Prep first
Before you start
- Let the residue dry, then vacuum or brush off the loose salt.
- Blot with a clean white cloth, working from the edges toward the center.
- Rinse with lukewarm water and blot until dry, since leftover residue attracts soil.
- Keep the item out of the dryer and away from the iron until the spot is gone.
Salt marks on clothes are dried residue from table salt, sea water, sweat or winter de-icers, and fresh ones lift much more easily than old ones. Check the care label first, since a dry-clean only item needs a professional and a washable one can take cold water and detergent. Keep the item away from the dryer and any iron until the spot is gone.
Salt sweat stains on clothes often need a second pass, so wait until the fabric is fully dry before you judge the result. Dab at the spot instead of rubbing, since rubbing pushes the residue deeper into the weave. If a jacket or delicate fabric doesn't respond after one round, stop and take it to a dry cleaner.
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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- Vacuum with a brush attachment, or a soft brushLifts dry salt before any liquid touches it. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white cloth or paper towelsBlots without transferring dye. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeScrapes off solids gently.
- Basin of cold waterSoaks the stain without setting it. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentWorks into the stain and washes out the salt residue. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakFor the overnight soak if a mark survives the wash. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Vacuum off the dry salt
Let the residue dry completely, then vacuum or brush off as much loose salt as you can. Work from the outside edge inward so the salt doesn't scatter across the fabric.
Careful. Pouring liquid onto dry salt can make the spill worse.
Step 2 of 7
Test on a hidden seam
Pick a hidden seam or hem and try the detergent there first. Wait until it dries, and don't use it on the stain if the color changes or the fabric looks damaged.
Step 3 of 7
Blot up the excess
Press a clean white cloth or paper towel onto the wet area, blotting from the edges toward the center. Gently scrape off any solids with a dull knife, then move on without rubbing.
Careful. Colored cloths or sponges can bleed dye onto the fabric.
Step 4 of 730 minutes
Soak in cold water
Submerge the item in cold water for about 30 minutes. Cold water is the safe start on any stain you can't identify, so don't reach for the hot tap yet.
Careful. Hot water can set protein stains such as milk, egg or blood.
Step 5 of 730 minutes
Work in liquid detergent
Work a little liquid laundry detergent into the stain with your fingers, then leave it for about 30 minutes. Rinse the area with lukewarm water and blot it until dry, because residue left behind attracts soil.
Tip. Work the detergent in with your fingertips rather than a brush.
Step 6 of 7
Wash on the safe temperature
Wash the item in liquid detergent using lukewarm water while any mark is still visible. Hot water is only an option once the stain is gone, and only at the temperature the care label recommends.
Step 7 of 7
Air-dry and check the spot
Rinse the item and let it air-dry, then check the spot in good light. If any mark is left, go back through the soak and wash before heat touches it.
Careful. Heat from a dryer or iron sets the stain and can make it impossible to remove.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for salt stains on clothes
Choose a liquid laundry detergent and an enzyme laundry presoak for the basic steps. For the set-in options, an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach is the gentler bleach for colors, but test it on a hidden area first.
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 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.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when the area looks the same as the surrounding fabric once it's dry, with no white crust or dull patch. If a chalky or stiff spot remains, that's residue left behind, so rinse and blot again before moving on.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Shirts
Shirt fabric is usually thin, so blot from the wrong side when you can, which keeps the residue from being pushed deeper into the weave. Collars, cuffs and the placket trap salt in the folds, so give those areas a second cold soak if the first one leaves a mark.
On white or light shirts, the same steps apply, but check the care label before the first wash. If a mark still shows after the wash, the set-in options cover the next step.
Salt sweat on clothes
Sweat leaves salt behind as a white mark, usually around the collar, underarms or waistband. Use the same drying, vacuuming and cold-water steps, and give the collar and underarm area a second soak if the mark is still visible.
Don't scrub the collar with a brush, since that can work the residue deeper. If the mark still shows after the wash, move on to the enzyme presoak in the set-in options.
Pants and jeans
Denim and heavy cotton handle the cold soak and detergent steps well, so the basic process works the same. Treat the lower leg and hem as their own spot, since road and sidewalk salt often soaks in there.
Turn the pants inside out before the wash so the detergent reaches the stained side, and test a hidden seam first if the color looks bright or dark. If the denim color changes, leave out the bleach options in the set-in section.
Salt water and sea on clothes
Sea water leaves salt crystals behind as it dries, so let the item dry fully before you vacuum off the crust. Then start the cold soak and detergent steps as usual.
A faint ring can show up as the item dries. If a ring is still visible after washing, repeat the cold soak and detergent steps before you move on.
Road salt, rock salt, and ice melt on clothes
Road salt, rock salt and ice melt often contain calcium chloride, a de-icer that leaves a residue separate from ordinary table salt. Let it dry, vacuum off the crystals, and begin the cold soak; don't use vinegar on these clothes, since it can weaken cotton and change color.
The detergent work-in and the wash are the same, but check the color after each step before you go on. If a mark still shows after the wash, the set-in options cover the stronger treatments.
Jackets
Check the care label first, since many jackets are dry-clean only. If the label says that, take the jacket to a dry cleaner promptly instead of treating it at home.
On a washable wool or silk lining, skip the oxygen bleach and test the detergent on a hidden seam before it touches the outer shell. Use the cold soak and detergent steps only.
White clothes
White cotton and linen take the cold soak and detergent steps well, and they're the best candidates for the set-in options if a mark stays. Those stronger options only come after the basic steps have failed, so work through the steps in order first.
Whites can still carry dye that isn't colorfast, so run the test on a hidden seam before any oxygen bleach. Skip chlorine bleach; it only suits colorfast items whose label allows it.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
An old salt stain, or one that has been through a few washes, is harder to remove than a fresh one. Scrape or brush off any crusted matter, then soak the item in cold water with detergent or an enzyme presoak.
If the stain has dried, repeat the cold soak and give it an enzyme laundry presoak overnight, washing again afterward. If the mark is still there, use a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent with the spot technique from the wrong side, then wash the item. If you suspect rust, use a rust remover before any bleach, and only use oxygen bleach on colorfast fabric.
Heat from the dryer can set the stain, so if it survives a cycle, don't reheat it; go back to the soak instead. After a couple of rounds, if the mark still shows, it's realistic to take the item to a dry cleaner rather than keep scrubbing, since repeated rubbing wears fabric.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on salt stains on clothes?
Most remedies you'll see online are built for other stains, so only one of these earns a place here, and only as a set-in option. Each remedy is placed by how well it suits salt on clothes.
Skip6Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap.
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can make a fresh mark much harder to lift. Use the liquid laundry detergent from the steps instead, and blot rather than rub.
Don't mix stain removers.
Rinse thoroughly between any two removers, and never combine ammonia with bleach because it gives off toxic fumes. Finish one product before you start another.
Don't use acetone or nail polish remover on acetate.
Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic dissolve in acetone, so a bottle that works on cotton can ruin these fabrics. If nail polish sits on one of them, take it to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
Don't leave pretreatments on too long.
Liquid and aerosol pretreatments should come off on schedule, and gels on bright or fluorescent items should come off after a few minutes. Unstable dyes can change color or fade if they sit longer than that.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean-only items to a professional promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Take even washable items to a cleaner if the stain covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile.
Questions
Does salt stain clothes, and what causes the white marks?
Yes, salt can leave a white mark because it dries into a residue on the fabric as the water evaporates. That residue also attracts soil, so the spot can look darker over time. Dry it out, vacuum it, and treat it with cold water.
Can I put salt-stained clothes in the dryer?
No. Heat from the dryer or iron sets the stain and can make it impossible to remove. Air-dry the item and check the spot first.
Is hot water better for salt stains on clothes?
Not on a stain you can't identify. Hot water can set protein stains, so start with cold water and move to lukewarm once the stain is responding.
Does white vinegar remove salt stains from clothes?
Skip it on clothes. White vinegar can weaken cotton, rayon, acetate and triacetate and may change color, so the detergent steps do the job more safely.
Can I use bleach on salt stains on white clothes?
Stick with the liquid detergent and an enzyme presoak, and test any stronger product on a hidden seam first. Skip chlorine bleach on these clothes.
Can I wash salt stains out of a wool or silk jacket?
Start with the care label, and take a dry-clean-only jacket to a cleaner promptly. A washable wool or silk jacket can take the cold soak and detergent steps, and the set-in options that need bleach are off the table.
What if the salt stain is still there after washing?
Let the item dry, then move to the set-in options. Those include an enzyme presoak overnight and a pretreatment or dry-cleaning solvent, and a dry cleaner is the realistic next step if the mark still shows.
Does salt water stain clothes?
Yes, sea water leaves salt residue as it dries, which can leave a white mark. Let it dry, vacuum off the crystals, and then start the cold soak.
Salt Stains 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.