An applicator for a fabric treatment to effect mechanical stain removal has a no rinse fabric treatment composition and an application device. The application device induces a certain frictional stress upon the fabric and has a frictional stress value on the fabric optimally chosen to effect fabric treatment and is at the same time kind to the fabric. Advantageously, the application device has a frictional stress value of from 0.05 N mm.sup.-2 to 1 N mm.sup.-2. The frictional stress should be high enough to ensure good mechanical stain removal, good delivery of the fabric treatment composition into the fabric and allow fabric treatment with fabric friendly chemical compositions at low levels.