Editorial & sources policy

The rule that governs everything

Nothing is invented. Every factual claim traces to a source that was actually read, recorded with its URL, publisher, and access date. A claim that cannot be sourced is not published.

Source tiers

1. Institutional — government agencies, university extension services, poison control centers. The only tier allowed for safety rules.
2. Industry body — trade associations (textile, carpet, stone institutes). Expert but interest-bearing; always identified as industry.
3. Manufacturer — product labels and maker instructions, attributed. Used for exact directions and compatibility claims, not as neutral endorsement.
4. Third-party test — a published hands-on test by another publisher, linked and labeled "not our test".
5. Community — public forum threads and blog reports. Always labeled anecdotal; never used for safety or chemical-compatibility claims.

Enforced mechanically

The site build runs a validator that fails if any method step, caution, fallback, or safety rule lacks a source reference, if a cited source is missing its URL or access date, or if a community item lacks its anecdotal label. This isn't a style guide — an uncited claim cannot be deployed.

Disagreement and gaps

When credible sources conflict, both positions are shown with their citations. When no source covers a combination, the page says "not covered by our sources" — the honest answer beats a plausible one.

Language rules

No undefined claims such as "non-toxic", "chemical-free", "safe for everything", or "works every time". Care and product labels always take precedence, and the site says so.

Advertising & affiliations

The site currently runs no advertising and no affiliate links. If that changes, ads will never appear inside the Stain Sorter or before safety information, and any affiliate relationship will be disclosed on the page where it applies.