First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot with a white cloth. Don't rub.
- Keep it out of the dryer and away from the iron.
- Start with cold water, not hot.
- Test a hidden seam before using any product.
A stain on colored clothes is harder to deal with than on white fabric, because the wrong product can strip color along with the mark. A young mark comes off far better than an aged one, and set-in marks may only partly come out, so set your expectations before you start. Try any product on an inconspicuous spot first, since dyes react differently to each product you use.
A stain remover for colored clothes should start with an enzyme laundry pretreater. If you want to whiten colored clothes, reach for an oxygen bleach powder rather than anything chlorine-based. A prewash stain remover spray works well on a quick spot, then wash as soon as the mark lifts.
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 fabric.
- Liquid laundry detergentPretreats the stain and handles the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakBreaks down protein stains such as blood and grass. (opens Amazon)
- Pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solventFor stains that persist after the first wash. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachThe gentler bleach for colors, used after a colorfast test. (opens Amazon)
- Dilute chlorine bleachA last resort for colorfast items only. (opens Amazon)
- Rust removerNeeded before any bleach if you suspect rust. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot and scrape the stain
Grab a clean white cloth or paper towel and press down to blot the excess. No rubbing.
If there are solids, scrape them off gently with a dull knife. Colored cloths or paper towels can bleed dye onto the fabric, so keep to white.
Tip. Work from the edge of the stain toward the middle so it doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 7
Check the label and test first
Before anything else, check the care label. Dry-clean only means a prompt trip to the dry cleaner, not a home fix.
With washable items, test what you plan to use on a hidden seam or hem. Color changed? Don't use it.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Soak the stain in cold water
Soak the item in cold water for about 30 minutes. Cold water keeps an unidentified stain from setting while you work out what it is.
Careful. Don't use hot water on a stain you haven't identified; it can set blood, milk and egg stains.
Step 4 of 730 minutes
Work in detergent, then wash
Put a little liquid laundry detergent on the stain, work it in, and wait about 30 minutes. Rinse.
Then run the item through a wash with liquid detergent, in lukewarm or hot water if the label allows. Rinse again, then let it air-dry.
Tip. Work from the back of the fabric when you can, so the stain pushes out instead of deeper.
Careful. Keep it out of the dryer and away from the iron until the stain is completely gone.
Step 5 of 7
Soak overnight in enzyme presoak
If the stain is still visible after it air-dries, soak the item overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak. Then wash it again, since enzymes break down protein stains such as blood and grass.
Step 6 of 7
Pretreat, then try oxygen bleach
Stain not budging? Treat it from the wrong side of the fabric with a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent.
Next comes an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach, but only when the fabric passed a colorfast test. And if rust is a possibility, a rust remover goes on before any bleach.
Tip. Blot the spray or solvent through with a clean white cloth rather than scrubbing.
Careful. Don't leave liquid or aerosol pretreaters on longer than the label says, or gels on bright colors for more than a few minutes.
Step 7 of 7
Use chlorine bleach as a last resort
Chlorine bleach is the final step. Before you use it, make sure everything else has been rinsed out of the fabric. Then, only if the item is colorfast to chlorine bleach and the label allows it, mix a dilute solution and follow the package directions.
Careful. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or other removers, and rinse thoroughly between removers. Keep it off rust, wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for colored clothes
Look for a liquid laundry detergent, a pretreatment spray and an all-fabric oxygen bleach, since those three cover this job.
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 colored 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
The stain should lighten after each pass, and the test spot should show no color change at any point. If it fades but still shows, move on to the next step rather than repeating a stronger one.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your colored clothes
Colored clothes that have yellowed
Yellowing on colored clothes calls for a gentler approach than white cotton, because the wrong whitener can change the dye. Start with the same steps above, and reach for the oxygen bleach only after the colorfast test passes.
The chlorine bleach step is the last resort, and only for colorfast items the label allows. For anything else that has gone dingy, a second detergent wash is the safer thing to try before any bleach.
Bright and fluorescent colors
Bright and fluorescent colors fade faster than muted ones, so they need a lighter touch at every step. Test the dye more carefully here, since a spot that looks fine can still fade in the wash.
Stop at the first sign of color loss rather than pushing on through the steps. If the color lifts at the test spot, skip the pretreatment and bleach, and take the item to a dry cleaner instead.
Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic
These fibers need the gentlest route, so wait for the cold soak and detergent result before deciding to go further. Pretreat only with a product the label says is safe for these fibers, and test it on a hidden seam first.
If the stain holds after that, take the item to a dry cleaner who handles these fibers instead of pushing harder at home.
Colored cotton
Cotton can take the hottest wash the care label recommends, so the final wash can run as hot as the label allows. Only that wash changes, and the other steps stay the same.
The cold-water soak still comes first, and the warmer wash is only for items that have passed the hidden-seam test.
Items with an unknown fiber
If you can't tell what the fiber is, treat it as the most delicate fabric in the set. Stay with cold water and liquid detergent, and hold off on any bleach until a colorfast test passes.
Use the same hidden-seam test before every product, and stop if the color changes or the fabric starts to feel weak.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old stains put up a bigger fight, so don't count on getting it in one go. Use a dull knife on anything crusted, then put the item in a cold-water soak with detergent.
Blood, milk and egg that have dried need the enzyme presoak to lift. For coffee, tea or fruit juice that's been there a while, an oxygen bleach may help if the fabric is colorfast.
Heat from the dryer likely locked the stain in, and it might not fully come out. Go again if needed, but know that some set-in stains only fade.
Several rounds and it's still there? Take it to a dry cleaner.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on colored clothes?
Plenty of home remedies float around for stains, but many aren't safe on colored fabric. Only a few of them suit colored fabric, so check before you reach for one.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
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 rub bar soap into a fresh stain
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can make a fresh mark much harder to remove. Stick with liquid laundry detergent for pretreating.
Don't scrub the stain
Rubbing pushes the stain deeper and can wear thin spots into the fabric. Blot instead, and use firmer rubbing only on tough, durable fabric.
Don't use bleach at full strength
Undiluted bleach can weaken the fabric until it tears or wears out sooner. Keep any chlorine bleach dilute and follow the package directions exactly.
Don't use nail polish remover on acetate
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fibers. For nail polish on those fabrics, take the item to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
Don't reach for milk on ink
Milk adds a protein stain on top of the ink, or sets the one already there. Use the blot and pretreatment steps for ink instead.
When to call a professional
Dry-clean-only? Bring it to a professional dry cleaner promptly and name the stain and the fiber content.
A big stain, a bulky item or fragile fabric is reason enough to bring in washables too. Fur trim, suede and leather need a specialist cleaner.
Questions
Will a stain come out of colored clothes?
Most fresh stains come out with a cold soak and a liquid detergent wash, as long as you don't dry or iron the item first. Older stains often need the enzyme presoak or a pretreatment, and a few may never fully lift. Go in order and stop once the stain is gone.
Is there a natural stain remover for colored clothes?
The gentlest natural route is a cold-water soak followed by liquid laundry detergent, since both work without any homemade mixture. Most home mixes aren't worth the risk on colored fabric, so the steps stick to these two.
Can I use bleach on colored clothes?
Only some bleach, and only on colorfast items the label allows. An all-fabric oxygen bleach is the gentler choice for colors after a colorfast test, and chlorine bleach is the last resort.
What if the care label is missing?
Treat it as delicate: use cold water only and keep it away from heat. Test any product on a hidden seam first, and take it to a dry cleaner if the stain is large or the fabric seems fragile.
What if the stain is still there after the wash?
Let it air-dry and check it before any heat, then move on to the enzyme presoak overnight. If it still shows, a pretreatment spray or solvent applied from the wrong side is the next step.
Can I use a stain spray on colored clothes?
Yes, but only after the cold soak and detergent wash haven't worked, and only after a hidden-seam test. Apply it from the wrong side of the fabric and leave it only for the time the label gives.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
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.