Got A Difficult Stain? Here Are 13 Of The Best Stain Removal Tips

Inside: Learn how to remove 13 of the toughest stains you’ll ever run up against. These stain removal tips will make tackling a tough stain a breeze.

It seems inevitable anytime you wear something white, cream, or a pale shade of any neutral color, that item is instantly a magnet for a drop of tomato sauce, soy sauce, or in my case, hot chocolate.

It’s as if you’ve forgotten the simple tasks of how to insert a cup, spoon, or fork into your mouth.

Stain removal tips

1. The first thing you’ll need to do when you become face-to-face with a stain is to act fast. The quicker you take care of the stain, the easier it’ll be to remove it. 

2. Never try to rub the stain out or rub a “stain remover” into the garment. Rubbing will push the stain deeper into the fibers of the fabric. If you chose to use a stain remover, spray or blot it onto the stain. 

3. Gently blot the stain with a clean, absorbent white microfiber cloth, rag, or paper towel. You’ll want to stay away from colored microfiber cloths or rags, as there’s a possibility the color may transfer onto your garment. Now instead of having one stain, you have a stain and a tie-dyed garment. 

4. When removing stains from clothes, you’ll want to work from the side of the garment that doesn’t have the stain. By attempting to remove the stain from the right side of the garment, you can force the stain even deeper into the article of clothes, which will make removing the stain almost impossible. 

5. Never mix different stain removal products, as there can be a chemical to chemical interaction which can cause severe respiratory distress, poisonous gasses, or other types of mucus membrane irritations. 

6. Once the stain has been removed, rinse the garment thoroughly and then launder as usual. 

Peachy Tip. Always make sure your clothing has been thoroughly washed after you remove the stain. Putting the stained clothes in the dryer without washing them first can potentially cause a fire due to the chemical reaction of curtains fluids in the spot remover and the heat from the dryer.

Common stain removal mistakes to avoid

1. Avoid soaking any type of protein stain (egg, vomit, blood, and or feces) in hot water. The heat will cook the stain and cause it to be absorbed into the fibers of the clothing
2. Never attempt to use an iron to remove a stain, or put the stained garment in the dryer. The heat will only set the stain further.
3. Don’t use household bleach on rust stains; it’ll just make the stain worse
4. Never iron wax from a candle. The heat from the iron will just make the wax go deeper into the fibers.
5. Never use hairspray to try to remove ink from a pen. Although it may remove the ink stain, you’ll now have to contend with a stain from the oils in the hairspray. 

General rules for the removal of stains

Before attempting to remove any stain from clothing, always read the care labels and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. 

Peachy Tip: When you remove stains from clothes, you’ll want to work from the side of the garment that doesn’t have the stain. By attempting to remove the stain from the right side of the garment, you can force the stain even deeper into the article of clothes, which will make removing the stain almost impossible. 

Adhesive tape, chewing gum, and rubber cement

Harden the surface with an ice cube. Scrape with either a dull putty knife or butter knife (one that has no serrations). Once all the stickiness is removed, saturate with a stain remover and launder as usual.

Baby formula 

Soak the stain using a product that contains enzymes such as 20 Mule Team Borax. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes to an hour, then launder as usual. 

Beverages – alcoholic drinks, coffee, soda, tea

Soak the stain in cool water. Prewash with either stain remover, or liquid laundry detergent. Let sit for 10 minutes. Launder as usual. 

Candle Wax

Place an ice cube on the article of clothes, or place it in the freezer in a plastic bag. Once the wax has completely frozen (shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes). 

Sandwich the hardened wax between two pieces of white paper towel. Using an iron on low heat, press it into the paper towel. You’ll want to continue doing this with a fresh piece of paper towel until the wax has completely melted into the paper towel. 

Once the wax has been removed, place the garment face down on another piece of paper towel, and spot-treat it with stain remover. Launder as usual.

Catsup/Tomato Sauce

Soak the stain using a product that contains enzymes such as 20 Mule Team Borax for 30 minutes. Pretreat with stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes to an hour, then launder as usual. 

Collar and cuff scuffs

Pretreat the area with stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Let soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Launder as usual. 

Crayon 

You’ll want to treat a crayon stain the same way as you would treat a candle wax stain. 

Dairy – cream, milk, ice cream

Soak the stain using a product that contains enzymes such as 20 Mule Team Borax for 30 minutes. Treat the stain with prewash stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Launder as usual. 

Eggs

Soak the stain using a product that contains enzymes such as 20 Mule Team Borax for 30 minutes. Treat the stain with prewash stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Launder as usual. 

Fruit Juice

Soak the garment in cool water. If the item is white, you’ll want to add bleach to the wash cycle, if not launder as usual. 

Makeup

Dab the stain with liquid makeup remover. If the stain is still present, soak the garment in tepid water and liquid laundry detergent for 15 minutes. Launder as usual. 

Nail Polish

Place the article of clothing face down on a clean piece of paper towel. Dab non-acetone nail polish remover on a cotton ball. Dab the stain until gone. Launder as usual (do not add bleach to the wash cycle). 

Sweat

Pretreat with stain remover. Soak the stain using a product that contains enzymes such as 20 Mule Team Borax for 30 minutes. Launder as usual. If the stain still presents itself and the garment is white, you’ll want to add bleach to the wash cycle, if not launder as usual. 

What are your favorite methods for removing hard-to-remove stains?

I’d love to hear your favorite methods for removing hard-to-remove stains. Share with a comment.

Stay Peachy!