So much more to offer than stains!

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We have discontinued our stain solution website.
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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

Too Much Summer Squash

As I got out of my car in Target's parking lot, key fob in hand, I heard a man say, "Be sure to lock your car." Startled, I noticed an older gentleman in the car next to mine. He smiled and said, "It's zucchini season." Immediately my mind flashed to my kitchen counter, piled with yellow summer...
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Roadside Flowers

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Recently I had a friend ask me what the blue flowers were along the roadside. Have you noticed the beautiful flowers blooming along our roadsides right now? Illinois roadsides are quite beautiful in late summer. She was referring to...
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Cilantro Fest on August 18

Cilantro has been named 2017 Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association and the McLean County Master Gardeners will be celebrating the harvest at the Illinois State University Horticulture Center on August 18 at 11 a.m. They invite the public for cooking demonstrations and tastings of...
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Purple Vegetables are Beautiful and Delicious

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I have several purple vegetables and herbs growing in my garden this summer. Botanically, purple plants are fascinating to me. We all learn in science class that plants get their green color from the chlorophyll in their leaves,...
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I Want it My Way: Power of Attorney Can Help

On a good day, I wonder if my family hears what I say or if all they hear is "blah, blah, blah!" However, when I talk about what I want to happen if I'm in an accident, hospitalized or die, I'm SURE some of my family completely blocks my words. That's why I think it's so important that I write down...
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Pick Your Pepper

Peppers are a common ingredient in so many recipes. Whether you play it safe with a bell pepper or throw in a punch of heat with a hot chile pepper, you are sure to find a pepper that brings a depth of taste to your dishes. The most popular mild peppers are the bell and banana varieties. They can...
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Repairing water logged lawns

For those homes having suffered greatly from all the storm water, getting the lawn back can take some time. Grasses have a very limited period to come back once under water, just a few days, and yards in many areas were covered a lot longer. If the water came and went but left the lawn covered...
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Soils Tests, Site Considerations, and Changing Gardens

One of the suggestions we usually tell gardeners is to have a soil test done especially on new garden sites. It's better to see where your pH and soil fertility levels stand prior to applying anything and leads to determining better soil management practices. Before applying fertilizers what are...
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Cicada Killers beneficial to Nature

Cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) are on the prowl, and there have been many inquiries about them at the Master Gardener plant clinics. Cicada killers are solitary wasps with yellow banding on their abdomens. They appear in late July and early August and resemble large, black hornets. These...
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Treasure Found in Nature's Hideaway (Part 2)

University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener volunteers are thrilled to report the emergence of the Monarch Butterfly from the chrysalis. Volunteers have been observing the chrysalis inside the bean teepee within the Idea Garden on the Illinois State Fairgrounds! The chrysalis has been...
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