This post shows you easy but effective ways of removing ink, paint, tea, lipstick, dairy, mud, and other stains prior to switching on your portable washing machine. Life is messy. When it comes to clothes, the mess can stress you out and drain your wallet.
Maybe it is an ink pen in your pocket dripping ink or a slip while sipping tea. Perhaps it is a fall in the flower garden.
Whatever the cause, a stain can be quite stressful. But don’t fret or shop for another shirt just yet (or whatever stained garment you’re dealing with). There are several measures you can take to salvage your garment and restore it as though the stain was never there in the first place.
In this article, I will be taking you through some of the most effective methods of removing stains at home.
Let’s get started.
A note before we begin:
With almost all stains, the earlier you start the treatment process, the better.
Again, avoid rubbing the stained area especially if the stain is fresh. That will only serve to enlarge the stained area. Instead, blot out as much of the stain as you can using clean water.
Try carrying a stain stick or wipe any time you’re going out. That’s like a first aid kit for treating stains, and can be immensely helpful for alleviating the situation.
Caution – don’t put the stained clothes in the dryer before the stain is totally removed. The heat can set the stain, causing removal very difficult.
Steps: How to Remove Tough Stains from Clothes Naturally
Time to look at the solutions based on different types of stains.
Stain 1: Dye Transfer
Scratching your head over how to remove a color stain from white clothes? Maybe you have washed a white shirt together with a colored garment, only for the dye in the colored garment to transfer to your white shirt.
Or maybe it’s not a white shirt. Maybe it’s a colored garment that has been stained by the color of another colored apparel.
How to remove:
- Start by soaking the affected clothes in a washing machine using cold water. Add color remover in the appropriate quantity (perhaps a 10ml – it depends on the specific product you’re using).
- Let the clothes soak for the duration indicated on the color remover. It could be a few hours.
- After expiry of the duration, remove the clothes and see if the stain is gone.
- If it is not gone, it’s time to use a bleach. Go for a non-chlorine product like OxiClean. Soak the clothes in cold water containing the bleach for the appropriate duration, which, again, might be several hours.
- In case the stain is still not completely gone, soak the clothes yet again in cold water containing the bleach.
- That should fix the problem.
Stain 2: Juice Stains (fresh juice or other types of juices)
Juice stains can be annoying, even daunting, but they are not that hard to get off as long as you don’t let them dry on.
How to remove:
- Begin by diluting the stain with cold running water. You can place the garment under a sink, holding it such that the running water falls right on the stain.
- Apply an enzymatic laundry detergent such as BloEnzyme Power directly to the stain and give the product 15 to 30 minutes to act on the stain.
- Don’t rinse the garment just yet. Put it in the washing machine and wash it on the cycle with the hottest heat level appropriate for the fabric.
Stain 3: Blood Stains
I will cover organic stains a little later, but I deemed it fit to talk about blood stains separately since it is common, and again, it is challenging to remove for many people.
There are two types of blood stains – fresh and dried.
The fresh stains are easier to remove.
How to remove fresh blood stains:
- For the fresh stains, the first thing to do is blot the stains. Try getting as much of the blood as you can out using your fingers, and avoiding to stain the unaffected parts of the garment.
- Then, run some cold water over the stains.
- From there, soak the apparel in cold water for about two to three hours. During this time, you will need to replace the water as it turns pink. You might have to do that a few times.
- After that, you’ll see much of the stain will be gone. To finish, wash the garment as you normally do in the washing machine or otherwise.
How to remove dried blood stains:
- If the stains are dry, see if you can scratch off loose parts with your finger nails without wetting the apparel.
- Then, go ahead and soak the garment in warm water containing an enzymatic stain remover. You want to use a powerful product such as Presto because you’re dealing with tough stains here.
- In the event that the stains persist, try hydrogen peroxide. You can find some at a chemical store. Be sure to add only a few drops as this is a quite powerful chemical.
- Note that hydrogen peroxide can discolor fabric. You want to test it on an inconspicuous spot before using it.
Stain 4: Grease and Oil Stains
Grease and oil are common stains on fabric. Luckily, removing them is easier than many people perceive.
Well, there are two types of grease and oil stains – light and heavy.
How to remove light grease and oil stains:
- The first step is to pour some liquid laundry detergent on the stain. Let it sit for 5 minutes to loosen the grease/oil.
- Next, soak the apparel in cold water containing grease-fighting dishwashing product. Allow the detergent an hour to soak in.
- Lastly, remove the garment and launder it in the hottest setting appropriate in the washing machine.
How to remove heavy grease/oil laundry stains:
The trick here is to reduce the weight of the stain.
- To do that, put the affected part facedown on tissue paper/paper towels.
- Apply the grease-fighting dishwashing product to the back of the affected parts. Press down with your hands as you do so.
- This tactic serves to transfer some of the grease to the paper towels. Be sure to replace the towels as frequently as possible to transfer as much of the grease/oil as possible.
- Once you’re done, treat the stain as you would a light stain as described above.
Stain 5: Coffee/Tea Stains
These are common in the morning. You’re in a hurry to get somewhere and in the rush, your morning brew splashes on your favorite shirt or dress.
How to remove:
- Take a sponge soaked in cool water and rub it into the stain to absorb it.
- Alternatively, soak the entire apparel in cold water.
- Next, pretreat with water containing a laundry detergent, an enzymatic stain removal product, or a detergent booster. Give the pretreat solution 10 minutes to work its way into the stain.
- Lastly, launder as usual, setting the machine to the highest heat level appropriate.
Stain 6: Mud Stains
Mud is one of the common stains on kids’ clothes. When they go playing outdoors, it’s normal to come back in mud-soaked clothes.
With mud stain removal, it is better to wait until the stains are dry rather than rushing to remove them while wet. That way, you prevent the stain from setting in and becoming tougher to remove.
How to remove:
- When the mud is dry, scrape off the excess gently. You can use a soft-bristle brush to remove the excess.
- Make a paste of laundry detergent and water and put it on the stains. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Next, put the garment in a solution of water and laundry detergent and rub the fabric together. After rinsing, the stains should be gone.
- But maybe you’re trying to remove heavy mud laundry stains that don’t want to come off.
- In that case, after the initial treatment, soak the garment in a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar. Make sure first that the garment is colorfast because vinegar causes clothes to fade.
- If it is not very colorfast, soak it in water containing an enzymatic stain remover.
- Lastly, launder.
Stain 7: Ink Stains
A dripping pen can create chaos on your clad.
Writers, doctors, teachers, and people who work in offices are quite familiar with ink stains. These mostly affect shirts and overalls and lab coats.
There are a few methods for removing ink stains:
How to remove (method 1):
- Hold the garment taut over a glass or jar. The stain should be directly over the mouth.
- Drip rubbing alcohol through the stain. The alcohol will absorb the ink and drip with it to the bottom of the glass/jar. This is a clever strategy as it prevents the spread of the ink to other parts of the fabric.
- Rinse thoroughly before laundering.
How to remove ink stain (method 2):
- Use paper towels to blot away as much ink as you can.
- Apply hairspray to the stains and allow it for sit for a minute then use fresh paper towels to blot out the excess. Do this a few times to get out as much ink as possible.
- Lastly, wash the garment in water containing enzymatic stain removers.
How to remover ink stain (method 3):
- At first, don’t apply the cleaning solution to the stain directly. Instead, rub a sponge soaked in rubbing alcohol in the area around the stain.
- Put the garment over paper towels such that the stain is lying directly on the towels.
- Apply rubbing alcohol through the back, replacing the paper towels as often as needed.
- Rinse a few times, then launder.
Stain 8: Egg and Dairy Stains
Eggs and dairy products (including breast milk) are essentially proteins. Thus, removing them with hot water before they dry is extremely easy.
How to remove:
- If the stains are still fresh and wet, apply hot water to them. The hot water will cause them to cook, thereby causing them to discolor, and that way, they’ll be gone.
- But if the stains are dry, the first thing to do is scrape any excess. You can use a soft-bristle brush to remove the excess.
- Next, add some enzymatic laundry cleaner to water in a basin/bucket and soak the fabric in it. Let it sit for half an hour or more depending on how dry the stains are.
- Launder as usual.
Stain 9: Organic Stains
Organic laundry stains refer to all the fluids that the body (human and animal) produces – milk, blood, sweat, blood, vomit, eggs, etc.
I have covered blood and dairy and eggs separately, but the method described below is effective for organic fluid stains in general.
One thing that is common in almost all these stains is that they have proteins as the main building block. Thus, to remove them, heat and an enzymatic detergent will be helpful as they break down proteins.
How to remove:
- Presoak the fabric in water containing an enzymatic detergent. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Soak it again in water that has an oxygenated non-chlorine bleach added.
- Wash the garment on the highest heat level appropriate for it. By now, the stain should be gone, but the odor might still be present.
- If the odor is still there, wash the fabric again in a detergent that works specifically to remove odors.
Stain 10: Wine Stains
Have you been on a night out or at a party? Came back with wine stains? Don’t fret, here’s how to remove them.
How to remove:
- Sprinkle salt all over the stains. Salt works nicely to absorb the color from wine stains. As the salt turns color, replace it with more salt.
- Once you’re satisfied that you have absorbed some good amount of color with the salt, it is time to soak the garment.
- Add some enzymatic detergent to water and soak the fabric in there. Let it sit overnight.
- Remove the fabric and wash as usual.
Stain 11: Lipstick Stains
Lipsticks often get on blouses, shirts, and napkins.
How to remove:
- Place the fabric face down on an absorbent towel or layer of paper towels, such that the stain is lying directly on top of the towel(s).
- Soak a separate towel in rubbing alcohol and dab the stains. Replace the towel with fresh pieces as you go.
- Note, depending on the power of the lipstick, you might need to use many towels.
- If the lipstick still won’t come off, it’s time to go a step farther. Spritz some prewash spray directly on the stained area. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Then, use a soft-bristle brush to scrub the stain. Repeat this a couple times if needed.
- Lastly, rinse and dry the fabric.
Stain 12: Nail Polish Stains
During your regular beauty routines, you might get the nail polish in your clothes or a piece of fabric where the polish is unwanted. The trick involves the same product you use to remove nail polish from your nails – nail polish remover.
How to remove:
- First, place the fabric on paper towels such that the stain is lying face-down on them.
- Apply the remover to the back, so that the dye gets absorbed by the towels underneath.
- Replace the towels as you go.
- Rinse the fabric and launder it.
Note: nail polish remover shouldn’t be used on triacetate or acetate fabric.
Stain 13: Paint Stains
Whether it is that you love painting or you’ve accidentally touched your clad on a freshly painted wall, paint stains can be a headache. But there’s a way to remove them.
First, you need to know whether you’re dealing with water-based or oil-based paint.
How to remove water-based paint fabric stains:
Rinse the garment is hot water. Note that the process will be easier if the stains are wet. If they’re dry, it will take extra work as well as a little chlorine bleach.
Launder in the hottest setting appropriate.
How to remove varnish and oil-based stains from clothes:
Look for a suitable paint thinner. You can check the paint can’s label for the recommended thinner. If you cannot figure out what thinner to use, go for turpentine.
Place the fabric on a jar or a basin and hold tout, with the stain facing down directly over the opening. Apply the thinner/turpentine through the back of the stain. The dye should drip with the thinner into the jar/basin.
Rinse in cold water.
Soak the garment in water containing laundry detergent and a little prewash stain remover.
Rinse again.
Launder as usual.
Tips for Removing Fabric Stains Based on Fabric Type and Color
If there is something that is extremely important to think about when removing laundry stains, it is the color and type of fabric.
Here are a few tips to think about as you take on the task:
Tips on removing stains from blacks
- Black and other dark colors conceal stains more than white and light colors. That makes removing stains from these dark colors easier.
- One thing to remember when dealing with dark colors is to stay away from traditional bleach, as it can remove the dye from these fabrics.
- Go for oxygenated non-chlorine bleach when dealing with these fabrics. This is a weaker form of bleach that will only remove the dye in the stains while leaving the manufacturer’s dye (the color of the fabric, which is more sturdily set in) safe.
- If you’re dealing with tough stains on dark fabric, consider using hydrogen peroxide. You should be careful when using this chemical, and you should also use it sparingly. When used repeatedly, hydrogen peroxide harms fabric.
- Before using any bleaching agent, be sure to test it on an inconspicuous part of the garment to see how much effect it has.
Tips on removing stains from whites
- With whites, the sooner you embark on removing the stain, the easier the process will be.
- If you can, put a block between the stained side and the other side of the fabric. You can use another piece of cloth. That way, you will be preventing the stain from going through to the other side.
- Avoid using dark/colored items (towels/sponges) to remove stains from light-colored fabrics. That might cause the stain to darken or even introduce a whole new dye stain.
Tips on removing laundry stains from a delicate fabric
- When removing stains from a very expensive piece of fabric, or a delicate garment, you want to use a stain pretreatment that is approved for the specific fabric you’re dealing with.
- Also, ensure you’re as gentle as you can and that if you have to use heat, you make certain the temperatures you’re dealing with are what is recommended on the fabric’s label.
- If you’re doubtful about something, just take the garment to the professional laundry cleaners.
Laundry Stain Removal FAQs
How to remove old stains from clothes naturally?
- If the stains are old and set in, start by saturating them with vinegar.
- Next, make equal parts of baking soda and vinegar and rub the paste on the stained area.
- Add laundry detergent to water in a basin and spritz in some vinegar. Soak the fabric in the solution overnight.
- Rinse and launder.
How to remove food stain from a shirt fast?
If food has stained your shirt or other garment, it is better to wait for it to dry. Around 10 minutes should be enough.
- Scrape or dab as much as you can.
- Pour dish soap on the stain and give it 10 minutes to act.
- Use damp paper towels to rub the stain off.
Can I use baking soda to remove stains?
Baking soda is particularly effective on sweat/perspiration stains, as it also takes odor from clothes naturally. Add four tablespoons of baking soda into a cup half-way full of water. Pour the solution on the stain and rub it in with a small soft-bristle brush.
What removes ketchup stains on fabric?
Ketchup is a tomato and vinegar paste. If it smears on your garment, the most important thing is to take care not to rub it as that causes the stain to spread and set in.
- To remove the stain, first remove the excess with a knife or spoon.
- Then, flush it out by running cold water through the back of the stain.
- Lastly, launder the garment as usual.
- If the stain is dry and set in, you might have to use a bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide.
What household products can I use to remove tough stains from clothes?
Vinegar, dishwashing liquid soap, salt, and baking soda are some of the common household products used to remove laundry stains at home.
What can I use to remove mattress stains?
There are two methods – you can mix up household products or you can use a specialty cleaner.
Household remover for stains on mattress – make a solution of equal amounts of water and white vinegar. Spray the solution on the stains and let it sit for 15 minutes. Dab with a towel.
Then, spray a solution of baking soda and water to get rid of the odor.
If the stains are tough, spritz some hydrogen peroxide on the stain before following the steps above.
Specialty product – if you’re not interested in mucking around with the pastes, go for the OxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover. It should do the trick.
Final Word
At this point, it is my hope that my work has been helpful. There was no way I could cover all the types of stains imaginable, but I’m positive I talked about the most common ones.
Remember, before using any bleaching agent, you should always do a colorfast test. Colorfastness refers to the ability of fabric to resist fading.
To do the test, just dampen an inconspicuous part of the fabric, like the inner hem. Then, with a rub a sponge or towel dampened with the bleaching solution on the damp inconspicuous part you’re testing. That way, you will figure if it is safe to use the bleach on the fabric.
Hope you found this article to be a great resource. If you looking to buy a portable washing machine and do know where to look. Click here to get started…