First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off the excess with a spoon, without pressing it into the fabric.
- Run cold water over the stain to flush out as much as you can.
- Blot, don't rub, and keep the item away from the dryer until the stain is gone.
Avocado is a combination stain, with an oily part and a fruit-colored part, so the greasy layer gets treated first. Avocado has a higher fat content than most fruits, which is why a liquid detergent pretreatment matters before the fruit color is tackled. Guacamole follows the same order, and marks that have set for a while need an enzyme soak for several hours before a wash.
Work a little liquid detergent into the spot first, then wash as usual. Guac out of clothes follows the same order, so the same approach works for it. Check the spot in good light after washing, and only move on once it has fully lifted.
5 items
What you'll need
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- Liquid laundry detergentBreaks down the oily part before anything else. (opens Amazon)
- A spoonLifts off the excess without spreading it.
- An enzyme productGoes after the fruit-colored mark once the oily part is gone. (opens Amazon)
- A basin or sinkKeeps the garment fully submerged during the soak. (opens Amazon)
- A bleach safe for the fabricOnly for the last traces on white cotton or linen, and only if the label allows it. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
How to get avocado out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Scrape off the excess
Lift off as much of the avocado as you can with a spoon, and keep the spoon moving so you don't press it into the fabric. Then run cold water over the stain from the back so it pushes out the way it came in.
Tip. Work from the outside edge toward the middle so the stain doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 75 minutes
Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent
Pour liquid laundry detergent straight onto the stain, then gently rub the fabric together so the oily part gets worked in. Leave it for 5 minutes, then rinse.
Tip. Use your fingers so you can feel when the spot starts to loosen.
Step 3 of 71 hour
Soak the garment in detergent water
Fill a basin with water and add liquid laundry detergent, then submerge the garment completely. Keep it under the water for the full hour so the oily part keeps loosening.
Step 4 of 7
Wash in the hottest allowed water
Wash the garment in the hottest water the care label allows, using the normal cycle. Once the detergent and soak have loosened the oily part, the heat helps carry it out of the fabric.
Step 5 of 730 minutes
Treat the fruit mark with enzymes
If a fruit-colored mark is still visible after the wash, pretreat it with an enzyme product or soak it in one for at least 30 minutes. Then launder the garment again.
Step 6 of 7
Check the spot before drying
Look at the spot in good light before the garment goes anywhere near heat, since damp fabric can hide a faint mark. If anything still shows, repeat the enzyme step and wash again.
Tip. If you're not sure it's gone, let the item air-dry and check it again.
Step 7 of 7
Finish with a fabric-safe bleach
Only if the fruit color still shows, use a bleach safe for the fabric, diluted as the label says. Rinse everything out thoroughly, then check the spot again before the garment goes anywhere near the dryer.
Careful. Never use chlorine bleach on wool, silk or spandex. On white cotton or linen, chlorine is fine only if the label allows it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for avocado
Look for a liquid laundry detergent and an enzyme pretreater labeled for food stains. Pick a bleach that's safe for your fabric type and check the label before you use it.
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Color Booster Powder, 49.2 Ounces
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Avocado on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The oily sheen should be gone once the detergent pretreat and soak are done, and the fabric should feel clean rather than slick. Any faint fruit color left behind is what the enzyme step is for, so keep going until it's gone.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
On white cotton or linen, the steps above work as written, and a bleach safe for the fabric at the end clears the last fruit-colored traces. Chlorine is an option here only if the label says so, and only after everything is rinsed out. Dilute any bleach first, since undiluted bleach can wear out fabric sooner.
Baby clothes and cotton follow the same order, and no extra product is needed unless the mark is still there.
Colors and denim
Keep bleach off colored clothes unless the label allows it. Test a hidden spot first, since dye may not be colorfast, and only use hot water where the label permits it.
Pants and jeans have thick seams and pockets where the oily part can hide, so work the detergent in from both sides before the soak. Shirts can be treated the same way, with the stained area turned face down so the detergent works through from the back.
Silk, wool and delicates
Skip the enzyme products and use cool water instead of hot. Blot gently with a clean white cloth and keep blotting until nothing else transfers, because rubbing damages silk and agitation makes wool felt and shrink.
Chlorine bleach is never an option on wool or silk, and oxygen bleach is out too. Velvet and heirloom textiles shouldn't go in a washing machine at all, so take them to a dry cleaner instead.
Dry-clean-only items
Don't put dry-clean-only fabric through the washing steps, and don't use oxygen bleach on it. Blot the spot gently with a clean cloth and keep the item out of the dryer. Tell the cleaner it's an avocado stain so they can choose a solvent-based treatment.
Avocado juice, grease and black stains
Juice, grease and oil are all part of the same stain, so the detergent pretreat in the second step matters most for them.
If the spot has gone dark or black, don't switch to a stronger product on a guess. Run it through the same steps and check the spot before anything goes near heat. Carpet, rugs, metal, chrome and tools have their own pages, so start there if the mess landed on one of those.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old avocado stain needs the enzyme treatment for longer, so soak the garment in an enzyme product for several hours before you launder it. Start with the same detergent pretreat, since the oily part is still the first thing to loosen.
Dried avocado is harder because it has settled into the fibers, so give it a longer soak rather than scrubbing. Rubbing only spreads it and roughens the fabric.
If the stain has already been through the dryer, don't expect a full recovery, but a second soak and launder can still lighten it. If a faint mark is still there after that, use a bleach safe for the fabric as the final step, and stop there rather than repeating harsh treatments.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on avocado?
Most kitchen remedies you'll see for fruit stains aren't needed, and some can damage the fabric. Detergent, enzymes and a fabric-safe bleach do the job, so skip the kitchen fixes that can damage fabric.
Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't machine-dry until the stain is gone
Heat sets the fruit color, and a synthetic with an oil stain still in it can become extremely hard to clean. Check the spot first, and dry only when it's gone.
Don't use bar soap on the stain
Soap sets the fruit part of this stain, so the steps stick to liquid detergent from start to finish. This matters most on the first wash, when the color is still fresh.
Don't use undiluted bleach
Full-strength bleach can weaken fabric so it tears sooner, and an overdone soak can leave yellow marks that won't come out. Dilute any bleach first and follow the label.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with other products
Never combine chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or alcohol, even in the same wash. Rinse everything out before the bleach step.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
A dark, greasy outline remains after washing
Repeat the liquid detergent pretreatment, rubbing the fabric together, and wash again in the hottest water the label allows.
The fat is gone but a green tint remains
Move to the enzyme pretreatment or soak, then a fabric-safe bleach if needed.
The garment floated during the soak
Parts above the water weren't treated. Resoak with the item weighed down so it stays fully submerged.
The stain went through the dryer
Follow the set-in approach: a long enzyme soak, a wash, then a bleach safe for the fabric.
When to call a professional
For a silk or wool piece, or an heirloom textile, a professional cleaner is the safer call than any home method. Tell them it's avocado, with both an oily part and a fruit part, so they know what to target.
Questions
Does avocado or guacamole stain?
Yes. Avocado has a high fat content, so it leaves an oily mark, and the fruit's color can leave a green or brown tint behind. Guacamole stains the same way, and the steps are identical for both.
Does avocado stain clothes, shirts, or white clothing?
Yes, it stains clothes, shirts and white clothing alike. White cotton and linen can take a fabric-safe bleach at the end, so they have the most options if the fruit color lingers.
How do I remove guacamole stains?
Use the same method as avocado: scrape, rinse with cold water, pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, and soak for an hour. Then wash in the hottest water the care label allows, and use an enzyme product if a fruit-colored mark stays.
Can I still get a dried avocado stain out?
Often yes, but it takes longer. Soak it in an enzyme product for several hours, then launder, and only use a fabric-safe bleach if a faint mark is still there.
Can I use bleach on avocado stains on white clothes?
Yes, on white cotton or linen, after everything is rinsed out and only if the faint fruit color is still there. Dilute it first and follow the label, and never use chlorine on wool, silk or spandex.
Does avocado stain silk or wool?
It can, and silk and wool need a gentler approach than the steps above. Skip the enzyme products and hot water, don't rub, and stick to cool water and blotting.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.