First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot wet drool with an absorbent cloth; don't rub.
- Use cold or cool water on drool, never hot first; protein stains set with heat.
- Let muddy paw prints dry, then brush off or vacuum as much as possible before using any liquid.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot first.
Pet drool on clothes is a protein stain, and the dryer is where it locks in, so keep the item away from heat until the mark is gone. Fresh spots come out much more easily than ones that have dried, and dried crusts need to be brushed off before any soak. Fabric type sets the limits, since washables handle cold water and a presoak well, while anything marked dry-clean only belongs with a professional.
Rinse from the back of the stain in cool water so the slobber pushes out instead of further in. Work a little enzyme laundry pretreater into the spot, let it sit, then wash as the care label allows. If a dog slobber stain on clothes has dried, colored fabric needs a quick colorfast check before any pretreater goes on.
Before you start
What clothes can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Absorbent cloth or white paper towelLifts the wet drool without pushing it deeper. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme presoak or a laundry detergentBreaks down the protein in drool during the overnight soak. (opens Amazon)
- Cold tap water and a clean basinRinses the spot and holds the presoak. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brush or vacuumRemoves dried mud from paw prints before any liquid touches them. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleach (optional)Only for white, colorfast items whose care label allows it. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme cleaner (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot the drool up
Press an absorbent cloth onto the wet spot to lift as much drool as you can. Work from the outside edge toward the middle so the drool doesn't spread across the fabric.
Step 2 of 6
Rinse from the back
Hold the stained area under cold or cool water, running it from the back of the fabric so the drool pushes out the way it came. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
Careful. Hot water sets protein stains, so keep every rinse cold.
Step 3 of 6
Presoak the spot overnight
Dab a little enzyme product or laundry detergent onto the spot, then soak the item in cold water. Enzyme presoaks break down protein stains, so leave it overnight rather than rinsing early.
Tip. Test the product on a hidden seam first.
Step 4 of 6
Wash in cold water
Launder the item in cold water with your usual detergent. Skip the hottest setting on the care label for this stain, even if the label allows it.
Step 5 of 6
Check before anything dries
While the item is still damp, look at the spot in daylight. If the mark is gone, hang the item to air dry; if it's still there, go on to the bleach step only when the item qualifies, otherwise repeat the presoak and wash.
Careful. A dryer or iron sets the stain for good, so keep the item away from both until it's clear.
Step 6 of 6
Use chlorine bleach last, if allowed
Only use chlorine bleach on a white, colorfast item whose care label allows it, and only once the item has been rinsed out. Apply it to the remaining mark, then rinse thoroughly and air dry.
Tip. Do a bleachability test on a hidden seam before the spot treatment.
Careful. Never use chlorine bleach at full strength; it can weaken the fabric so it tears sooner.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet drool on clothes
Look for an enzyme presoak or a plain laundry detergent, and check that any fabric spot cleaner suits your fabric. Save bleach for the last step, and only on white, colorfast items whose care label allows it.
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Eliminator, Severe Mess
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on clothes, 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.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
You'll know the treatment is working when the spot looks lighter after each rinse and the fabric around it looks the same as the rest of the item. If the mark is still visible after the presoak and wash, leave the item unheated and repeat the presoak before deciding on bleach.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Cotton and other washables
Cotton and most other washables take the full routine, including the overnight presoak and the cold wash. Cotton can also take the chlorine bleach step if it's white, colorfast and the label allows it.
For a thick sweatshirt or a heavy jacket, give the presoak the full night so the product reaches the spot. Lay the fabric flat when you rinse so the water can pass through the weave.
Colored or non-colorfast clothes
Test every product on a hidden seam first, because colored fabric can change color or fade. Skip chlorine bleach on anything that isn't white and colorfast, and use an all-fabric oxygen bleach only after the same test.
The presoak and the cold wash still apply to colored items. Rinse out any pretreatment completely before the wash, and stop if the test spot changes at all.
Wool, silk and mohair
Skip chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach entirely, since neither is safe on these fibers. Blot and rinse in cold water, and don't wring the fabric, because wool and silk distort and wear out easily.
Check the care label before any presoak, and if it says dry clean only, take the item to a cleaner instead.
Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic
Never use acetone or nail polish remover on these fibers, because acetate dissolves. Rubbing alcohol is also off the list for acetate, triacetate and modacrylic, so keep it away from the spot.
Stick to the cold rinse and the presoak from the steps, and leave other solvents off the stain.
Muddy paw prints
Let the mud dry completely before you touch it with anything wet, since wet mud smears into the fabric. Then brush or vacuum off as much of the dried soil as you can.
Once the loose soil is gone, the steps above work on what's left, and the cold water rule applies to any wet part. If slobber is also on the item, follow the drool steps for that part.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Drool that has sat on the item for days needs more time than a fresh spot. Soak the item in cold water with a laundry detergent or enzyme product for 1 or 2 days, stirring it now and then. Then wash it again and let it air dry.
If the spot has dried, scrape or brush off the crusted matter first, then start the soak. Dried protein is harder to lift, so expect to repeat the treatment.
If the item has already been through the dryer, the heat has set the protein, so the mark may not come out fully. Repeat the soak and wash, and accept that a faint mark can remain when it's still there after a second round.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet drool on clothes?
Several common kitchen remedies don't belong on drool, and milk makes the stain worse. Cold water, an enzyme product and a normal wash do the job.
Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub bar soap into a fresh spot
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can lock a fresh drool mark in place. Use the enzyme product or laundry detergent from the presoak instead.
Don't reach for milk or other home remedies
Milk adds a protein stain on top of the drool, and it can set the mark that's already there. Stick to the cold rinse and the presoak, which are built for this stain.
Don't mix bleach with other cleaners
Chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia, vinegar or any other cleaner can release toxic fumes. Rinse thoroughly between every product you use on the item.
Don't leave a pretreatment on too long
Gels on bright or fluorescent items should stay on only a few minutes, since unstable dyes can change color or fade. Rinse out any product completely before the wash.
When to call a professional
Take dry clean only items to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and that the stain is from dog drool. Take even washable items to a cleaner if the stain covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile. Suede, leather and fur trim go to a specialist, and the leather stain guide covers those.
Questions
Does dog slobber stain clothes?
Yes, it can. Drool is a protein stain, and heat makes it set, so cold water and a presoak are the way to lift it.
What if I don't know the fabric?
Start with a cold-water soak, which is the safe first move for an unknown fabric. Check the care label before any stronger step, and take the item to a cleaner if it says dry clean only.
Can I use chlorine bleach on a drool stain?
Only as the last step, and only on a white, colorfast item whose care label allows chlorine bleach. Rinse the item completely first, and never use it on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex.
Can I still remove a drool stain that has dried?
Usually, yes, though it takes longer. Scrape off the crust, soak in cold water with a detergent or enzyme product, and repeat if the mark is still there.
Do muddy paw prints need the same steps as drool?
Not at first. Let the mud dry, then brush or vacuum before any liquid touches it, and use the drool steps only on what's left.
How do I know if an item needs a dry cleaner?
Check the care label first, since a dry clean only label rules out every home step. If there's no label, start with the cold-water soak and move to a cleaner if the spot doesn't lift.
Pet Drool on other materials
Other stains on clothes
Start from the bigger picture
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.