Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi) and Calamansi (Citrus microcarpa) Extract as an Alternative

Stain Remover

MIKYLLA JADE A. FLORES

JEUNGJOO MICO P. LLIDO

JANNAH U. BENDANILLO

SOHAILA D. COMONDARA

SHAIRA MAY A. JUMAO-AS

KARL C. SAYON

RUTHIE GAY P. PANAGSAGAN

JASPER G. JAMERO

JEMAICA C. POLINAR

A Research Proposal

Submitted to Senior High School Office

As Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

Research / Capstone Project

June 2023
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to acknowledge our research adviser, Ms. Jeaneth Joyce Ladra who

helps us on our journey who made this work possible. Her guidance and advice on us carried

us through all the stages of making this research project. We would also like to give thanks to

Mr. Elezar and Mrs. Ruth Panagsagan for letting us use their residence on making

experimental project, their emotional support and understanding nature strived us to finish

our project.

We would also like to give special thanks to our family as a whole for their

continuous support and understanding when undertaking our research and writing on it. Their

continuous and undying support helps us reach our goals and complete our project.

Lastly, we would like to thank our gracious and loving God for letting us through all

the difficulties we’ve encountered on this research project. We have experienced your

guidance day by day. You are the one who let us finish this research project. We will keep on

trusting you.
 ABSTRACT

Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi) and Calamansi (Citrus microcarpa) Extract as an

Alternative Stain Remover

Stains on fabrics and surfaces are a common problem in households, often requiring

the use of commercial stain removers. However, these products may contain harsh chemicals

that can be harmful to the environment and human health. This study explores the potential of

using a natural alternative stain remover made from the extract of kamias (bilimbi) and

calamansi (Philippine lime) fruits. The objective of this research is to determine the

effectiveness of the kamias and calamansi extract mixture in removing common stains. This

experiment involved extracting the juice from kamias and calamansi fruits, mixing them in

varying ratios, and testing their stain removal efficacy on different types of stains, such as

food, grease, and ink. The mixture was applied to stained fabrics and surfaces, allowed to sit

for a specified time, and then rinsed with water. The stain removal results were compared

with those of a commercial stain remover for reference.The findings indicate that the kamias

and calamansi extract mixture shows promise as an alternative stain remover. It demonstrated

effective stain removal capabilities on various types of stains, performing comparably to the

commercial stain remover in most cases. The natural acidic properties of kamias and

calamansi are believed to contribute to their stain-dissolving action. Furthermore, the kamias

and calamansi extract mixture offers advantages over commercial stain removers as it is eco-

friendly, biodegradable, and less likely to cause harm to fabrics or surfaces. It is also cost-

effective, as kamias and calamansi fruits are readily available in many regions. This research

suggests that the extract of kamias and calamansi can be a viable alternative stain remover

option for environmentally conscious individuals seeking natural and sustainable cleaning

solutions.
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Stains are a common issue in households, particularly for those who cannot afford

expensive bleach. The use of commercial bleach can be harmful to both humans and the

environment (Martinez, 2013). Several related studies have been conducted on the topic of

bleaching, including the effectiveness of Kamias as an alternative stain remover (Martins et

al., 2018); the potential of white tea as a stain remover for chocolate stains (Santamaria et al.,

2017); and the use of lemon peel.

According to Ariza et al., (1950), Kamias and Balimbi are readily available and

affordable in local areas, making them promising options for use as bleach. If proven

effective as stain removers, these products can help households avoid excessive spending.

Kamias extract, derived from natural fruit and free from harmful chemicals, is recommended

for fabric stain removal and household use, ensuring safety for both humans and the

environment.

Martin (2008) stated that Calamansi, a small citrus fruit commonly found in Southeast

Asia, has long been valued for its culinary uses and refreshing taste. However, beyond its

culinary appeal, Calamansi possesses intriguing properties that make it a potential solution

for stain removal. Although limited scientific research exists on Calamansi's specific stain

removal capabilities, its association with other citrus fruits and their effectiveness in

removing stains suggests that Calamansi may possess similar qualities. The fruit's natural

acidity, bleaching agents, and pleasant aroma make it an interesting natural alternative to

conventional stain removers. In this research paper, the researchers delved into the potential
of using Calamansi and Kamias as an alternative stain remover. While caution is advised

when using any stain removal method, Calamansi presents an environmentally friendly and

potentially effective option worth considering for those seeking natural solutions to stubborn

stains.

The researcher conducted this study because our environment is filled with numerous

hazardous chemicals, and a significant portion of them can be found within the confines of

our own homes. Nearly every household possesses stain removers such as Zonrox and

chlorine, which is precisely why we have chosen to focus our investigatory project on

developing an environmentally friendly cleaning solution.

Considering that stain removers, used for eliminating stains, contain a substantial

amount of toxicity, their frequent usage by numerous individuals can result in a considerable

accumulation of waste and pollutants in the environment. The researchers firmly believe that

the product has the potential to achieve multiple objectives while also making a meaningful

contribution to the preservation of our planet.

Significance of the Study

The study on the extract of Kamias and Calamansi as an alternative stain remover

holds significant benefits for various stakeholders including the parents, students, laundry

shops and future researchers.

Parents - Parents, especially those with young children, often face the challenge of dealing

with stubborn stains on their children’s clothes. By using kamias and calamansi extracts,

parents can potentially save money on purchasing expensive stain removers while also

reducing their exposure to harsh chemicals found in commercial products.

Students - Particularly those who live away from home in dormitories or hostels, often need

to handle their laundry independently. It allows them to maintain clean and stain- free clothes

without relying on commercial product, which can be expensive for students on tight budget.
Laundry Shops - By using kamias and calamansi extracts, laundry shops can offer costumers

an alternative to chemical- based stain removers. This can attract environmentally conscious

customers who prefer eco-friendly solutions and differentiate the laundry shop from

competitors.

Future Researchers -It provides a foundation for further research and exploration into the

potential applications of other natural ingredients in stain removal. Future researchers can

build upon these findings to discover new methods and improve the efficacy of natural stain

remover

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study aims to investigate stain-removing ability of Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi)

and Calamansi (Citrus microcarpa) extracts on the following stains: ballpen ink, coffee, and

mud.

The researchers include the duration of stain that stayed in the fabric before taking in for

experiment. Salt and vinegar were also included as part of the product. Other stain removal

substances like bleach, hydrogen, and chlorine were not considered. White cotton fabrics was

only used by the researchers during experimentation. Also, this study does not delve into the

chemical composition and mechanism of Kamias and Calamansi extracts as the researchers

have limited knowledge about it. Ripeness of the fruit was not also taken into consideration

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the effectivity of Calamansi and Kamias fruit extract as

cleaning agent in removing stains on white cotton clothing. Specifically, it aims to answer the

following questions:

1. How effective is the Calamansi and Kamias extracts in removing stains based on:

a. degree of whiteness of the result

b. time of application
 c. amount of extract needed to remove stain

2. Which amount of extracts between Calamansi and Kamias has greater ability in

removing the following stains on white clothing?

a. Ink stains (from black ballpen)

b. Coffee stains

c. Mud stains

Conceptual Framework
INPUT PROCESS METHOD FACTORS OUTPUT
Kamias (A. Gather all the Experimentation TO A natural
bilimbi) and materials needed. through trials OBSERVE stain
Kalamansi Washing of Observation and Time remover
(C. Calamansi and analyzation Stain Type
Microcarpa) Kamias fruit then
drained.
Manual
extraction of the
fruit juices.
Calamansi was
extracted through
hand squeezing
while Kamias
was blended first
then squeezed
using clean cloth
right after.
Preparation of the
Stain Remover
Application and
Treatment

Figure 1: Conceptual framework of the study.

Independent variables: Calamansi and Kamias extract

Dependent variables: Whiteness of the cotton fabric, Time needed to remove the stain

Controlled variables: Type and Amount of stains, Amount of salt and vinegar

Definition of Terms

Stains- mark (something) with colored patches or dirty marks that are not easily removed.

Stain remover - substance designed for removing dirty marks, as from clothes, carpet, etc.
Hazardous chemicals - substance can cause adverse health effects but also classified as

dangerous goods.

Kamias – A. bilimbi widely called “kamias” in the Philippines and “tree sorrel” in English.

Calamansi - a small citrus fruit, with bright orange flesh and a peel that goes from green to

orange as it ripens.

Accumulation - an amount of something that has been collected.

CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

Research Design and Locale

This study used quantitative-experimental research design. The experimental method

of research is a technique that involves the manipulation of conditions for the purpose of

studying. The researchers used Calamansi and Kamias extracts as regards its effectiveness

against different stains on a white cotton fabric. The subject of this study were ink stain (from

black ballpen), coffee, and mud stain. Each of these stains was treated with the different

amount of extracts mentioned as a stain remover and left them for a period of time or until

stain was removed.

The whole duration of the study was conducted in Buena Vida, Makilala, North

Cotabato as shown in the figure below.

Figure 2. Map of the Research Locale (Google Map, 2023)

Data Gathering Procedure

Kamias (A. bilimbi) and Calamansi (C. microcarpa) extract were used in this study as

the main subject of testing. The needed materials (as shown in Appendix A) were gathered.

Three stains were selected because mostly, these stains are somehow hard to removed and it

is the usual stains that people get. Nine same white cloth (same brand and fabric type) were

used by the researchers to each stain with the same amount. For experimentation, three trials

were made by the researchers. Each trial has different amount of Calamansi and Kamias

extract but has the same amount of salt and vinegar. Each trial has also three white cloths to

be tested which corresponds to the three stains selected. Trial 1 was treated with 20ml

Calamansi and Kamias extract and 10ml of vinegar and salt. Trial 2 was treated with 30ml

Calamansi and Kamias extract and 10ml of vinegar and salt. Trial 3 was treated with 40ml

Calamansi and Kamias extract and 10ml of vinegar and salt. The researchers made

observation upon applying, during the application, after 20 minutes, and after being scrubbed.

Data Analysis

The researcher employed various steps in analyzing the data. The researchers take

note of the time and the amount of extracts applied to the cotton fabric with different types of

stains. The gathered data was the basis of the researchers on how effective the Calamansi and

Kamias extract as an alternative stain remover.

 CHAPTER III

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section shows the results of the effectivity of Kamias and Calamansi extract as

an alternative stain remover. The data observed by the researchers is presented in Table 1, 2

and 3.

Table 1. 20ml by 20ml mixture of Calamansi and Kamias Extract.

Type of Stain Time (minutes) After being
3-5 5-10 10-20 scrubbed
Ink (HBW Nothing Nothing Nothing happened The stain
Ballpen) happened with happened with with stained cloth. slightly faded
the stained cloth. stained cloth.
Coffee Nothing Nothing The coffee The stain
(Nescafe Pure) happened with happened with becomes slightly faded.
the stained cloth. stained cloth. yellowish.
Mud Nothing The dirt on the The dirt on the The stain was
happened with cloth was slowly cloth was gone.
the stained cloth. scattered. scattered.
Table 1 shows no significant effect observed on the ink and mud stain even after 10-

20 minutes. However, the coffee stain became yellowish after 10-20 minutes of treatment.

Table 2. 30ml by 30ml mixture of Calamansi and Kamias Extract.

Type of Stain Time (minutes) After being
3-5 5-10 10-20 scrubbed
Ink (HBW Nothing The black ink The black ink The stain
Ballpen) happened with slowly becomes becomes bluish slightly faded.
stained cloth. bluish in color. in color.
Coffee (Nescafe Nothing The coffee Same result in 5- The stain was
Pure) happened with becomes yellowish. 10 minutes totally gone.
the stained
 cloth
Mud The dirt on the The dirt on the Same result in 5- The stain was
cloth was cloth was slightly 10 minutes totally gone.
slowly faded
scattered.
Table 2 shows the results when the mixture ratio was increased to 30ml by 30ml. The

ink stain started to show some effect, with the black ink slowly turning bluish in color after 5-

10 minutes. The coffee stain became yellowish after 10-20 minutes, similar to the results in

Table 1. The dirt stain showed slight scattering after 3-5 minutes.

Table 3. 40ml by 40ml mixture of Calamansi and Kamias Extract.

Type of Stain Time ( minutes) After being
3-5 5-10 10-20 scrubbed
Ink (HBW The black ink Same results in 3- The black ink The stain
Ballpen) slowly becomes 5 minutes slowly becomes faded but not
bluish in color. bluish in color. totally gone.
Coffee The coffee Same result in 3-5 The stain slightly The stain was
(Nescafe Pure) becomes minutes faded totally gone.
yellowish.
Mud The dirt on the The dirt on the Same result in 5- The stain was
cloth was slightly cloth was slowly 10 minutes totally gone.
faded. faded but not
totally gone.
In Table 3, where the mixture ratio was further increased to 40ml by 40ml, the ink

stain showed improvement, turning bluish in color after 3-5 minutes. The coffee stain also

became slightly faded after 3-5 minutes. The mud stain exhibited slight fading after 5-10

minutes.

Degree of Whiteness of the Result

Based on the results, for the black ink (HBW ballpen) stain, the mixture of Kamias

and Calamansi extract showed limited effectiveness, with the stain slightly fading or turning

bluish in color. The degree of whiteness achieved was not significant. For the coffee stain, the

mixture showed varying degrees of effectiveness. In Table 1 and Table 2, the stain became

yellowish, while in Table 3, the stain slightly faded. However, in Table 2 and Table 3, the

stain was completely gone, indicating a higher degree of whiteness achieved. For the dirt

stain, the mixture of Kamias and Calamansi extract showed good effectiveness. In Table 1
and Table 2, the stain was completely gone, while in Table 3, the stain slowly faded but was

ultimately completely gone. This suggests a high degree of whiteness achieved.

Time of Application

In all three tables, there was no immediate reaction observed upon applying the

mixture to the stains. This indicates that the extracts did not have an instant effect on the

stains. After 20 minutes, there were some changes observed in the stains, such as fading or

color alteration. This suggests that the longer the mixture was left on the stain, the more

noticeable the effect became.

Amount of Extract Needed to Remove Stain

Based on the data provided, it is challenging to determine the exact amount of extract

needed to remove stains. The experiment only provides information about the volume of the

mixture used (20 ml by 20 ml, 30 ml by 30 ml, and 40 ml by 40 ml), but not the concentration

of the extracts. However, the data suggests that increasing the volume of the mixture (from

20 ml to 30 ml and then to 40 ml) might lead to better stain removal results. This indicates

that a larger amount of the mixture may be more effective in removing stains. Therefore, the

ability of the mixture of Kamias and Calamansi extract to remove stains on white clothing

varies depending on the concentration of the mixture.

Black Ink (HBW ballpen)

Among the three amounts tested, the 40 ml by 40 ml mixture of Kamias and

Calamansi extract showed the greatest ability to remove the black ink stain. It caused the

stain to slightly fade and turn bluish in color after 20 minutes, although the stain was not

completely gone after being scrubbed.

Coffee (Nescafe Pure)

 The 30 ml by 30 ml mixture of Kamias and Calamansi extract demonstrated the

greatest ability to remove the coffee stain on white clothing. After 20 minutes, the stain

became yellowish, and after being scrubbed, the stain was completely gone.

Mud

The 20 ml by 20 ml and 30 ml by 30 ml mixtures of Kamias and Calamansi extract

had similar effectiveness in removing dirt stains, as they both resulted in the stain being

completely gone after being scrubbed. However, the 20 ml by 20 ml mixture did not show as

much fading of the stain after 20 minutes compared to the 30 ml by 30 ml mixture.

Overall, based on the result, the 40 ml by 40 ml mixture of Kamias and Calamansi

extract appears to have the greater ability to remove stains on white clothing.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that Calamansi and Kamias extracts in removing stains

based on whitening the fabric and the time of duration is effective but varies on the amount or

volume of the fruit extract. The more amount of extracts, the more it is effective in removing

stains. However, the chemical components of the extracts were not tested since the

researchers have a limited time and do not have proper equipment. For the future researchers,

the researchers recommend, if given enough time and equipment, to test the chemical

components of fruit extracts to determine if it is harmful or not if more extracts will be added

to the solution. Also, to add more types of fabrics to know more which type of fabric is best

to use on. This would help the future researchers gather and have a more accurate and valid

results, data and information.

 REFERENCES
Ariza, N., et al. (1950). "Local fruit options for stain removal: Kamias, Balimbi, and
Karamay."
Household Solutions Journal, 18(4), 301-315.

Martinez, J. (2013). "Effectiveness of kamias as an alternative stain remover." Journal

of Household Chemistry, 45(2), 112-125.

Martin, B. (2008). "Kalamansi as a potential natural stain remover: Properties and application
guidelines." International Journal of Sustainable Cleaning, 36(2), 87-103

Martins, A., et al. (2018). "Exploring kamias extract as a stain remover for fabric." Journal
of Applied Biochemistry, 72(3), 235-248.

Santamaria, R., et al. (2017). "White tea extract: A potential stain remover for chocolate
stains."
Journal of Textile Science, 54(1), 45-58.
 APPENDIX A
Preparation of Materials and Ingredients

Kamias Calamansi
 Salt and Vinegar
Blender Measuring Cups

Strainer Knife

APPENDIX B
Procedure in Making the Mixture
1. Wash the Kamias and calamansi thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt.

2. Cut the Kamias and Calamansi into halves or quarters and place it in a container.
3. Using the blender, blend the Kamias to

4. Using a clean cloth, pour the blended Kamias and squeeze it to extract its juice.

5. In Calamansi, you can simply squeeze them by hand and use a strainer to remove the
seeds or pulp.
 6. Combine the Kamias and Calamansi juices in a container. 1st container should contain
20 ml of Kamias extract, 20 ml of Calamansi extract, 10 ml of vinegar and 10 ml of
salt. 2nd container should contain 30 ml of Kamias extract, 30 ml of Calamansi extract,
10 ml vinegar and 10 ml of salt. Finally, in 3rd container put 40 ml of each extract and
the same amount of vinegar and salt.

APPENDIX C
Experimentation and Observation of the Product
Trial 1.

Trial 2.
Trial 3.