Easy Ways to Remove Common Stains From Clothes

No one likes discovering a stain on their favorite outfit. But it’s important to act quickly when the damage is done. Stains are much more likely to come out if they’re dealt with before they set in, according to experts Patric Richardson and Mary Marlowe Leverette.

For blood stains, blot with paper towels to absorb as much liquid as possible, says Leverette. Then mix cool water with two cups of white distilled vinegar and soak overnight.

Chocolate

Chocolate is rich and tasty, but it can also stain clothing if the stain isn’t attacked quickly. Whether you or your children accidentally spill a few drops of chocolate on their clothes while eating at a restaurant or you squish chocolate hearts into upholstery fabric on Valentine’s Day, it’s important to act fast. The more set in a chocolate stain is, the more difficult it will be to remove.

Use a cloth or paper towel to gently blot chocolate stains as soon as possible, working from the outside of the stain inward. Do not rub the stains as this will work the chocolate into the fibers of your fabric, making it even more difficult to remove. Once the excess chocolate is removed, flush the stained area of the clothing with cool water and spot treat with enzyme or mild detergent as permitted by your item’s care label.

If you’re dealing with a more stubborn stain, such as one that has been in the wash for a week or longer, pretreat it with oxygen bleach (OxiClean, Nellie’s All Natural Oxygen Brightener or OXO Brite) and cool water. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for applying the solution to the clothing, such as allowing it to soak for up to an hour. Then, launder as usual. This method will work on a wide range of washable fabrics, including whites, lights, darks and activewear.

Blood

Blood can be one of the most challenging stains to remove from clothes. It is a protein stain, which tends to set quickly as it moves from the body through fabric fibers. Blood also oxidizes as it dries, changing the color from bright red to rusty brown. As with other protein stains, the sooner you act, the better.

Soak the stained garment in cold water as soon as possible. Blot the area with a cloth to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then, treat the stain with a plant-based laundry detergent or stain remover that is labeled as safe for dark fabrics. Launder the garment according to the care instructions, avoiding the dryer, which can set the stain permanently.

Some people find distilled white vinegar helpful for treating blood stains, but Forte notes that it’s not very effective and can damage rubber seals and hoses in your washing machine. She recommends rubbing the affected fabric with bar soap, or mixing a solution of baking soda and water to make a paste and applying it to the stain.

Another option is to pretreat the stain with oxygen bleach before putting it in the wash, Leverette says. Mix a solution of oxygen bleach per the package instructions, and then submerge the garment in the mixture. Let it soak overnight or for several hours. Rinse the garment with cold water, blot the area, and repeat the treatment and laundering as needed until the stain is gone.

Detergent

You can remove many types of stains from clothing, including blood, grease, deodorant and ink. The best way to tackle these stains is to pretreat them with detergent or stain remover as soon as they happen. The sooner you start, the more likely it is that they’ll be successful — although some old stains can still come out. Pretreating a garment gives your washing machine a headstart in breaking down tricky stain molecules.

Chocolate stains are a common problem and can be tough to get out. Scrape off as much of the stain as you can before rubbing in liquid laundry detergent. Soak the affected fabric for about an hour, then rinse. Repeat the process if necessary. Detergent is also effective for oil-based stains, such as grease. If the stain remains, mix equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Spread the mixture over the stain and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it on the stain for 24 hours before rinsing and washing.

Gasoline stains are a bit more challenging. First, blot the fabric with paper towels to soak up as much of the paint as possible. Then, flush the fabric by holding it wrong-side up under a forceful stream of cold water. Rinse and soap it, and wash as usual.

If the odor is mild, Leverette recommends simply washing with heavy-duty detergent and warm water. If it’s strong, she says to treat the fabric with oxygen bleach and cool water, or a product that contains those ingredients. Soak the garment for at least an hour — overnight is better. Then, wash and line dry.

Paint

Paint can help you express your creativity or turn a blank piece of fabric into something useful. However, when you’re working with latex or acrylic paint, a lot of it can get stuck to your clothes if you don’t wash your shirt or pants promptly. Luckily, both of these types can usually be removed with some quick spot treatment and a machine wash.

First, use a dull knife or scraper to gently remove any dried paint that has bound to fibers. Don’t pull at the stain too hard as this may damage or rip the clothing. Rinse off the excess paint, then flush the back of the fabric with warm running water. This will keep the paint active and make it easier to remove in the wash.

Isopropyl alcohol is great for removing acrylic paints because it breaks down bonds so the paint can be flushed away. You can also pretreat the stains with Tide To Go pretreatment pens, which have a built-in water faucet that works at your washer’s Pretreat Station (available on select Whirlpool washers). Use the pen to saturate the back of the stain and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, wash the clothing on the cycle recommended by its care label.

If you have dried acrylic or latex paint stains on your clothes, you can also try rubbing alcohol or non-acetone nail polish remover to help break down the stain. Be sure to test these cleaners on an inconspicuous part of the garment to ensure they won’t harm the fabric, and always rinse your clothing thoroughly before putting it into the dryer.

Rubbing Alcohol

The degreasing properties of alcohol make it a handy laundry booster. Hair spray, hand sanitizer, bug repellent and even rubbing alcohol can help tackle grease stains that regular detergent doesn’t break down — as long as the product contains high enough concentration of the substance.

If you have a grease stain, begin by blotting away any oily solids with a paper towel. Next, use baking soda to pull more oil from the fabric before washing. Next, add a heavy-duty detergent and wash as recommended by the label. Finally, inspect the stain before putting it in the dryer, and if necessary, pretreat with vinegar or a commercial laundry pretreatment solution.

You can also treat oil stains with chalk, which absorbs the oil without staining the fabric. Just push powdered white chalk into the stain, and let it sit. Then rinse the garment in the hottest water recommended for the fabric.

Parents often sponge rubbing alcohol onto kids’ fevers to lower their temperatures. But this practice could lead to alcohol poisoning, a life-threatening condition that causes confusion, seizures and coma. To avoid this, use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to bring down kids’ fevers instead of rubbing alcohol.

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is a healthy choice for many people as it provides natural vitamins and minerals. However, there is one problem with drinking fruit juice that is often overlooked: the staining it can leave behind on your clothes. Luckily, a few simple steps can help remove any stain from fabric, even those that have dried.

The key to removing any stain is to act quickly. The more the stain dries, the harder it will be to remove. If possible, scrape off as much of the juice as you can with a wooden spatula before it has the chance to set in. This will also prevent the stains from soaking into your fabrics as well as furniture and carpets.

If the stain has already dried, first soak up as much of the excess as you can with a cloth dampened with cold water. Then, apply a cleaning solution made of a tablespoon of white vinegar and a cup of cold water to the stain. Apply this solution, then dab gently and rinse. Next, wash the stained garment or fabric as directed on the care label.

If the stain still remains, try using a commercial laundry stain remover stick, spray or gel on the affected area of the fabric before washing it. This will usually work to lighten or remove the stain without damaging your clothing. Finally, if possible, lay the garment or fabric in direct sunlight to fade the stain before drying it.