So much more to offer than stains!

Title
We have discontinued our stain solution website.
Body

At Illinois Extension, our reputation is built on providing reliable, proven research-based information. It's behind every recommendation we provide, woven into the very fabric of every program, every encounter, and every word we write. Much has changed in the textile world since the Stain Solution website was created. We no longer have the expertise to confidently update the website to reflect those changes. 

We won't promise you something we can't stand behind. You deserve reliable information you can trust. 

Although we've discontinued the Stain Solutions website, there are still thousands of pages of content that can benefit your family, your business, and your communities. We hope you'll explore the many ways we can help you build a better world. When we are able to verify the information about stain removal, we'll begin again, a fresh start to helping you fix life's little hiccups.

 

Enjoy Our Blogs

A voyage through space

As we conclude our journey of the five elements, we take a moment to explore the element of space. Space is the essence of emptiness. Everything that isn’t earth, water, fire, or air is space. It is the void that the other four elements fill. Translated as Akasha in Sanskrit, space possesses the...
Finish this story
Bag of potting soil with planer next to it

It's Time to Plant a Fall Garden

If you enjoy those sweet tender vegetables of spring, then you get another opportunity to enjoy them during the cooler temperatures of fall. The catch is that you have to plant them now during the month of August. Why does a fall crop need to be planted in August? Daylight and temperature. Here...
Finish this story

Ideal timing for sowing lawn seed

Lawns have come through this summer surprisingly well, especially with all the heat we have had. My unofficial count says we have had at least 15 days of 90 degree heat this summer, and some for several days in row. However, we also had good rains. For yards that need to be...
Finish this story
electric pressure cooker

Can I "can" in my electric pressure cooker?

Short answer….no.  Although some manufacturers indicate that their product can safely pressure “can” foods, the USDA has not endorsed this method. From the USDA: “We do not know if proper thermal process development work has been done in order to justify the canning advice that is distributed...
Finish this story
man and woman fist bumping each other

A Question of Community

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” John Muir What do you think of when you hear the word “community”? Do you picture the town or city where you live? Your neighborhood? A group of people? Did any of you include plants or animals in...
Finish this story

Hairy crabweed is one bad weed!

I really can’t say enough bad things about mulberryweed, a.k.a. hairy crabweed (Fatoua villosa). For me, it has been a weed nightmare that come in on a load of mulch about 10 years ago, and every year since has been a battle to control because I didn’t recognize it for what it was and take...
Finish this story
Hand pollination of last year’s hosta flowers produced the seeds used to grow this tray of hosta seedlings.  However, it will take a few more years for these plants to mature and truly express the traits gained from hybridization. Photo credit: Barb and Rick Schroeder

Hostas

Plants in the genus Hosta, collectively referred to as hostas, are one of the premier plants for ornamental gardens that lack full sun.  These resilient perennials are a mainstay of Midwestern shade gardens and remain popular in temperate regions worldwide. However, that wasn’t...
Finish this story
kohlrabi fall season garden delight

Sow seeds for comfortable fall gardening

In the heat of summer’s end, vegetable gardeners are often drained by the weeding and watering routine, and ready to put the garden to bed. But fall provides a more comfortable environment and some of the most productive gardening of the year when vegetables are planted in late summer and mature...
Finish this story
All Our Specialty Websites
The future of farming
Raise healthy cattle for healthy profit
Enjoy evergreens throughout the year
Life is tied to the planet's health
Build a beautiful community
Together we make communities better
Turn leftovers into fertilizer
Create joy in a pot
Be a cottage foods seller
Producing food for a growing world
Keys to managing your diabetes
Be ready before disasters occur
We help you build thriving communities
Powering our needs
Taking good care of our planet
Build a brighter family future
Growing profits
Light a fire this season
Treat yourself to beauty
Healthy foods lead to healthier lives
Illinois is rich in native tree species
Pick a fruit from your backyard tree
Start living well today
Grow new revenue with that land
Herbs add flavor to life
Grow more food at home
Bring the joy inside
Grasses improve the health of our planet
It's a buggy world
Keep Illinois natural areas strong
Healthy lawns help us all
Raising livestock in a changing world
Your source for reliable information
Stay current in a changing landscape
Live a life of joyful purpose
Grow specialty mushrooms for profit
We have one planet
Explore solutions to nutrient loss
Make wise decisions
If your plant isn't happy, find solutions here
Explore all types of plants
Grow and eat this fall delight
Problems of too much or too little
Be a steward of the land
Grow the world's most beautiful flower
Protect your home environment
Big taste in each bite
Soil health impacts plant growth
Emerging news for commercial growers
Creating places for kids to grow
Take measures to avoid ticks
Cook the centerpiece of your celebration
Vaccines save lives
Be prepared for hazardous weather
Start their love of gardening early
eat move save cartoon characters

Eat.Move.Save.

Make healthier choices on any budget. 

butterfly on plant for illinois pollinator

Illinois Pollinators

Pollinators are vital to both plant life and human life on earth.

feeding baby spoonful of food

Feeding My Baby

When is the right time to introduce complementary foods?