You spill red wine on the tablecloth during a meal. You blot the spot right away with a napkin to lift the liquid. Then you shake table salt over the damp area until the grains cover it completely.
In the moment, the white salt settles on the fabric. The red stain peeks through the layer of grains. No shift happens immediately—the spot looks the same as before.
The tablecloth rests with the salt in place. The next day, or even two, passes by. A quick look shows the salt undisturbed and the stain still colored underneath. Nothing appears to alter.
After a while, you sweep or vacuum away the salt grains. Now the fabric reveals the change. The red mark has lightened or lifted entirely. The color clung to the salt that was removed.
The salt sprinkling happened days earlier. The cleaner tablecloth emerges only after that span of stillness.