Stain Removal 101

With any stain, the sooner you get it taken care of, the easier it will be. If that’s not an option, we have many variations to help remove even the most stubborn stain! Try one or mix to get your perfect stain fighter!

 

Food
  • If this stain is oil based (pizza, fries, canola oil, vegetable oil, motor oil, etc), dish liquid will be your go to.
  • Apply a small amount to the stain and scrub in. Add a drop of water and keep scrubbing. Then rinse out completely and launder as normal.
  • Check to make sure the stain is gone before drying. If the stain is still present, you can try this method again or try one of our other great methods listed below.
    • Fels Naptha – A powerful laundry bar that removes greasy, oily stains, perspiration, and ring around the collar. Wet the bar and rub it onto your stain, let rest for a few minutes, then RINSE, and launder as normal.
    • Zout – A triple enzyme remover guaranteed to remove stains such as oil, grass, baby food, sports drinks, and BBQ sauce on cotton or poly-cotton. Just spray on, let set a few minutes, then launder as normal.
    • Biz – Comes in both powder and liquid form. For tough stains you’ll want to use the powder for the unique blend of enzymes. You can soak with a ½ cup biz in a gallon of warm water for 1-4 hours or wet the stained area and create a paste (let sit for 30 minutes). Launder as normal. Biz is an excellent laundry additive to help target the daily stains as well.
    • Oxiclean White Revive – While this product works amazingly at reviving your dingy whites, it also is great at tough stains. You can add to your regular wash, create a paste, or allow the garment to soak for up to 4 hours in a warm water bath.

 

Protein
  • Protein stains are almost inevitable. You really cannot avoid them. Some common protein stains are:
    • Mud, bodily soils (sweat, tears, urine, saliva, etc), blood, baby formula, breast milk, dairy products, and eggs
  • Enzymes are key in removing protein stains. They can be built into your detergent, added as a booster, or even used separate as a stain-removing product.
    • Detergents with enzymes – Tide, Gain, Foca (powder), Persil
    • Boosters- Biz and Oxiclean White Revive
    • Stain Removers- Zout
  • Heat will set a protein stain, so do not wash on hot and make sure the stain is gone before drying.

 

Grass Stains
  • Brush off excess grass. You can use Shout Stain Remover, or if the article is white or bleachable, bleach according to the fabric directions.
  • You can soak in detergent and cold water for 1-4 hours. Always fully rinse each item before switching to a new method.
  • Check to make sure the stain is gone before drying.

 

Blood
  • The sooner you treat a bloodstain, the better!
  • First, rinse with COLD water.
  • Apply peroxide directly to the stain. It will bubble and pull out the blood. Rinse and wash with a strong enzyme detergent.
    • Biz – If you have Biz on hand, a soak with cold water and ½ cup of Biz for 1-4 hours should remove the stain completely. Check before washing.
    • Oxiclean White Revive – Place clothing and 1 full scoop of Oxiclean White Revive into cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes.

 

Urine/Feces
  • The first thing you want to do with feces is remove any excess. You can do this a few ways, but one of the easiest will be to submerge the item into the toilet. While holding it tightly, flush the toilet while dunking the item. Be extra cautious to not let the item go, potentially flushing it as well.
  • Presoak any soiled items for at least 30 minutes with a strong enzyme product with COLD water.
  • Wash all soiled items in hot water and check for staining before drying. Repeat the process if necessary to fully remove the stain.

 

Ink Stains
  • Treat an ink stain as soon as possible. Never rub, only blot gently.
  • Dip a clean q-tip or cotton ball into rubbing alcohol. Dab at the ink stain with the alcohol, switching to a new q-tip or cotton ball often, as to not spread the stain.
    • Dip another fresh cotton ball into fresh water and dab the area to remove the alcohol.
    • Allow the area to dry completely before trying to apply more alcohol.
  • Another option is to use hairspray, as it will cause the ink stain to dissolve.
    • Spray liberally until the stain is saturated with hairspray. Then blot with a damp cloth; do not rub.
    • Repeat until the stain lifts. Do not wash until you have gotten all of the ink out.

 

Sweat
  • You can use a few different methods for sweat stains.
    • Dish liquid – Mix one part dish soap with two parts hydrogen peroxide. Scrub the stain and let sit for an hour. Rinse and launder as normal.
    • Salt – Dissolve 4 tablespoons salt in 1 quart of hot water. Simply sponge the garment with the solution until the stain disappears.
    • Lemon – Scrub the stain with equal parts lemon juice and water. Launder as normal.
    • Baking soda – Create a paste with 4 tablespoons baking soda and ¼ cup warm water. Let the baking soda sit for 2 hours. Rinse and launder as normal.

 

Mold/Mildew
  • There are a few options when wanting to remove mold and mildew. Bleach is highly recommended, but we have listed other alternatives below.
    • Bleach – Soak the item in properly diluted bleach soak for 30 minutes. Alternatively, one could use vinegar in place of bleach. Rinse thoroughly and launder as normal. Do not dry.
    • Oxiclean – Create an oxy clean paste and allow it to soak on the mold/mildew. Rinse and launder as normal.
    • Vinegar – Can be used in place of bleach. Rinse thoroughly and launder as normal. Do not dry.

 

By Tiffany Wilks and Whitney Hogan