Stain removers. There’s spray, foam, stick, pen, and even pods.
There are products for certain stains and others that advertise formulas that work best with certain fabrics. They all seem to work okay but I’ve seen some of these products that cost more than my favorite jeans.
There are some very simple stain removal secrets that have been passed down the generations that work great. Back in grandma’s day there was not as many products created specifically to remove stains.
They used items you’d already have in the kitchen. It’s rare that I’ve seen something that grandma treated with these items come out of the wash with the stain still present.
We can thank grandma for those tips because they still work well today and will definitely save you some money. With two teenagers and a goldendoodle, stain removal is a must-have trick up my sleeve.
It’s not witch-doctor, it’s legit.
Here are some old-fashioned tips for stain removal:
1. ACT FAST — THE FIRST TWO MINUTES MATTER MOST
The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove. By intervening within the first couple of minutes, you can prevent the stain from bonding with the fabric.
Make sure all family members are on board with stain removal, though my teenagers can’t always be counted upon to attend to a stain right away. It’s amazing how many times there’s a mysterious stain on the couch that no one admits to seeing.
Trust me, it is much easier to get out a stain within minutes of its occurrence than days later.
2. BLOT, NEVER RUB
When a stain occurs, our first inclination is to take a towel and scrub away at it. Resist.
Vigorously rubbing the stain makes it worse. It drives the stain deeper into the fabric, spreads it farther, and may damage the fabric.
Instead, take a clean, white cloth or a paper towel that hasn’t been used and gently blot the stain. Start on the outer edges of the stain and work towards the center, pressing straight down.
If you’re adding any sort of product to the stain, blot the product in and up, never rub.
3. SALT ON FRESH LIQUID SPILLS
If a drink or other liquid ends up on fabric, sprinkle a thick layer of salt over the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, then brush off.
Salt will soak up fresh stains before they have a chance to set. Salt can come in really handy during the holidays as guests are passing dishes on the table.
If someone knocks over a glass of red wine on the tablecloth, someone else can reach for the salt. Same thing if your kiddo spills a glass of juice or coffee.
You’ll likely already have salt right there on the table.
4. COLD WATER FOR BLOOD STAINS
Blood stains are best treated by washing them in COLD water only, as hot water will cause the proteins in blood to bind to the fibers of your clothes. Rinse blood stains in cold water as soon as you get them and follow up with dish soap or hydrogen peroxide to remove any remaining marks.
Other options include making a solution of salt and cold water and dabbing the stain. This applies to cuts, nosebleeds, or that weird stain on your jeans by your knees for no reason you can’t fathom.
5. CLUB SODA ON FRESH FABRIC STAINS
I’m a sucker for old wives’ tales…or wives’ tips, rather. Back in the day, before I was alive, club soda was commonly used to treat stains.
The bubbles help to lift stains by agitating them before they have a chance to settle in. Just pour the club soda onto the stain, watch it fizz away, and blot with a clean cloth.
It’s especially helpful to treat stains with club soda right away – think, oops, I spilled coffee/wine/juice on my white blouse – and gives you some wiggle room to get it in the wash sooner rather than later. And if you’re away from home remedies…I mean cleaning remedies, club soda makes a good alternative.
6. CORNSTARCH ON GREASE STAINS
Just as cornstarch can absorb oil in your hair (hello, dry shampoo), it can do the same to your clothes. Sprinkle cornstarch on top of a new grease stain and let it sit for 15-30 minutes before brushing off.
Wash as usual, using some dish soap on the stain, which leads me to my next point…
7. DISH SOAP ON GREASE AND OIL STAINS
This one’s pretty obvious – dish soap is meant to cut through grease – but it also works great on fabrics. Apply dish soap directly onto a grease or oil stain such as cooking oil, butter, food grease, or motor oil, rub in with your fingers, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Rinse and wash as usual.
Oil stains can be incredibly difficult to deal with. We’ve been using Dawn dish soap to combat them for years and it works like a charm.
Since it’s advertised as safe to use on animals affected by oil spills, surely it can handle olive oil on kitchen towels. It’ll work on clothes, too.
Just work it into the stain, let it sit for a bit, and wash as usual.
8. HYDROGEN PEROXIDE ON PROTEIN STAINS
Protein stains include blood, perspiration, dairy, and eggs. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to help remove these types of stains.
Simply apply hydrogen peroxide and allow it to bubble for a few minutes. Next, rinse the item with cold water.
For more set-in protein stains, add hydrogen peroxide to dishwashing liquid and form into a paste. Apply to stain, allow to sit, then rinse with cold water.
WARNING: hydrogen peroxide may lighten colors. Test in inconspicuous area and leave hydrogen peroxide for a brief amount of time.
This tip works particularly well for perspiration stains on white items and blood stains on lighter-colored items.
9. BAKING SODA PASTE ON SET STAINS
Combine baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste. Apply to stain and allow to sit 30 to 60 minutes.
Remove paste by brushing off item and launder as usual. Baking soda is a mild abrasive and helps to remove stains.
Baking soda can be used to remove food, mildew, and perspiration stains. Baking soda is a deodorizer as well.
Save that shirt from the trash using this low-cost item.
10. WHITE VINEGAR ON DEODORANT STAINS
The aluminum found in anti-perspirants reacts with clothing, forming those pesky white stains. Fill a basin with white vinegar.
Submerge underarm areas of shirts and allow to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Remove and launder as usual.
For more stubborn stains, an old toothbrush may be used to remove them. For perspiration stains, combine white vinegar with baking soda.
11. LEMON JUICE AND SUNLIGHT ON WHITE FABRIC
Apply fresh lemon juice directly onto discoloration, yellowing, or sweat marks and hang or lay item in the sun. The combination of citric acid, the main ingredient in lemon juice, and the sun’s UV rays create a bleaching effect.
After a while in the sun, rinse and launder as usual.
12. MEAT TENDERIZER ON PROTEIN STAINS
Did you know meat tenderizer, the unseasoned kind, can be helpful in removing protein-based stains, such as blood, dairy, eggs, etc.? Meat tenderizer has an enzyme that literally digests proteins.
Add a little cold water to a small amount of the tenderizer to make a paste and apply to stain. Allow to sit for about half an hour and rinse well.
Wash as usual. Meat tenderizer seems to be more effective on newer stains on items made from natural fibers such as cotton and linen.
Just be sure to use the unseasoned tenderizer or else you’ll be faced with a new stain to remove.
13. RUBBING ALCOHOL ON INK AND MARKER
Alcohol works well on many types of marker and pen stains because it’s a solvent for many types of ink. Apply alcohol directly onto the stain using a cotton ball or piece of fabric that has been soaked with the rubbing alcohol.
Apply to stain and allow to sit for a minute. Using a clean, dry piece of fabric, blot the stain.
Do not rub. Repeat until no more ink transfers to the fabric and launder as usual or with a little dishwashing liquid.
Test the alcohol on an out of the way area before using to make sure it won’t remove the item’s dye.
14. SHAVING CREAM ON CARPET STAINS
Plain, old-fashioned (white, unscented) foam shaving cream is a great carpet cleaner. Apply directly on stains like mud, coffee, or juice and let sit for about half an hour.
Shaving cream sinks into carpet fibers better than some cleaners that saturate all the way through the carpet. Blot with a wet rag and blot with a dry rag.
Done!
15. WD-40 ON CRAYON AND WAX STAINS
Crayon and other wax-based stains, such as lip balm or candle wax, are easily removed from clothing with WD-40. Afterwards, apply dishwashing liquid to remove the oily WD-40, and toss into the washing machine as usual.
16. ICE ON GUM AND WAX
Rather than desperately trying to pick at chewing gum stuck to clothing and likely ripping out half your shirt along with it, cover the gum with a few ice cubes or a bag of frozen veggies. The gum will get brittle and you’ll be able to pop it right off. Rubbing alcohol or WD-40 can be used to get rid of any leftover gummy mess. Candle wax stains can be treated in a similar fashion.
Hold the gum in the freezer or under an ice cube until it becomes hard. Then, crack it off the item.
At this point, there’s probably going to be a stain. Treat the stain.
It’s very easy to push gum into fabric instead of pulling it out, so make sure to freeze it first.
17. BOILING WATER ON BERRY AND FRUIT STAINS
Fresh berry stains, fruit juice stains and tomato stains can be removed with nothing more than boiling water. Hold the stained area of the item over a bowl and pour boiling water on the stain from a height of a few inches.
Do not use this trick on fabrics that are sensitive to heat, such as wool or silk. The heat from the water will force the stain out of the fabric without spreading the stain.
Never give up on that beautiful garment with the blueberry/blackberry/strawberry stain until you’ve tried this trick.
18. CHALK ON FRESH GREASE STAINS
In the same way that cornstarch is a magic grease remover, so is chalk. Apply plain, old, white chalk to a fresh grease stain.
Let it sit for five to ten minutes and then brush it off. The chalk will absorb the grease.
This trick is good to know for times when you’re away from cornstarch, talcum powder, laundry detergent, etc. Greasy salad dressing on your blouse while eating out?
Chalk it is. Kids mean an ample supply of chalk in the house.
Use it to tackle butter stains on tablecloths as well.
19. ASPIRIN PASTE ON SWEAT STAINS
Take two to three aspirins, crush them, making sure there is no coating on the aspirin, and add enough warm water to form a paste. Apply it to sweat stains and leave it for two to three hours before washing.
Aspirin contains salicylic acid, which breaks down the compounds that cause those nasty yellow stains in white or light-colored clothing. Need more stain-fighting power?
Add some hydrogen peroxide to the aspirin and water before applying it to the stain.
20. WHITE WINE ON RED WINE
Of course we knew white wine was the antidote for a bad night caused by drinking too much red wine…but did you know that it also acts as a stain remover for red wine stains?!
Red Wine Stain? Add some white wine.
Yes, it’s true. Pour some white wine on the red wine stain as soon as possible to help lift the stain and then blot.
After that follow up with a dab of salt or some club soda. White wine doesn’t fix the stain but can help when used as an emergency measure.
Be sure to wash the garment as soon as possible.
21. DISH SOAP AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FOR TOUGH SET STAINS
For those set-in stains that just will not seem to budge after being washed such as food stains, grass stains, sweat stains etc., this is an excellent remedy. Simply mix together one part dishwashing liquid and two parts hydrogen peroxide.
Apply the mixture to the stain and allow to sit on the fabric for 30 minutes. Rinse and wash as usual.
Note: Use only on colors and materials that have been pre-tested on an inconspicuous area. Do not use on colored fabrics as peroxide can remove the color.
This mixture will not necessarily bring the garment back from the dead if it’s already been through the dryer, but is certainly worth a shot.
22. CREAM OF TARTAR ON FABRIC STAINS
A common baking item found in most homes, cream of tartar, when mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar to make a thick paste can remove tough stains. Apply paste to stain and allow to sit 30 minutes, then rinse and launder.
This method works well on many types of stains including yellowing on whites, ink stains, and even rust stains. As a mild acid, the paste works well on stains that form when fabrics are exposed to the air (oxidize) and works well on rust rings from snaps and buttons.
I prefer this method to using a rust remover on light and white items.
23. MILK ON FRESH INK STAINS
Apply a little milk to a fresh ink stain, especially for ball point pen, allow to sit then launder. Works best on whites and light colored items.
Ink stains are pretty much impossible to remove, but soaking them in milk works wonders. Try to find a container that will hold the portion of the item with the ink stain.
Fill it with milk and submerge the item. Leave it for a couple of hours or overnight.
Remove the item from the milk, rinse, and re-examine the stain. It should be considerably lighter.
Milk is a much milder option for removing ink stains than rubbing alcohol, making it better on delicate items. It doesn’t always work, however, especially if the stain is not new and/or has been exposed to dryer heat.
But if your ballpoint pen exploded in the dryer, there’s nothing to be done anyway.
24. DISH SOAP ON GRASS STAINS
Our kids are outside every chance they get, so we deal with grass stains constantly. And our rambunctious Goldendoodle loves the yard, too.
Dish soap is fantastic for removing grass stains. Apply dish soap directly to the stain and rub it in with an old toothbrush or your fingers.
Give it 15-20 minutes, then rinse. Repeat as necessary.
It will not always completely remove grass stains that have dried on clothing, but combined with hydrogen peroxide and some extra patience, dish soap will get those pesky stains to give up their chlorophyll and other plant-based secretions.
25. NEVER PUT A STAINED ITEM IN THE DRYER
This one has saved SO many items for us. Before putting something into the dryer, take thirty seconds to check for stains.
If you see anything, take a closer look. You may be able to treat it right then and wash it again.
Or, if you’re not confident that the spot has been fully removed, allow the item to air dry first and inspect it before placing it in the dryer. Either way, you’ve saved yourself hours of stain-fighting because you resisted putting it in the dryer.
Once a stain is heated, it’s chemically bonded to the item and MUCH harder to get out. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.
Trust me, don’t skip checking damp laundry for stains.
26. GLYCERIN TO LOOSEN DRIED AND SET STAINS
You’ll find glycerin anywhere medical supplies are sold. It can help with dried food stains and certain ink stains.
Glycerin softens dried stains so they’ll be easier to loosen and remove. Just leave it on the stain for an hour and then treat with dish soap or stain remover as described above.
27. KEEP A STAIN KIT IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM
The best way to get out stains is to deal with them right away. Having all of your stain-fighting products together makes it easier to do just that.
Assemble a kit with white vinegar, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, cornstarch, rubbing alcohol and glycerin and keep it in your laundry area. Before you know it, you’ll be able to remove nearly every stain in your home without reaching for an expensive and often ineffective specialty stain remover.
Grandma would have been proud of you.
It doesn’t take a lot of money or space and you won’t have to remember which specialty product is right for which stain. You’re welcome.
And the last but not the least thing to remember is act quickly. Most stains can be removed if treated quickly.
Technique is more important than brand. Time of removal is more important than product.
Chances are, that item you need to remove a pesky stain is sitting in your kitchen right now and may even outperform commercial products.
So next time you have a stain on your hands…err, clothes, reach for these household products before panicking.
We started this whole cleaning tip’s series off with this gem: 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts
Check out all of the amazing things you can clean with one of your cleaning superpowers in this post: 31 Things You Can Clean With Baking Soda
Another household item with cleaning powers is Vinegar. Get the scoop here: 33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar
There are tons of other great cleaning posts here at Coupon Cravings including 29 Vintage Kitchen Cleaning Habits Worth Bringing Back and many others. If you’ve been looking for alternative or simpler ways to do some of your household cleaning, Coupon Cravings is your new resource.
Next time you’re in the laundry room looking for a cleaning hack, check out: 29 Old-Fashioned Laundry Tips That Beat Modern Detergent Pods.