Eight Difficult Stains and Easy Ways To Remove Them
Like most people, I hate getting my clothes stained. But, with two little kids in the house, it’s almost unavoidable.
I have encountered difficult stains so often, I’ve compiled a list on how to remove them. I’d like to share it now with you:
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Blood
This, for me, is the easiest stain to remove. Whether fresh or dried, I just pour hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, wipe the bubbles away and with it, the blood stains.
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Candle wax
This stain, I seldom meet, but when I do, I simply sandwich the stained fabric between two pieces of paper towel, and press with a hot iron. The hot iron will melt the wax, and the paper towels will absorb them.
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Chocolate
The fastest way to remove chocolate stains is with a tiny amount of chlorine bleach. Just pour some bleach into the cap, dip a ballpen end into the bleach, touch the wet end on the stain and wait a minute.
For larger stains, I dip an old toothbrush into the bleach instead of a pen, and brush the stain lightly.
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Grass
Like blood, hydrogen peroxide works well with grass stains. Just pour, let it froth, and wipe away.
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Grease
I used to think grease stains are permanent until my husband took them out by washing alternately with gasoline and pure dishwashing liquid!
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Ink
This one, I really hate. If you catch an ink stain soon enough, rubbing alcohol usually does the trick. Acetone or nail polish remover is good too. If it’s a bit late, try rubbing it with glycerin. If all else fails, just keep wearing the garment, and the stain will fade in time!
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Ketchup/Tomato Sauce
My son loves ketchup, so I meet this often. Like chocolate, ketchup is no match for a chlorine bleach. If you are removing stains from a colored shirt, though, wet the shirt first and keep careful watch to make sure the color doesn’t disappear with the stain. Rinse the bleach off as soon as the stain is gone.
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Mold
Gross, I know, but there they are. To remove mold stains, I use pure chlorine bleach too. Not only does it remove the stains, it also kills the mold and lessens the risk that my kids will get asthma.
Addendum:
Here’s a strange way to remove stains that my Grandma taught me: She leaves the stained clothes out in the rain! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. All I know is that it gets some stains out without any effort from me. I thought I’d share that with you too!
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Published in: Homemaking
cool runnin' | Sep 10, 2007 | Reply
There were definitely some surprises there Beatrice, thanks!
francie | Sep 11, 2007 | Reply
I enjoyed reading your methods of trying to remove the inevitable stains that appear from time to time, not just from kids but from all my laundry, large and smaller sizes. I have recently been having good luck with making a paste of Biz detergent mixed with a small amt. of water, enough to make a thick paste. I put it on the stain and brush it with an old toothbrush, leave it to dry overnight and throw it in the wash when dried…next day. I have had really good luck doing this lately. Great article, I will print off and put up in my laundry area!
DANG | Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
wow, gasoline and dishwasher fluid, i’ll try it out…thanx
Gizmo | Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
The peroxide is absolutely fabulous. I have used it for 20 years to remove blood stains. I’m a physician so this happens regularly. I also found that you can combine the peroxide with a bar of soap to remove just about any stain, including balsamic vinegar that splashes out of your salad bowl
Doc | Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
Peroxide also works for grass because they are foundational very similar molecules. Blood has a heme molecule with iron in the center. Grass has chlorophyll which is virtually identical to hemoglobin but iron is replaced with magnesium.
Philippe Duhamel | Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
About the Addendum (letting a stain stand in the rain).
The sun provides a free, non-toxic fantastic bleach.
Tomatoe stains, for instance, will fade in a few hours of sunshine. My mom noticed after moving to the country, where she used a clothline, how much whiter all her clothes became, without Javel!
So your grandma’s trick perhaps had something to do with the sun, which, as we know, never fails to come after the clouds…
cassandra | Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
spraying “greasy” bed linens with diluted citrus oil (1.5 ounces of Citra-solv mixed with water in a typical 750 ml spray bottle)
seems to help.
aCarpetCleaner | Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
Water based cleaners have little effect on oil-based stains, especially grease (oil and water don’t mix). A dry-cleaner is your best bet. Something that contains no water, usually a solution of some anhydrous cleaner and mineral spirits.
Good advice with the peroxide though. I use it frequently. I would recommend spaying the area with ammonia after the peroxide has done its job though. It halts the chemical reaction so it won’t bleach the area.
Also, bleach DOES NOT kill mold! Ask any (good) water restoration service. It will remove the discoloration, but the micro-organisms remain. You need something like microban to completely kill mold.
Beatrice | Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
It doesn’t? Uh-oh…
C A Johnson | Sep 16, 2007 | Reply
Great tips. I need to try the tip on removing ink because I always get ink on my clothes.
Darlene McFarlane | Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
I am glad you shared your tips with us. I have a problem with ink on my clothes as well and will try the rubbing alcohol trick. I usually end up as you said…wearing the garment until the ink wears off.
Great article!
Ruby Hawk | Sep 24, 2007 | Reply
You are right about the peroxide, I find it removes most stains I have, another good one is hair spray for ink stains.
Alessandra | Oct 7, 2007 | Reply
Ok, have you ever found your kid’s t shirts all smeared with felt tips? Of course the non easily washable ones?
A neighbour thought me that the alcohol based stains combines with fats.
SO
I soak my kids t shirts in milk -not fat free of course- for hours, like, say, 12.
Then procede to wash them in the washer, works like heaven.
Ciao from Italy
Paulette | Oct 10, 2007 | Reply
You can also use pourable hair spray to get ink out.
francie | Oct 14, 2007 | Reply
Just stopping back to check on your shared methods of removing
stains. I think there is Mold(?)in my son’s bathrm. on the caulking
between tiles, not sure. I guess I will try the bleach, mold is such a health issue, yuk!
I printed this out and lost it, “typical”.
Thanks again!
Michael tomy | Nov 2, 2007 | Reply
I hope these work for my sience fair project
sandylu | Nov 30, 2007 | Reply
Another trick for getting out ink is hairspray….the cheaper the better.
Kari | Jan 1, 2008 | Reply
the thing is with stains is to treat them straight away, because if they set then it might be impossible to get them out completely. i know i had trouble trying to get old ink stains out with the suggestions above. it did fade the stains, but i was also in danger of damaging the (quite thick/heavy) fabric if i carried on.
kim | Mar 29, 2008 | Reply
If all else fails burn it!
Deb 6/7/08 | Jun 7, 2008 | Reply
Blood stains–use normal saline water, soak the stain. It will take the stain right out. Works great. Chocolate stain–soak with Wisk, wash in COLD water. Grass stain soak with rubbing alcohol, then wash with Wisk.
PMR | Aug 3, 2008 | Reply
Who ever said bleach does not kill mold must not have taken (or paid attention) in chemistry and microbiology (for which I have majored in both). Bleach (chlorine or bromine based) is a heavy oxidizer and strong base. This means that it is very high on the pH scale and dissolves most organic compounds. Especially the ones that make up cellular structures. Since molds are cellular in nature and have a DNA structure similar to ours, they too are very susceptible to bleaches.
However, bleach can be very harsh on natural fibers like cotton as well. Not only does it destroy the cell covering of the mold, but it also destroys the cell walls of the cotton.
As far as remediation goes, bleach will only work if you can atomize it and fumigate the area. However, it will not prevent future mold growths and it will only kill what it touches since it oxidizes and turns to a salt on contact. There are other chemicals that work much better for this.
-Pat.
Mary | Aug 6, 2008 | Reply
How about mustard? Any ideas on getting it out of clothes? I know the sooner the better, but sometimes, it is not caught until is dry.
henry | Nov 8, 2008 | Reply
how does it work and why?
Jean | Nov 9, 2008 | Reply
gasoline is so dangerous. I just rub alittle butter or margarine into the grease stain, then wash out with soap and hot water – as hot as the fabric will stand. Works like magic.
adam | Nov 19, 2008 | Reply
I have used hairspray successfully on ink stains.
Sam | Dec 3, 2008 | Reply
A stain remover that has been successful for me is GooGone Stain Remover, from http://www.googone.com. It’s easy to use, cheap, and is safe to use on almost any material. Works pretty quickly too, I find it rather handy to have around since my sister is a clutz.
cassidy | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
If you spary hairspray on pen ink then let it dry and wash it, it works very well
veggiegirl | Apr 29, 2009 | Reply
glycerin also works on blood stains, I’ve gotten blood stains out of fabric even after the stains had been washed several times!
you can usually find glycerin in the pharmacy with the laxatives and sometimes in the cleaning aisle.
wally | May 17, 2009 | Reply
i saw nothing about chewing gum.use diesel to remove gum.it works like magic
dave | May 20, 2009 | Reply
@-@ gasoline n dishwasher fluid @-@
JUST DONT SMOKE NEAR YOUR WASHER (boom)
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Brittney | Jul 19, 2011 | Reply
what if you don’t know what kind of stain you’re treating?