# Remove a stain or clean a tricky surface safely

Step-by-step cleaning instructions matched to the stain and material, starting gentle, with what to avoid.

- Topic: Personal Life & Wellbeing
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/remove-a-stain-or-clean-a-tricky-surface-safely

## Prompt

```text
Help me clean this without damaging it.

**What needs cleaning:** [e.g. "red wine on a wool rug", "hard-water marks on a glass shower door", "burnt pan", "grease on painted kitchen cabinets"]
**Material or fabric:** [WHAT IT'S MADE OF - check the care label if there is one and paste it]
**How old the stain or buildup is:** [FRESH / DAYS / MONTHS]
**What I've already tried:** [PRODUCTS OR METHODS, so we don't repeat or react with them]
**Supplies I have:** [e.g. "dish soap, baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide"]

Give me:
1. The gentlest method first, then stronger options in order, with clear steps (blot, don't rub, etc.).
2. Always: test on a hidden spot first, and what a bad reaction looks like.
3. What NOT to use on this material and why (e.g. vinegar on natural stone, heat setting a protein stain).
4. Chemical safety: never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or other acids; don't combine products I've already applied without rinsing; ventilate and wear gloves for strong cleaners.
5. When to stop and call a professional (e.g. antique, dry-clean-only, large or set-in damage, suspected mold over a large area).

Keep the instructions short enough to follow while standing at the mess.
```

## What to fill in

- FRESH / DAYS / MONTHS
- PRODUCTS OR METHODS, so we don't repeat or react with them

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.