-bleach solution for up to six hours is advised when previous steps do not fully remove the stain.
Mascara stains receive different first steps depending on whether the mark is fresh or dry. For a fresh mascara stain, Rubin and Figg advise applying liquid laundry detergent with a brush or fingers, leaving it for five minutes and laundering, then soaking the item in a soda-crystal solution — typically five tablespoons of soda crystals dissolved in 500 millilitres of hot water — for six hours or more before laundering, and finally scrubbing with a soap bar such as Marseille wrapped in a net and leaving it for 10 minutes prior to laundering. For dried mascara, the sequence starts with detergent application and a netted soap bar treatment, and if the stain persists a longer soda-crystal soak of about seven tablespoons per 500 millilitres of hot water is recommended.
Gravy stains are treated first with a cool-water rinse for fresh spills, followed by liquid laundry detergent applied with a brush or fingers and a brief launder; the authors note an overnight soak and laundering can also work if time permits. A netted soap bar left on the fabric for 10 minutes is the next step when necessary. For dried gravy they recommend a cool-water soak of an hour or more, detergent application with brief wait time and laundering, and then treatment with a netted stain bar for 10 minutes if the mark remains.
The book repeatedly emphasizes natural and readily available products such as white vinegar, soda crystals, oxygen-bleach granules or powder, Marseille soap and gall soap, and it recommends gentle mechanical action with a brush or fingers rather than harsh scrubbing. The authors caution that treatment sequences should be followed progressively and that different fabrics and colours may react differently, recommending testing on a hidden area when in doubt.
Clever Cleaning joins a growing market of consumer guides that promote eco-friendly and DIY approaches to household care. Rubin and Figg present the book as both a practical manual for household stain problems and an extension of their company's focus on sustainable cleaning products. The book's chapter on stain removal is intended to serve as a reference for readers seeking alternatives to commercial chemical stain removers and to provide a procedure-driven approach for recovering garments affected by common household spills.
Retail details provided with advance information state that pre-ordered copies will be delivered after the Sept. 25 release date, with promotional pricing subject to availability and the terms noted in the offer. The authors and publisher advise readers to follow label instructions on garments and to consider fabric type when selecting water temperature and products for treatment.