First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot up the excess now with a clean white cloth.
- Flush the spot with cool water, working from the edges inward.
- Keep the item moving through the steps, not the dryer.
Soy sauce is dark, salty and deeply colored, and that color is what tends to linger on fabric. Catching a spill while it's still wet gives you the best odds, since heat from a dryer can lock it in. Whether the item is white, colored or delicate also determines how strong the bleaching step can be.
Getting soy sauce out of clothes starts with pretreating the spot, so do that before anything goes in the washer. On a white shirt, rinse from the back of the fabric so the color pushes out rather than deeper in. Check the mark in daylight before you wash again, since a faint stain can look gone indoors.
6 items
What you'll need
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- Cool running waterFlushes the sauce out before the dark color sets in.
- Clean white clothBlots up the excess without spreading the stain. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleach powderLifts the dark color during the warm soak. (opens Amazon)
- Dishwashing liquidPretreats a stubborn stain if the flush is not enough. (opens Amazon)
- Pre-wash stain removerBreaks up what is left before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty laundry detergentCleans the fabric during the wash. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
How to get soy sauce out of clothes
Step 1 of 6
Blot and flush with cool water
Blot up as much soy sauce as you can with a clean cloth, pressing gently. Then flush the stain well with cool water, working from the edges inward so the color does not spread.
Careful. Blot only. Do not rub or brush the stain.
Step 2 of 6
Work in dishwashing liquid if needed
If the stain still looks dark after the flush, work a little dishwashing liquid into it with your fingertips. Rinse lightly, then move straight on to the soak.
Step 3 of 615 to 30 minutes
Soak in warm oxygen bleach
Dissolve oxygen bleach in warm water and soak the stained area for 15 to 30 minutes. Keep the stained part fully covered by the solution the whole time.
Tip. Check the care label first. This soak is for fabric that can take oxygen bleach.
Step 4 of 6
Pretreat with a stain remover
Apply a pre-wash spot and stain remover directly to the stain and work it in. On colored fabric, choose a color-safe stain remover instead.
Step 5 of 6
Wash in the hottest safe water
Wash with heavy-duty detergent and a bleach that is safe for the fabric, on the hottest setting the care label allows. Use the same setting for the whole load so the item is treated evenly.
Tip. On colors, pick the warmest setting the label permits rather than the hottest.
Step 6 of 6
Check before drying
Look at the spot once the item is out of the wash and the water has drained. If the stain is still there, repeat the pretreat and wash before drying.
Careful. Keep the item out of the dryer and away from the iron until the stain is gone; heat sets it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for soy sauce
Look for an oxygen bleach labeled for all fabrics, and a color-safe stain remover for colors. Check the care label before you buy anything.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
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
Soy Sauce on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
Once the stain is gone, the spot should look like the fabric around it, with no dark ring or yellow tint. If it is lighter but still visible, repeat the pretreat and wash rather than trying a stronger soak.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton can take the whole method, including the oxygen soak and the hottest wash the care label allows. A fresh spill on white is the easiest case, so flush it as soon as you can.
The main risk on whites is yellowing. If a faint shadow is left after the wash, repeat the pretreat and wash rather than soaking longer or adding more bleach.
Colors and denim
On colored clothes and denim, test the oxygen soak on a hidden spot first, since colors are not always colorfast. Use a color-safe stain remover at the pretreat step, and wash on the warmest setting the label allows, because hot water is only safe with care on colors.
Baby clothes need the same caution, so stick to the milder steps and skip any bleach you have not tested. Denim is sturdy enough for the full method once the dye has passed the test.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk, wool, mohair and spandex cannot take chlorine bleach, and silk and wool also rule out the oxygen soak and enzyme detergent. Skip the bleach soak and the heavy-duty wash, and blot with cool water without rubbing.
Do not put wool in a washing machine, since agitation makes it felt and shrink. Let the item air dry, and take it to a professional cleaner if the mark is still there.
Dry-clean-only items
Do not use the home soak on dry-clean-only fabric, because the bleach soak and the wash are not safe for it. Blot the excess with a clean cloth and take the item to a dry cleaner as soon as you can.
Tell the cleaner it is a soy sauce stain so they can choose the right treatment. Do not try to finish the job at home.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old soy sauce stain needs the whole method repeated, not a shortcut. Run the oxygen bleach soak and the pre-wash treatment again, then wash the item as usual, and let it air dry between tries.
If the stain went through the dryer, repeat the pretreat and wash cycles and air dry each time. Avoid a longer or stronger bleach soak, because that can yellow whites.
If the stain is still faint after several rounds, accept that it may not disappear completely. Stop before the fabric is damaged, and take the item to a professional cleaner.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on soy sauce?
Plenty of home remedies float around for soy sauce. Dish soap and an oxygen bleach soak are the only options that fit soy sauce, and the rest either don't suit it or can harm some fabrics.
Works2Skip4
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't mix chlorine bleach with vinegar, alcohol or ammonia
Chlorine bleach must be used alone. Never combine it with vinegar, alcohol or ammonia, and rinse the item thoroughly between products.
Don't use bleach at full strength or over-soak it
Dilute bleach before use, since undiluted bleach can weaken fabric until it tears. Stick to the soak time, because over-soaking can leave yellow stains that will not come out.
Don't use chlorine bleach on silk, wool or spandex
Chlorine bleach can damage wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex. Use a color-safe remover on those fibers instead, and keep chlorine away from them entirely.
Don't scrub with bar soap
Bar soap can set a fresh stain and make it much harder to remove. Use dishwashing liquid or a laundry detergent instead.
Don't skip the care label or the pretest
Check the care label before you start, and do not use any product it prohibits. Pretest any product on a hidden spot before it goes on the stain.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
A tan shadow remains after washing
Skip the dryer. Repeat the oxygen-bleach soak and pre-wash treatment, then wash again.
White fabric is turning yellow
Stop extending bleach soaks, which can yellow whites, and return to repeated short pretreat-and-wash cycles.
When to call a professional
If the stain still shows after the repeated cycles, stop before the fabric is damaged, since more bleach can yellow whites. Take the item to a professional cleaner and point out the soy sauce stain before they start.
Questions
Does soy sauce stain clothes?
Yes. Its dark color is what lingers after a wash, so it can leave a visible mark, especially on light fabric. A quick cool-water flush makes it much easier to remove.
Can dry cleaning remove soy sauce stains?
Dry cleaning is the right route for dry-clean-only items, but no home method can promise a full removal. Take it in as soon as you can, and say it is soy sauce so the cleaner can choose the right treatment.
What stain remover should I use for soy sauce on clothes?
Use an oxygen bleach for the soak and a pre-wash stain remover for the pretreat. For colors, choose one labeled color-safe, and check that it suits the care label.
Can I use chlorine bleach on a soy sauce stain?
Only on whites that the care label allows, and only used alone and diluted. Never mix it with vinegar, alcohol or ammonia, and never use it on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex. Start with an oxygen bleach soak, since that's the usual first choice for soy sauce.
Will these steps work on jeans?
Yes, with the same steps, as long as the dye is colorfast. Test the soak on a hidden seam first, and use a color-safe stain remover for the pretreat. Keep the wash on the warmest setting the label allows.
Is it safe to use these steps on baby clothes?
Use the gentlest steps: the cool-water flush, then a color-safe pretreat and a wash on the warmest setting the label allows. Skip chlorine bleach, and test any soak on a hidden spot first, since colors are not always colorfast. Check the care label before using anything stronger.
What about silk and wool?
Skip the bleach soak and the heavy-duty wash, since silk and wool cannot take oxygen bleach or enzyme detergent. Blot with cool water without rubbing, and take the item to a professional cleaner. Do not put wool in a washing machine, because agitation makes it felt and shrink.
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.