Modern stain removers come in a variety of forms including sprays, foams, sticks, pens, pods, and at least three variants that claim to be specially formulated for whichever item of clothing you just spilled something on. Most of them work okay, however, the vast majority of them cost more than the actual shirt – ugh! In comparison, a lot of old-fashioned alternatives that have been in use for generations are still effective, and often way more cost efficient.
My grandma dealt with stains using items in the kitchen, and nothing ever stayed ruined for long. I have two teenagers and a goldendoodle, which means stain removal is not a hobby in this house — it is a necessary skill and required habit. I have tested most of these out of necessity and can confirm they are not just old wives’ tales.
1. Act Fast — The First Two Minutes Matter Most
The most important part of stain removal is doing it quickly. The sooner you can get to a stain, the easier it will be to remove as it won’t have time to bond with the fibers. Removing a stain after a few days is nearly impossible. The moment something spills, make sure to soak it up, do something to treat it, and make sure not to let it set. Whatever else you do, it will work better if you do this first.
It may seem obvious, but I continue to find stains on the couch that no one can remember creating. In a house with teenagers, taking care of something quickly is a group activity, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
2. Blot — Never Rub
Rub some stains into a fabric even further, and spread them out. Blot some stains up and out. Blotting is both an art and somewhat of a science. When treating a stain, it is best to use a clean white cloth or an unused paper towel and press straight down, working from the outer edge of the stain and moving toward the center of stain. This guideline applies to all methods of stain treatment. Blot the stain cleaning solution in and blot the stain cleaning solution up. Resist the urge to scrub.
Blotting is the right option! Rubbing can feel nice for some people, but it’s almost always the wrong choice. Think about it. The fabric can get ripped, the stain can get larger, and the supposed satisfaction you got from rubbing is a total lie. Every time. Blot.
3. Salt on Fresh Liquid Spills
If you put a lot of salt on a fresh spill of red wine, coffee, or juice, it will absorb some of the liquid before it can set. After you put salt on the stain, allow it to sit for several minutes and absorb as much as it can. When you are finished, brush the salt off and treat the area. This will keep the stain from meeting the fibers, and it will buy you time to do a proper wash.
Salt is always right on the table for dinner, and that is precisely when someone spills something show-stopping. Because the items are already accessible, it’s one of the most practical emergency stain hacks. Especially remember this for holiday meals and tablecloths.
4. Cold Water for Blood Stains
Never use hot water to remove blood stains because it can cause the proteins in the blood that is in the clothes to stick to the fabric. For a better result, make it your priority to remove some of the stain as quickly as possible. To do that, rinse the affected area under some cold running water. After doing that, apply some dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, or a mixture of salt and cold water.
Using hot water on blood stains secures them to the material. This applies to your new cut, your nose bleed, and to whatever happened to the knee of the jeans that appeared in the laundry with no explanation. Always start with cold water.
5. Club Soda on Fresh Fabric Stains
Stains can be lifted out of fabrics by the carbonation in club soda because they help agitate the stain particles before they set. Pour it on the stain and leave it there to fizz and then dab it with a new cloth. This is not going to work for every stain, but it works great for coffee, wine, and juice stains if done immediately. This also gives you time before having to treat the stain fully.
While out and about and away from my cleaning supplies, I appreciate that I can use club soda to clean stuff. I also appreciate that I can keep some in my refrigerator to keep it cold. I know that it may sound like I am providing some advice straight out of the 1970s, but it is surprisingly useful.
6. Cornstarch on Grease Stains
For fifteen to thirty minutes, sprinkle some cornstarch all over the fresh grease stain. The cornstarch will absorb some of the oil so that the fabric does not set the stain. Brush it away, and wash the fabric after treating the remaining stain with dish soap. This method works on stains made with cooking oil, butter, salad dressing, and fat-based stains.
Cornstarch absorbs oil just like dry shampoo does. Older homemakers kept cornstarch handy; they knew it served a purpose beyond baking. I like to pretend I knew of this trick instead of finding the greasy shirt three days later and wishing for a miracle.
7. Dish Soap on Grease and Oil Stains
Because dish soap is designed to tackle grease, it works great on oil based stains on fabric. Put a little bit of dish soap directly on the stain, rub it in gently with your fingers, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing. After that, wash it like you normally would. This should get out stains from cooking oil, motor oil, butter, and other food-related grease stains.
For years, this household has depended on Dawn dish soap for oil stain removal. Since this soap is advertised as safe to use on animals after an oil spill, then surely it can handle the olive oil that ended up on a kitchen towel. To use, apply the soap to the stain and let it sit before washing as you normally would.
8. Hydrogen Peroxide on Protein Stains
Hydrogen peroxide helps remove stains from proteins from blood, eggs, dairy and sweat. To use, apply directly to stains, wait a few minutes while it bubbles, and rinse with cold water. You’ll need to mix a small amount of dish soap with hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for removing more difficult stains. Note that hydrogen peroxide can lighten some colored fabrics, so do a test on an area that cannot be seen first.
This is the combination that takes care of the stains that nothing else seems to touch. Blood stains on light shirts, sweat stains on white fabric – hydrogen peroxide is almost always the answer. Just be sure to check the fabric color first, and avoid leaving it on for too long.
9. Baking Soda Paste on Set Stains
Combine baking soda with enough water to create a thick paste and apply it directly to a stain. Wait thirty minutes to an hour before brushing it off and washing it like normal. The combination of the baking soda’s slightly abrasive action along with its ability to neutralize odors makes it useful for a variety of stains on fabrics, including sweat, food, and mildew.
Baking soda paste is usually the last effort made before you decide something is ruined for good. Sure, it’s not a magic solution for everything, but you might be surprised what it works for, and since it costs so little, it’s worth a shot to save an article of clothing from total loss.
10. White Vinegar on Deodorant Stains
The white substance that shows up on shirt underarms due to deodorant is a reaction to the aluminum in antiperspirant and the material of the shirt. White vinegar removes it. Soak the area with the buildup in white vinegar for 30 minutes before washing it. For extreme buildup, scrub the area with an old toothbrush after soaking. This also removes sweat stains when used with baking soda.
Deodorant stains are one of the most frustrating problems when it comes to stain removal. But did you know that deodorant stains are easily fixable? This is one of those life hacks that your grandma would know off the top of her head, while most people today may be unaware or are using some sort of specialty spray. All you need is white vinegar, let it sit for 30 minutes, and then wash it as you normally would.
11. Lemon Juice and Sunlight on White Fabric
Apply fresh lemon juice to the stained white fabric and then lay the item flat in the sun. The combination of citric acid and UV light acts as a natural bleach. It eliminates yellowing, sweat stains, and general discoloration from white and light-colored fabrics without using chemical bleaches. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and wash afterward.
This trick is effective on the dingy yellowing that sets into white t-shirts and linens over time. Plus, it feels good to use this method rather than a commercial bleach product. The best part is that the sun does most of the work, and that is free.
12. Meat Tenderizer on Protein Stains
Unseasoned meat tenderizer has protein-digesting enzymes which break down stains like blood, eggs and dairy that have protein in them. Apply some meat tenderizer mixed with cold water until it forms a paste, and spread the paste on the stain. After 30 minutes, rinse and wash the fabric. This method works the best on fresh stains and on fabrics made from natural fibers like cotton or linen.
It seems odd at first, but if you consider what a meat tenderizer does to protein, it begins to make sense. It’s one of those classic pantry tricks that works on a level most people haven’t thought of. The meat tenderizer only works on unseasoned meats. Tenders to season your meat will leave behind their own staining situation.
13. Rubbing Alcohol on Ink and Marker
Rubbing alcohol breaks down the ink and permanent marker solvents, which is why it’s one of the best ways to treat pen and marker stains on fabric. Just apply it to the stain with a cotton ball and let it sit for a minute. Then, blot (do not rub) it with a clean cloth. Repeat this until the ink is gone. After, use dish soap and wash the fabric as normal. Be careful and test it on a hidden part of the fabric first because it may change the color of certain dyes.
Pen explosions in shirt pockets and marker incidents, which I will not place blame on, have come across rubbing alcohol in this house and lost. It works surprisingly well on what seems to be an unwinnable situation. The secret right way is to blot and show some patience instead of rubbing it into a bigger and lighter version of the original problem.
14. Shaving Cream on Carpet Stains
To remove stains such as juice, coffee, and mud, apply plain white shaving cream to the carpet stain, allow it to sit for thirty minutes, and then blot it clean. The foam will sink into the fibers of the carpet without soaking the carpet’s backing and will act like a carpet cleaner. After applying the cream, you just have to blot it again using a damp cloth and then blot it dry to remove the foam. Remember to use plain white foam shaving cream, not gel.
Every time I mention this, I get a look of skepticism, then it works, and people are surprised. The one that actually works is the plain foam version. The blue gel version will give you a blue carpet and a lesson learned. Only white foam.
15. WD-40 on Crayon and Wax Stains
In the upholstery and fabric industry, WD-40 is effective for breaking down crayon and other wax based stains. Just spray a little on the stained area, and after letting it sit for a few, use dish soap to cut the oily residue before machine washing. This removes ground in stains including crayon, lip balm, and candle wax. While it may seem like putting oil on a stain would make it worse, WD-40 loosens the wax and allows dish soap to remove the stain.
Finding crayon stains in clothes may appear like a disaster, but it is recoverable. The process is to apply WD-40 to the stain, then apply dishsoap to remove the WD-40, and rewash the clothes again. This is more complicated than what is typical in laundry situations, but it works, and the clothes are saved. I know this from experience, and I would prefer not to deal with this.
16. Ice on Gum and Wax
Place the ice cubes or a bag of frozen veggies against the gum or candle wax stuck to the fabric until the gum or wax freezes. Since it’s now solid, the gum or wax will break off easily without stretching or tearing the fibers of the fabric. After more wax or gum has been removed, treat any remaining residue with rubbing alcohol or WD-40.
It may seem like a catastrophe to have gum stuck to fabric, but here’s a simple solution! You can freeze the gum, crack it off, and then treat the left-over stain. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to pick it off when the gum is still soft. This will only make the situation worse as it will work the gum deeper into the fibers of your fabric.
17. Boiling Water on Berry and Fruit Stains
Place the stained fabric over a bowl. Pour boiling water over the stain from a height of a few inches. The force and heat of the water will push the stain out of the fabric instead of spreading it. This works exceptionally well for fresh berry, fruit juice, and tomato stains. Do not do this on silk, wool, or other heat sensitive materials.
This method may seem a little aggressive, but boiling water is better than any other method for berry stains. Whether it’s blueberry, blackberry, or strawberry, berry stains from any berries seem permanent. Before tossing the garment, give boiling water a chance; the results can be quite satisfying.
18. Chalk on Fresh Grease Stains
Simply grab some normal white chalk and rub it on the fresh grease stain. After, let it sit for about five to ten minutes, and then brush it off. The chalk does the same thing as cornstarch, and is able to pull out a lot of the grease so you can wash it. This trick is great when you are not near any of your laundry supplies.
With kids in the house, there always seems to be chalk around. Surprisingly, it has a legitimate use! Here’s the trick for the butter or salad dressing situation at a restaurant when you don’t have a chance to get to a laundry room and do something before the stain sets.
19. Aspirin Paste on Sweat Stains
Make a paste by crushing 2-3 uncoated aspirin tablets and mixing it with warm water. Spread this paste on the stained fabric and then leave it there for 2-3 hours before doing the laundry. The salicylic acid in aspirin is able to break down the compounds in sweat that cause yellow stains and build up on white or light fabric.
Stains from sweat on white shirts are both a cumbersome and an annoying laundry issue, and this is one of the better solutions for it. Aspirin paste and if necessary, hydrogen peroxide, work on most of what other products fail to get. It’s more time-consuming, but it does the job.
20. White Wine on Red Wine
When a red wine stain is fresh, pour some white wine on it. The white wine acts as a solvent and helps lift some red wine before it sets. After you pour the white wine, blot the stain because you want to absorb as much liquid as possible. Then, you can treat the stain with some salt or some club soda. This is just a first response trick and is not a complete solution. As soon as you treat stain, properly wash it so you can prevent the wine from setting to the fibers of the fabric.
It might sound like a gimmick to try to get you to pour more wine, but this little party trick does help as an initial response to a wine spill. While it won’t completely remove the stain, it definitely makes the follow up treatment more effective. So, get it done quickly, use what you have at your disposal, and treat it properly afterwards.
21. Dish Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide for Tough Set Stains
To treat a specific stain or a set-in stain I recommend using a mixture of one part dish soap and two parts hydrogen peroxide. Apply the mixture to the stain and let it sit for thirty minutes and then rinse and wash it. This mixture works well for food stains, grass stains and stains caused by sweat which have been washed before. Before using the mixture to treat a stained area, test it in an inconspicuous place, as hydrogen peroxide can bleach colored fabrics.
One combination I use often is when something is already washed and dried and I see the stain is still there. If you wash and dry a stained item, you set it with heat, so it makes this more of a shot situation, but this mixture gives it the best chances of working. It works more often than it should.
22. Cream of Tartar on Fabric Stains
You can create a paste using cream of tartar mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar and apply it to stains on white or light-colored fabric. After applying it, let it sit for thirty minutes then rinse and wash it. This combination works particularly well with rust stains, ink stains, and yellowing. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps oxidized stains break down without the commercial rust remover aggressiveness.
Most baking cabinets have cream of tartar that is only used for baking about twice a year. I didn’t know it could also be useful for laundry. Cream of tartar is especially good for rust-ring stains that metal buttons and snaps leave on fabric over time.
23. Milk on Fresh Ink Stains
Try soaking an item stained with ink in milk overnight. This might help draw the ink from the fabric fibers. Completely submerge the stained area and let it sit for a few hours, or overnight, before washing. This method is more gentle than using rubbing alcohol, and works best on delicate fabrics, as it is ideal for fresh ink stains as opposed to older, dried, or set ones.
This is one of those age-old remedies that seems like it shouldn’t work, but actually does. It isn’t going to help if a ballpoint pen exploded in a dryer, but if you are working with an ink stain on a delicate piece of fabric, it is a fair first try before you reach for something harsher.
24. Dish Soap on Grass Stains
Apply dish soap directly to the stain and scrub it onto the fabric using an old toothbrush or your fingers. Allow it to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing and washing it. Since dish soap is great at breaking down the chlorophyll and other plant compounds, it works best on grass stains when you do it before the stain has dried. For more tough and stubborn stains, use hydrogen peroxide afterwards.
Kids and a rambunctious goldendoodle who loves the yard makes grass stains a given. For fresh stains, dish soap applied before washing does the trick. Dried and set stains take dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, and patience, but can be removed.
25. Never Put a Stained Item in the Dryer
Heat bonds most stains to fabric. If you treat the stain, wash the item, and are unsure if the stain is completely treated, let the item air dry. Check to see if the stain has been removed before putting the item in the dryer. Once an item is put in the dryer and a stain is present, the heat bonds the stain to the fabric making removal much harder. This one rule prevents more stains than any cleaning product.
Always check before drying. The dryer is notorious for making stains permanent, and nobody notices until the garments come out warm and the stain has been baked in. In a busy household, air drying and checking takes 30 seconds and saves clothing on a regular basis.
26. Glycerin to Loosen Dried and Set Stains
You can find glycerin almost anywhere they sell medical supplies. It helps loosen dried stains by rehydrating and softening them, making the stain easier to treat and lift from the fabric. Simply use a little bit on the stain and leave it there for an hour before treating it with dish soap or your regular stain remover and then putting it in the wash. It also works well for food stains that have dried up, certain types of ink stains, and stains that have gone through the wash a few times.
Most people don’t know about this step: glycerin. Glycerin will loosen and rehydrate dried stains before you treat the stain, which helps everything else work better. Glycerin is inexpensive and has a long shelf life, so it is definitely worth adding to your laundry cabinet.
27. Keep a Stain Kit in the Laundry Room
The best way to remove a stain is to have the right supplies on hand to act quickly. A DIY kit that includes white vinegar, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, cornstarch, and rubbing alcohol can tackle nearly all stains that occur in the home, no need to buy specialty products. Keep the kit in one spot so you can catch every stain and save your shirts!
Grandma didn’t have specialty stain sprays in cabinets. She had a pantry full of things that could be useful and the know-how to grab what she needed. The kit approach recreates that without the need to memorize a dozen competing products. It’s the most straightforward improvement you can make to your laundry routine, and it costs almost nothing to assemble.
Most stains won’t be permanent if you act quickly and use the right methods. Stains aren’t as bad as they seem and there are many cleaning products you probably have at home that work better than store bought products. Your methods are more important than the brand you use, and speed is more important than the product you have.
For more old-school cleaning methods worth bringing back, check out 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts — that post started this whole series. And if you’re tackling a specific surface or appliance rather than a fabric stain, 33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar has most of those covered.