First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot, don't rub.
- Use cold water until you know what the stain is.
- Keep the item out of the dryer.
- Check the care label before you use any product.
Clothes stains lift most easily while they're fresh, and set-in ones take more work. Protein stains should go into cold water, since hot water can set them, while tannin stains such as coffee, tea or fruit juice may need a bleaching step that's safe for the fabric. Check the care label first, because a dry-clean-only item belongs with a professional cleaner.
Work a stain remover for clothes into the mark before it goes in the wash. Stains on white clothes need the same pretreating, and stains on jeans and pants respond well to a presoak. Check the mark before drying, because dryer heat can lock in anything that's left.
Before you start
What this material 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
8 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or paper towelBlots up liquid without transferring dye onto the fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeLifts off solids without cutting the fibers.
- Liquid laundry detergentThe main pretreatment and wash product in the steps. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakBreaks down protein stains during the overnight soak. (opens Amazon)
- Pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solventFor stubborn stains, applied from the wrong side. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachA gentler bleach for colorfast items after a test. (opens Amazon)
- Rust removerOnly if you suspect rust, and always before any bleach. (opens Amazon)
- Dilute chlorine bleachA last resort on colorfast items whose label allows it. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot up the excess
Press up any liquid with a clean white cloth or paper towel, and gently scrape off solids with a dull knife. Don't use colored cloths or sponges, since they can bleed dye onto the fabric.
Tip. Blot from the back of the fabric when you can, so the stain moves out rather than deeper in.
Step 2 of 7
Check the label and test first
Read the care label before you go further. If the item is dry-clean only, stop here and take it to a dry cleaner promptly rather than treating it at home. For anything else, test the product you plan to use on a hidden seam or hem, and don't use it if the color changes or the fabric is damaged.
Step 3 of 7About 30 minutes
Cold-water soak for the stain
Soak the whole item in cold water for about 30 minutes so the stain loosens instead of setting. Plain cold water is the safe starting point for a stain you can't identify.
Careful. Hot water can set protein stains such as milk, egg or blood, so keep it cold until you know what the stain is.
Step 4 of 7
Work in detergent, then wash
Work a little liquid laundry detergent into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes before you rinse. Wash the item in liquid detergent at the lukewarm or hot setting the care label allows, then rinse and let it air-dry.
Tip. Work the detergent in gently from the wrong side so the stain moves out of the fabric.
Careful. Heat from a dryer or iron sets whatever stain is left, so air-dry until it's gone.
Step 5 of 7
Overnight enzyme presoak for stubborn stains
If the stain is still there after washing, soak the item overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak, then wash it again. Enzymes break down protein stains such as blood and grass, so the overnight soak is worth the wait.
Tip. Check the stain while the item is still wet before you dry anything.
Step 6 of 7
Pretreat with solvent or oxygen bleach
If the stain persists, work a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent into it from the wrong side, using a spot technique. Then wash with an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach that has passed a colorfastness test. If you suspect rust, use a rust remover before any bleach at all.
Careful. Leave liquid or aerosol pretreatments on only as long as the label says, and leave gels on bright or fluorescent items for no more than a few minutes.
Step 7 of 7
Chlorine bleach as the final step
Only after every other remover has been rinsed out, and only if the item is colorfast to chlorine bleach and the label allows it, use a dilute chlorine bleach solution following the package directions. Bleach-safe fibers are cotton, polyester, acrylic and rayon, with nylon only if the label allows it. Chlorine bleach has no place on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex.
Careful. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or other removers, because it gives off toxic fumes.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for clothes
Look for a liquid laundry detergent, an enzyme laundry presoak, a pretreatment spray and an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach. Skip any product that the colorfastness test hasn't cleared for your fabric.
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 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.
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 →Know the stain? Use its own guide
Every stain on clothes
Food & drink36
Ink, marker & crayon7
Paint, glue & adhesives16
Body fluids11
Makeup & personal care10
Oil & grease9
Wax, gum & sticky6
Mold & outdoor7
Discoloration & marks10
Water, rust & minerals8
Dye & color5
Pet stains6
Odors6
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The stain should lighten after the cold soak and detergent step, which tells you the approach is working. If the fabric's color starts to change at any point, stop and go back to the hidden seam test before you go on.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
White clothes and white shirts
White clothes follow the same steps, and the bleach step matters most for them. If the item is cotton or polyester and the label allows it, chlorine bleach goes last, always diluted and only after everything else is rinsed out.
Oxygen bleach is the gentler choice for whites that can't take chlorine, but it still needs the colorfastness test first. Rinse thoroughly between each remover, so one product never meets the next on the fabric.
Pants, jeans, and denim
Denim and heavy cotton pants are tough and durable, so a gentle rub with your fingers or a soft brush is fine where the steps say to blot. Everything else stays the same, from the cold soak to the detergent wash.
Stains on the inside of the leg or near the hem often sit in a thick seam, so work the detergent in from the wrong side. Pretreat the spot before the full wash rather than washing the whole pair first.
Shirts, tops, and specialty clothing
Collars and underarms take the most wear, so work the detergent into those areas from the wrong side before you soak the whole shirt. Stains on the front follow the steps as written, with the pretreat step applied right on the spot.
Silk, wool and other specialty fabrics never get chlorine bleach, and they should be blotted rather than rubbed. Leather and suede need a specialist cleaner, as covered below.
Dresses, skirts, and formal wear
Formal wear is often dry-clean only, so check the label before you start, since that decides whether you treat it at home at all. Silk and other delicate fabrics need the most care, so blot them and avoid vigorous rubbing.
A washable dress or skirt can follow the steps as written. Test the product on a hidden seam first, including the lining if there is one.
Underwear, bras, and delicate laundry
Many bras and underwear contain spandex, which can't take chlorine bleach, so the last step is off the table here. Stick with the cold soak, the detergent wash and the enzyme presoak instead.
Delicate laundry needs a light touch, so blot and press instead of scrubbing with a brush. For blood or other protein stains on fine fabric, the enzyme presoak is the gentler route compared with a hot wash.
Food, drink, outdoor, and cosmetic stains
Protein stains such as blood, milk, egg and grass respond to cold water and the enzyme presoak, so start there rather than hot water. Fruit juice, coffee and tea are tannin stains and may need bleaching, but only after a colorfastness test.
For fresh wine, blot up the excess right away and start the cold-water soak before anything else. Keep the acetone warning in mind for any cosmetic stain on acetate or triacetate.
Bleach, color-transfer, and discoloration
Don't treat a bleach spot with more bleach, and stop at once if a color changes during any test. Color that has transferred from one item to another usually needs the same cold soak and detergent steps, followed by a wash on its own.
Use the oxygen bleach step only on a color that has passed the colorfastness test. On colored fabric, chlorine bleach belongs only in the last step, and only if the color passed the test.
Baby clothes and colored clothes
Colored clothes need the colorfastness test before any oxygen or chlorine bleach, so check a hidden seam first and stop if the color changes. Baby clothes follow the same steps, with cold water as the start for milk and other protein stains.
Use the enzyme presoak for protein stains, and skip any product the colorfastness test hasn't cleared. Dye from a bright item can bleed onto a light one, so wash colored pieces separately.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain has had time to bond with the fibers, so expect to repeat the steps rather than finish them in one go. Start with the cold soak and detergent, then the overnight enzyme presoak, because enzymes break down protein stains such as blood and grass.
Dried stains need loosening first: scrape or brush off any crusted matter, then soak in cold water with a detergent or enzyme presoak. Old tannin stains from coffee, tea or fruit juice may need an all-fabric oxygen bleach, but only after a colorfastness test.
If the item has already been through the dryer or an iron, the heat has set the stain and it may be impossible to remove. Some stains, such as dried paint or aluminum or zinc antiperspirant build-up, may stay even after several rounds.
Stains that set in the washing machine, including rust, follow the same route, with a rust remover before any bleach. Repeat the treatment if needed, but stop the moment the fabric starts to change color.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on clothes?
Home remedies come up a lot for clothes stains, and most of them either overlap with the steps above or don't suit fabric. Here is how each one fits, so you know what to reach for and what to leave in the cupboard.
Works2Skip6
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 use bleach at full strength
Undiluted bleach can weaken fabric so it tears or wears out sooner, even when the fabric looks fine. Use only the dilute solution from the package directions, and never more than that.
Don't use chlorine bleach on rust
Chlorine makes rust stains more intense or permanent, so a rust remover has to come before any bleach. Check for rust before you start, because it can look like an ordinary stain.
Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it makes a fresh stain harder to lift. Use liquid detergent instead, since it is the product the steps are built around.
Don't use milk on ink
Milk adds a protein stain on top of the ink, or sets the one already there. Start with the blotting and cold-water steps above instead.
Don't use acetone on acetate
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, and they do the same to triacetate and modacrylic. For nail polish on those fibers, take the item to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain faded but a shadow remains after washing
Move to the overnight enzyme presoak, then wash again and air-dry.
An orange or rusty mark won't lift
Treat it with a rust remover before any bleach, since chlorine bleach would make rust worse.
Odd-colored spots appeared on collars, towels or pillowcases
These are often benzoyl peroxide from acne products, which bleaches dyes permanently. They cannot be removed, so prevention is the only fix.
White powdery streaks on dark clothes
Add detergent to the wash water before adding clothes. A repeat rinse and spin usually removes the streaks.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean only items to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Even washable items should go to a dry cleaner if the stain covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile. Suede, leather and fur trim need a cleaner that specializes in those materials.
Questions
Will rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide stain clothes?
Hydrogen peroxide can damage colored fabric that isn't colorfast, so keep it off those clothes. Skip rubbing alcohol on a stain you care about; the cold soak and detergent are the safe way to start on washable fabric. The cold soak and detergent steps are the safe way to start on washable fabric.
What stain remover should I use on clothes?
Start with liquid laundry detergent, which is the first treatment in the steps, and move up only if the stain stays. For stubborn stains, use a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent from the wrong side, then an all-fabric oxygen bleach that has passed a colorfastness test. An enzyme laundry presoak is the right choice for protein stains such as blood.
What are the main types of stains on clothes?
Stains fall into two broad groups that respond differently: protein stains such as milk, egg, blood and grass, and tannin stains such as coffee, tea and fruit juice. Protein stains respond to cold water and enzymes, while tannin stains may need bleaching. A stain that has dried or been heated is a set-in stain, and it is always harder to remove.
Can I use white vinegar or baking soda on clothes?
You can, but neither is in the steps, and both carry risks on fabric. White vinegar can weaken cotton, rayon, acetate and triacetate and may change color, and baking soda is a cleaner for hard surfaces that needs a fabric test first. The detergent and enzyme steps are the safer route.
Can old stains come out of clothes?
Often yes, but it takes repeat treatments. Start with the cold soak and detergent, then the overnight enzyme presoak. If the stain has dried or been through the dryer, expect less success, because heat can make it impossible to remove.
Can I use bleach on white clothes?
Yes, but only as the last step, and only on white cotton or polyester whose label allows chlorine bleach. Dilute it, follow the package directions, and rinse everything else out first. For whites that can't take chlorine, use an all-fabric oxygen bleach after a colorfastness test.
Is blood or milk on a shirt treated differently?
Both are protein stains, so start with cold water and the detergent steps. If the stain remains, move on to the overnight enzyme presoak rather than trying a hotter wash.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Odor guides
Still smells?
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.