First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Put on gloves before you touch the mess.
- Scoop up the solids with paper towels and seal them in a plastic bag.
- Blot or lightly scrape off the excess, and treat it as soon as you can.
- Keep heat away from the stain: no dryer and no iron until it's gone.
Vomit is a mix of protein and starch, and the stomach acid in it can permanently change dye or weaken fabric if it sits. Speed matters more than anything else, since the longer it dries, the more the stain and smell dig in. Whether the fabric can go through a machine or needs a cleaner limits how hard you can push, so read the label before anything gets wet.
Before the wash, dab an enzyme cleaner for vomit onto the spot, since it does more for the smell than anything in your cupboard. Skip baking soda as your main fix for cleaning vomit, because it soaks up very little and can leave a chalky film. If you still can't get rid of the vomit smell after one wash, repeat the pretreater rather than adding more detergent.
7 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Disposable glovesKeeps the mess off your hands while you handle the item. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towels and a plastic bagLifts the solids and seals them for the trash. (opens Amazon)
- Absorbent pad or clean white towelGoes under the stain so it soaks up what you blot. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme product (enzyme presoak or enzyme detergent)Breaks down the protein in the stain for the pad and the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentPretreats the stain and goes into the full wash. (opens Amazon)
- Non-chlorine bleachGoes into the full wash with the enzyme presoak. (opens Amazon)
- Small cup and warm waterMixes the local enzyme treatment for a spot on the item.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
7 steps
How to get vomit out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Gloves on, remove the solids
Put on gloves and take the soiled clothes off promptly, without shaking them. Scoop or wipe up the solids with paper towels, then rinse away what's left before the item goes near the washer.
Careful. Bag the solids before rinsing so the mess doesn't spread to the sink or floor.
Step 2 of 7
Blot with an absorbent pad
Lay the item flat over an absorbent pad, with the stain facing up. Blot up as much of the stain as you can, using a clean towel for each press.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Cover it with an enzyme pad
Soak a pad in an enzyme product, keep it moist, and lay it over the stain for 30 minutes. For a local treatment, mix 1/2 teaspoon enzyme product into 1/2 cup warm water, apply it, then flush with water.
Careful. Keep the pad moist for the full 30 minutes, since a dry pad stops the enzyme working.
Step 4 of 7
Work in liquid laundry detergent
Apply liquid laundry detergent freely over the stain and work it in with your fingers. Rinse the area, then repeat the detergent treatment.
Step 5 of 7
Run the full wash
Add one cup of detergent, one cup of non-chlorine (oxygen) bleach and an enzyme presoak, then wash the item. If someone was sick, use detergent and hot water at the maximum cycle length the care label allows.
Step 6 of 7
Check, then soak if needed
Look at the item in good light before it goes anywhere near the dryer. If any stain is left, soak it for one or two days, stirring the water occasionally, and then machine wash it again.
Careful. Don't over-soak or exceed the recommended time; misuse can cause yellow stains that won't come out.
Step 7 of 7
Dry once the stain is gone
When the stain is completely gone, machine dry on the highest heat the care label allows, which helps reduce germs. If the label rules out heat or you can't tell, air dry the item and check it again before any heat.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for vomit
Look for a prewash stain remover spray or stick for the spot, and an oxygen bleach powder as the non-chlorine bleach for the wash step. Plain liquid laundry detergent covers the pretreat.
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
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.
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
Vomit on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The mess should lift off the fibers during the cold rinse, and the sour smell should start to fade by the time the wash cycle ends. Look at the spot while it's still damp, because a faint shadow means another soak, not a trip to the dryer.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen can handle a cold soak and an enzyme pretreatment before anything warm touches them. Once the mark has faded, a warm wash with detergent and an enzyme presoak usually finishes the job.
If a faint color trace survives, the final option for white cotton and linen is chlorine bleach, provided the label permits it, it's diluted, and every other remover has been rinsed out first. Never combine it with ammonia-based products in the same load.
Colors and denim
Colored clothes and jeans follow the same cold-first order, so the enzyme pretreatment still goes on before the wash. Skip chlorine bleach on these, because it can lift dye from anything that isn't fully colorfast.
If a trace is left after washing, oxygen bleach is the step to try, but only on fabric you've confirmed is colorfast. Before you use it, test a hidden area: wet a spot with the product and press a white towel against it. Any color on the towel means the bleach stays off, and the enzyme soak is the better route.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk and wool don't tolerate the enzyme products or bleach that work on sturdy cotton, so leave those in the cabinet for this item. Chlorine bleach is off the list too, since it damages these fibers.
Work from the back of the fabric with cold water, and blot rather than rub. If that doesn't lift the mark, a dry cleaner is the safer next move than any stronger home product.
Dry-clean-only items
A dry-clean-only label rules out water-based steps and home removers, so your job is to get the item to a cleaner while the stain is still fresh. Lift off whatever solids you can with paper towels, and leave the rest untouched.
Drop it off soon, since fresh protein stains are much easier for a cleaner to lift than ones that have dried into the weave. Mention the vomit and the fabric content when you hand it over.
Baby spit-up
Spit-up is milk-based, so the steps above work the same way, including the rule about heat. Because it's usually fresh, the first rinse and the enzyme pad often do most of the work.
Dried spit-up on a burp cloth or sleepwear needs the set-in treatment instead. Keep the same order either way: solids out, blot, then enzyme.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old vomit stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, so expect to repeat the treatment. Lift off any crusted matter gently first, then soak the item in cold water with a detergent or an enzyme presoak.
For a dried stain, repeat the enzyme pad and the liquid detergent pretreat, then soak the item for one or two days, stirring occasionally, and wash it again. Dried and old protein stains often need several rounds before they're gone.
If the stain has already been through the dryer, it can take repeated pretreat-and-wash cycles, and some color may never come back. Stomach acid can permanently change dye or fabric, so a faint mark is a realistic result on a stain that has been there a while.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on vomit?
Most home remedies for vomit either don't suit this stain or work against it. The one that belongs in the wash is non-chlorine bleach. Baking soda comes up most often, but it doesn't belong in these steps, so leave it out. The remedy that belongs in the wash is the non-chlorine bleach.
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 shake the soiled clothes
Shaking spreads the solids and liquid across the fabric and onto the floor, so the stain covers more ground. Carry the item out folded over itself and go straight to blotting.
Don't rub or brush the stain
Rubbing works the stain deeper into the fibers, which makes it harder to lift later. Blot and press instead, and save gentle lifting for crusted matter only.
Don't reach for rubbing alcohol
Alcohol also puts colored fabric, silk and acetate at risk, so it's a poor bet on nearly any load. The enzyme and detergent steps are the safer choice.
Don't skip the gloves
Bare hands on vomit-soaked clothes spread the mess and the smell onto your skin. Gloves let you lift the solids off and bag them without smearing anything.
Don't rinse the solids into the wash
Chunks left in the fabric can wash into the drum and settle onto the rest of the load. Remove and bag all the solids first, then rinse the spot.
Don't let it sit overnight
The longer vomit stays in fabric, the more the stomach acid can alter the dye and the more the stain sets. Treat it the same day, even if you can only get to it in the morning.
When to call a professional
A cleaner is worth the trip for dry-clean-only pieces, anything you care about, or a color that has already shifted, because stomach acid can permanently change dye and no home product can reverse that. Tell them how long the stain sat and which products went on it before you hand it over.
Questions
Are spit-up and baby vomit stains treated the same way?
Yes, the steps are the same, because spit-up is a milk-based protein stain. Milk stains set under heat, so the item stays out of the dryer until the stain is completely gone.
Do enzyme cleaners remove vomit and smell?
Yes, an enzyme product is made for the protein in vomit, so use one on the pad and in the wash. For the smell, finish the full wash first, because heat can lock in what's left.
Are vomit stain removers safe for home use?
Yes, the products in these steps are ordinary household items: liquid laundry detergent, an enzyme product and a non-chlorine bleach. Work in a ventilated room and keep the bottles away from children and pets.
Should vomit-stained clothes go in with the rest of the laundry?
Treat and rinse the item first, so the solids and stain don't spread onto clean clothes. Once the stain is gone, it can go in the wash with the rest of the load.
Can I use the same steps on carpet or a couch?
The first steps, removing solids and blotting, are the same on any surface. Carpet and upholstery need their own handling, so start with the Carpet & Rugs or Couch & Sofa guide.
Why does the smell stay after washing?
The smell usually means some of the stain is still there, and a dryer or iron can lock in what's left. Repeat the enzyme pad and the detergent steps, then air dry and smell the item before any heat.
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.