First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the liquid with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
- Scrape off any solids with a dull knife.
- Hold the spot under cold water if you can.
Towels are thick and absorbent, so a stain can settle deep into the loops before you notice it. Fresh spots come out much more readily than set ones, so treat them before the towel goes near the dryer. Tannin stains such as tea or coffee may need bleaching, while dried protein stains need scraping first.
Towels with tough stains left after washing usually need an enzyme presoak before anything stronger goes on. For white towels that have gone dingy, an oxygen bleach powder is the next step, but try it on a spot that doesn't show. Colored towels are a different story, so read the care label before you reach for bleach.
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
7 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or paper towelBlots up liquid without transferring dye to the towel. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeLifts off solids without tearing the fabric.
- Liquid laundry detergentWorks into the stain and is used for the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakBreaks down protein stains such as blood and grass overnight. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachThe bleach for colorfast towels that still show a stain. (opens Amazon)
- Dilute chlorine bleachA last resort for colorfast white items where the label allows it. (opens Amazon)
- Rust stain remover (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot and scrape off the stain
Blot up the excess liquid with a clean white cloth or paper towel, pressing rather than rubbing. Gently scrape off any solids with a dull knife. Skip colored cloths and sponges, since they can bleed dye onto the towel.
Tip. Work from the edges of the stain toward the middle so it doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 7
Check the label and test first
Read the care label before you do anything else. If it says dry-clean only, take the towel to a dry cleaner promptly instead of treating it at home. For a washable towel, test your products on a hidden seam or hem first.
Careful. Stop if the hidden test shows any color change or damage, and don't use that product on the towel.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Soak in cold water
Submerge the towel in cold water and leave it for about 30 minutes. Cold water is the safe starting point for any 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 730 minutes
Work in detergent and wash
Work a little liquid laundry detergent into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing. Wash the towel in liquid detergent in lukewarm water, or in the hottest water the label allows once you know what the stain is, then rinse and let it air-dry.
Tip. Work the detergent in with your fingers from both sides of the fabric.
Careful. Keep the towel out of the dryer and away from the iron until the stain is completely gone, since heat sets stains.
Step 5 of 7
Enzyme presoak overnight
If the stain is still there after it dries, soak the towel overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak. In the morning, wash it again in liquid detergent and let it air-dry.
Tip. Enzymes work best on protein stains such as blood and grass.
Step 6 of 7
Oxygen bleach on colorfast towels
If the stain still persists, use an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach, but only on a towel that passed a colorfastness test. If you suspect rust, use a rust remover before any bleach. Mix the bleach as the package directs, soak the towel, and rinse it thoroughly.
Tip. Rinse thoroughly, then check the spot once the towel is dry.
Step 7 of 7
Chlorine bleach as a last resort
Only as the very last step, and only on a colorfast towel where the label allows it, use a dilute chlorine bleach solution following the package directions. Rinse out all other products first, and make sure nothing else is on the towel when you use it.
Careful. Chlorine bleach is never for wool, silk, mohair, leather, spandex, rust stains or non-colorfast items, and never at full strength.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for towels
Keep an enzyme laundry presoak and an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach on hand, since those two handle most stubborn towel stains. Choose a liquid laundry detergent for the wash and a pretreatment spray for any spot that stays.
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 towels, 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
A lighter stain after the cold soak and detergent wait is a good sign that the steps are working. If it looks the same after the wash and air-dry, it's a set-in stain, so move on to the overnight presoak.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your towels
Stained towels
White towels can take the full sequence, including an oxygen bleach and, as a last resort, a diluted chlorine bleach, as long as they're colorfast. Colored towels need a hidden-hem test before any bleach, and chlorine is only an option if the label allows it and the dye holds.
Thick bath towels hold more detergent and water, so give the rinse a little longer. Work the detergent in gently, because excessive rubbing can damage the fabric.
White towels
Whites that are colorfast can take the oxygen bleach step, and the chlorine bleach last step if the label allows it. Test any bleach on a hidden hem first, even on white fabric.
Rinse thoroughly before you dry the towel, so no bleach is left in the fibers. Dry it only after the stain is completely gone.
Colored towels
Colored towels need a hidden-hem test before any bleach, and the oxygen bleach is only an option if the dye holds. Chlorine is off the table unless the label allows it and the dye is proven colorfast.
Stick with the cold soak and detergent steps first, since they are the safest choice for colored fabric. Blot rather than rub, because hard scrubbing can lift the dye.
Thick bath towels
Thick bath towels take longer to soak through, so keep the cold soak going until the middle is wet. Keep the towel fully submerged, since a folded towel can leave a dry patch.
Work the detergent in with your fingers, not a brush, so the loops stay intact. Use the overnight presoak for a thick towel that still shows the stain, since it gives the enzymes more time.
Towels with no fiber on the label
If the label doesn't list the fiber, treat the towel as unknown and stay with cold water and detergent. Hold off on any bleach until you've tested it on a hidden hem.
Once you know the fiber, the steps above apply in full. If the label is missing entirely, the cold soak is still the safe first move.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain on a towel is harder than a fresh one, and one that has been through a wash and dryer is the hardest kind. Start by scraping off any crusted matter with a dull knife or brush, then soak the towel in cold water with a detergent or enzyme presoak. Old tannin stains such as coffee, tea or fruit juice may need bleaching, as far as the fabric allows.
Once a stain has been heat-set, it may never come out completely, so expect a faded mark rather than a clean towel. A pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent, used with the spot technique from the wrong side, can help a spot that's still there. Repeating the treatment is normal for old stains.
Some stains, such as dried paint or antiperspirant build-up, won't come out at home, however many rounds you try.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on towels?
Plenty of kitchen remedies circulate for towel stains, but most of them add nothing to the steps above. Here's how each one fits, along with the reasons to leave some out.
Works1Skip5
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 the stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so rubbing it in makes the stain harder to remove. Use liquid laundry detergent for the work-in and the wash instead.
Don't mix ammonia with chlorine bleach
Mixing these two makes toxic fumes, and the same goes for any two removers. Rinse the towel thoroughly between products so no two ever meet in the fabric.
Don't leave pretreatments on too long
Liquid and aerosol pretreatments should come off when the label says, and gels shouldn't sit on bright or fluorescent towels for more than a few minutes. Unstable dyes can change color or fade if you leave them on too long.
Don't try milk on an ink stain
Milk adds a protein stain on top of the ink, so the towel ends up with two stains instead of one. Stick with cold water and liquid detergent for the first steps.
When to call a professional
Take a towel labeled dry-clean only to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Take a washable towel too if the stain covers a large area, the towel is bulky, or the fabric is fragile.
Questions
Can I whiten white towels without chlorine bleach?
Yes, usually. An all-fabric (oxygen) bleach is the gentler option for whitening, as long as the towel is colorfast and you've tested it on a hidden area. Chlorine bleach is only a last resort for white, colorfast items where the label allows it.
Can I use white vinegar on a towel stain?
It's better to skip it, since acid can weaken cotton and the cold soak and detergent steps already handle the stain.
What do I do if a towel stain is still there after washing?
Let the towel dry, then soak it overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak and wash it again. Only move to an oxygen bleach if the stain is still visible after that.
What if I don't know what the stain is?
Start with the cold-water soak and detergent steps, which are the safest first move for any stain. Hold off on bleach until you have a colorfast test result and a clearer idea of what's there.
Is dry-cleaning solvent safe to use on towels?
It can be, as a spot treatment, when you use the spot technique from the wrong side of the fabric. Test a hidden area first, and skip it on anything that isn't colorfast or that you can't identify.
Will all these treatments wear out my towels?
Usually not, because the steps are gentle and each stronger one is only added when the stain is still there. Blotting, cold water and liquid detergent are the mildest, and the bleach steps come in only after those.
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.