Prep first
Before you start
- Blot, don't rub: press the wet spot with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
- Scrape off any solids gently with a dull knife, not a blade.
- Keep water out of hollow or composite pieces before you handle them.
A tarnish mark on clothes lifts most readily while it's fresh, before it dries into the fibers. The garment's care label matters as much as the mark itself, so check it before you commit to any treatment. Skip the dryer and the iron until the mark has fully lifted.
Getting tarnish out of clothes depends on whether the mark came from silver or from jewelry, so work out the source first. Check the care label before you use any treatment, because some fabrics can't take strong products. If the mark has dried, a prewash stain remover spray or stick can help, but test it on a hidden seam first.
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
8 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or paper towelBlots the spot without spreading dye. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeLifts off solids without cutting the fabric.
- Liquid laundry detergentWorks into the stain and is used in the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakBreaks down protein stains such as blood and grass overnight. (opens Amazon)
- Pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solventUsed from the wrong side on stubborn spots. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachThe gentler bleach for colorfast fabric, after a test. (opens Amazon)
- Dilute chlorine bleachA last resort for colorfast items whose label allows it. (opens Amazon)
- Rust removerOnly if you suspect rust, used before any bleach. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot and scrape the stain
Press up any wet residue with a clean white cloth or paper towel. Don't use a colored cloth or sponge, since it can bleed dye onto the fabric. Then lift off any solids by gently scraping with a dull knife.
Step 2 of 7
Read the label and test
Read the care label before you use any product, since it tells you whether home treatment is safe. Then test your cleaner on a hidden seam or hem, and only go on if the color holds and the fabric looks unchanged.
Careful. Stop if a test spot changes color or looks damaged.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Soak in cold water
Put the stained area under cold water and let it soak for about 30 minutes. You don't know yet what the stain is, so cold water is the safe place to begin.
Step 4 of 730 minutes
Work in detergent and wash
Work a little liquid laundry detergent into the stain, leave it for about 30 minutes, then rinse. Wash the garment in liquid detergent at the hottest temperature the care label recommends, then let it air-dry.
Careful. Heat sets the stain, so do not iron or machine-dry the garment until it is clear.
Step 5 of 7
Try an overnight enzyme presoak
Mark still showing? Soak the garment overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak.
That's the right step for protein stains like blood and grass, since enzymes break them down. Wash it once more, then check the spot in good light and let it air-dry, since heat can set what's left.
Step 6 of 7
Use a solvent or oxygen bleach
Still not gone? Sponge a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent into the spot from the wrong side. Don't rub.
After that, try an oxygen bleach that's safe for all fabrics, but only once a hidden spot has passed a colorfast test. Think it's rust? Use a rust remover first, before any bleach.
Careful. Leave liquid or aerosol pretreatments on only as long as recommended; gels on bright or fluorescent items should come off within a few minutes.
Step 7 of 7
Last resort: dilute chlorine bleach
Only after everything has been rinsed out, and only if the item is colorfast to chlorine and passes a bleachability test, try a dilute chlorine bleach solution following the package directions. Rinse thoroughly afterward and let the garment air-dry.
Careful. Chlorine bleach makes rust stains more intense or permanent, so skip it if rust is involved.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for tarnish on clothes
Keep a liquid laundry detergent, an enzyme laundry presoak, a pretreatment spray and an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach on hand, since each one covers one of the treatments above.
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
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
After the detergent step, the mark should look lighter, and the fabric around it should be the same color as before. If it is still dark, move on to the overnight enzyme presoak rather than reaching for a stronger product right away.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Silver Tarnish on Clothing
Silver tarnish shows up as a black film, often from silver flatware, a silver-plated piece or a silver chain that touched the fabric. Treat it with the same cold soak and detergent steps, since they lift the residue without any extra product.
Don't rub the spot hard, because friction spreads the residue and can wear the weave. If the mark is light, the cold soak alone may be enough, so check the spot before moving on to the presoak.
Jewelry Tarnish on Clothing
Jewelry tarnish usually comes from a ring, chain or clasp that rubbed the fabric, and it can be harder to see on dark clothes. Before you treat the fabric, check whether the piece is plated or gilded, since that coating may be what came off on the garment.
Don't scrub or polish the jewelry to match, because removing plating or gilding lowers its value permanently. Keep water out of hollow pieces and pieces with wood or ivory parts while you work.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Maybe the mark sat for days, or the garment went through the washer and dryer before you spotted it. Either way it's an old stain, and it needs more patience. Brush or scrape off anything crusty first, then do the cold soak with detergent again.
Old, dried marks want a longer soak. Leave the enzyme presoak going overnight, and don't call it a failure before that. If it's an aged tannin mark (coffee, tea, fruit juice), an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach may help, but only on colorfast fabric.
A few things never come out fully. Dried paint and aluminum or zinc antiperspirant build-up are the usual ones, so don't expect perfection. Run the treatment once or twice more.
Stop if the fabric starts thinning or the color changes. Still there after that? Hand it to a dry cleaner and show them the stain.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on tarnish on clothes?
Most household remedies you'll find online were not built for tarnish on fabric, and some can damage the garment. Start with the gentle options and read the care label before trying anything harsher.
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 use hot water on an unknown stain
Hot water can set protein stains such as milk, egg or blood, and you may not know yet what the stain is. Start cold and let the soak loosen it first.
Don't rub the stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains rather than lifting them, so it can make the spot harder to remove. Work liquid laundry detergent in gently instead.
Don't mix stain removers
Ammonia and chlorine bleach together give off toxic fumes, so never combine them. Rinse the garment thoroughly between any two products.
Don't use bleach at full strength
Undiluted bleach can weaken the fabric so it tears or wears out sooner. Stick to the dilution on the package and only use it on colorfast fabric.
Don't use acetone on acetate
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, triacetate and modacrylic, so the garment can be ruined in one go. If nail polish is on one of these fibers, take the item to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
When to call a professional
Dry-clean-only garment? Don't treat it at home.
Get it to a professional dry cleaner promptly. Washable pieces can go there too if the stain is big, the item is bulky or the fabric is delicate. Whatever you bring in, tell them the fiber content and what the stain is.
Questions
Does tarnish come out of clothes on its own?
Usually not. The mark is a metal residue that stays in the fibers, so it needs a cold soak and detergent to lift. Most marks respond to the first steps, but older stains often need the overnight presoak.
Will tarnish come out of silk or wool?
Often, but stop early. Chlorine bleach is not for wool or silk, and oxygen bleach is not for them either, so keep to the cold soak and detergent. If the mark remains, take the garment to a dry cleaner.
Why does the stain look darker after washing?
Hot water or a wash without a proper soak can set the residue, so the mark may look more defined. Go back to the cold soak and detergent before trying anything stronger.
How do I know the stain is gone?
Check the spot in natural light while the fabric is still damp and again once it is dry. If any mark remains, repeat the treatment from the cold soak.
Can I wash the garment with other clothes?
Better not until the stain is gone. Washing it with other items can spread the residue onto clean fabric, so treat the stain first and wash the garment separately afterward.
What if I don't know the fiber content?
Don't guess. Start with the cold-water soak and liquid detergent, which are the safest first steps for most fabrics, and skip the bleach steps until you know the fiber.
Tarnish 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.