First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Put on gloves and wipe up the solids with paper towels.
- Blot or carefully scrape off the excess. Don't rub.
- Treat it as soon as possible, because set-in stains are harder to remove.
- Keep heat away: no iron and no dryer until the stain is gone.
Vomit on delicates is a protein-and-starch stain, and the stomach acid in it can permanently change dyes, so some color loss may not come back. Heat and time make it worse, which means a fresh spot is far more likely to lift completely than one that has been sitting. If the mark is old, expect it to fade rather than vanish.
Getting vomit out of dry clean only clothes starts with checking the care label before any water touches them. Once you know it's safe, a delicate laundry detergent is the gentlest option for silk, velvet and wool. Blot rather than rub, and stop if the fabric starts to pill or the color bleeds onto your cloth.
Before you start
What delicates & lace can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Soaking
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid4
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Disposable glovesKeeps the mess off your hands while you lift the solids. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towelsLift the solids and excess without spreading them. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic trash bagSeals the solids away for disposal.
- Solvent-based spot cleaner (a dry-cleaning product)The liquid that suits a dry clean only label. (opens Amazon)
- Absorbent pad or folded clean towelGoes under the stain to catch what comes through.
- Clean white clothUsed for the hidden-area test, since color transfer shows up on white. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Lift the solids first
Put on gloves and wipe up the solids with paper towels, then seal them in a plastic trash bag. Blot any liquid left behind, and scrape gently if it has crusted rather than rubbing.
Step 2 of 7
Check the care label first
Find the care label or cleaning code before anything wet touches the garment. If it says dry clean only, or the code is S, you are limited to solvent-based products and a professional.
No label at all? Treat it as dry clean only and go no further than the solvent.
Careful. Don't use water on this garment, even on a small spot.
Step 3 of 7
Test the cleaner on a hidden spot
Dab a little solvent-based cleaner on a hidden seam or inside a hem, then press a clean white cloth against it. If color transfers to the white cloth or the color changes, stop and take the piece to a professional cleaner.
Step 4 of 7
Place a pad under the stain
Slide an absorbent pad or a folded clean towel under the stain so the liquid has somewhere to go. Apply the solvent cleaner to a clean cloth, then work from the outside of the stain toward the middle.
Step 5 of 7
Blot lightly and feather the edges
Blot often, and use only enough solvent to dampen the area. Feather the liquid out unevenly around the stain so you don't leave a ring.
Tip. Switch to a clean section of cloth each time it picks up color.
Step 6 of 7
Let the garment dry flat
Lay the garment flat in a room with good airflow, with no dryer or iron, and leave it until it is completely dry. Check the spot in daylight, since a faint mark can look gone indoors.
Step 7 of 7
Decide whether to repeat or stop
Once it is dry, look at the spot in good light. If a mark, ring or color change is still there, repeat the solvent round or take the piece to a professional dry cleaner.
Tip. Stop repeating once the cleaner no longer lifts anything onto the pad.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for vomit on delicates & lace
Look for a solvent-based spot cleaner labeled for dry clean only fabrics, and avoid products that rely on water or enzymes as the main ingredient.
Woolite Delicates
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on delicates & lace, 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 spot should stop transferring to the pad, and the fabric should feel dry and look even, not darker or stiff. If a faint ring or color change still shows in daylight, the stain isn't finished yet.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your delicates & lace
Silk blouse or dress
Silk can't take chlorine bleach or enzyme detergent, so leave both out and keep the solvent light. Silk is usually dry clean only, so the blot-and-pad method is the one to use, and water stays out.
Let it dry flat before you judge the spot. If the color looks dull or uneven once it is dry, take the piece to a professional rather than adding more solvent.
Velvet
Velvet is usually dry clean only, so use only the solvent-based cleaner, and never iron it, because heat and pressure flatten the nap. Dampen a clean cloth with the solvent rather than soaking the velvet itself, and test a hidden area first.
Once the spot is dry, brush velvet in the direction of the pile with a soft, dry brush. Crushed pile should be brushed up gently and left to dry flat, not pressed.
Wool suit or coat
Wool can't take chlorine bleach, and oxygen-based bleach is ruled out for wool and dry-clean-only fabrics too, so the solvent is the only liquid to use. Keep it light and follow the same blot-and-pad steps, so the wool doesn't stay wet.
If the coat is lined, do the hidden-area test on the lining as well, because acetate has its own limits. If the wool looks dull after drying, take it to a professional.
Lace or heirloom piece
On old or heirloom lace, a stain may be best left alone, because removing it can leave a hole. Don't rub, wring or squeeze a wet piece, and keep it away from the washing machine, the dryer and the iron.
If the piece has value to you, take it to a dry cleaner who specializes in historical items or to a conservator. Don't store it until it is completely dry.
Acetate lining
Acetate can be damaged by acetone and rubbing alcohol, so skip nail polish remover and alcohol-based spot cleaners on any lining. Stick with the solvent cleaner, and do the hidden-area test first.
If the lining shows a ring, a color change or a dull patch once it is dry, stop there and have a professional look at it.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old or dried vomit stain is harder to remove than a fresh one, and it may need several rounds before it is fully gone. Scrape off any crusted matter first, then repeat the solvent treatment from the outside toward the middle, letting the fabric dry between rounds.
If the garment has already been through the dryer, the heat has probably made the stain more permanent, so expect to repeat the solvent treatment more than once. Keep it out of the dryer while you work, and don't keep going on the same spot once the cleaner stops lifting anything.
If the stain still shows after repeated solvent rounds, stop and take the piece to a professional. Stomach acid can permanently change dyes and fabric, so some color loss may not come out, even with careful treatment.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on vomit on delicates & lace?
Most home remedies for vomit are water-based or harsh, and few of them belong on a dry clean only piece. Water can spread vomit across a dry clean only piece, so a solvent-based spot cleaner is the safer choice.
Skip3Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use hot water
Hot water cooks the protein and can make it set between the fibers. Stick to a solvent, and keep water away from a dry clean only piece altogether.
Don't soak the garment
Too much liquid spreads the stain and can leave a ring. Soaking is also not safe for most delicate fabrics, so keep the solvent light and blot often instead.
Don't mix stain removers
Ammonia and chlorine bleach can give off hazardous fumes when mixed. If you need more than one product, rinse the fabric thoroughly between them.
Don't use chlorine bleach on delicates
Chlorine bleach isn't safe on silk, wool or spandex, and it can damage fabric that isn't colorfast. Keep chlorine bleach off delicates entirely; it isn't safe on silk, wool or spandex.
When to call a professional
Take the garment to a professional when the label says dry clean only and a hidden-area test shows color transfer, or when a mark stays after the solvent rounds. For heirloom or vintage pieces, use a dry cleaner who specializes in historical items, or a conservator.
Questions
Is water ever safe on a dry clean only garment?
No, not on a dry clean only label. Use a solvent-based spot cleaner on an absorbent pad after a hidden-area test, or take the piece to a professional.
Will vomit leave a permanent stain?
It can, especially once it dries or goes through the dryer, because heat sets the protein and stomach acid can change dyes. Treat it quickly and keep heat away, and your odds are much better.
What if the care label is missing?
Treat the garment as dry clean only and use solvent-based products only. Test any cleaner on a hidden area first, and take the piece to a professional if the test shows color transfer.
Is chlorine bleach safe for delicates?
No. Chlorine bleach is out for silk, wool and spandex, and oxygen-based bleach doesn't suit wool, silk or dry clean only fabrics either.
How do I clean vomit off velvet?
Use only a solvent-based cleaner, since velvet is usually dry clean only, and never iron it. Once it is dry, brush in the direction of the pile, and leave any crushed spots to dry flat rather than pressing them.
Can I use vinegar or rubbing alcohol on it?
No, skip both on delicates. Vinegar is water-based, and acid can make protein stains like egg harder to remove, while rubbing alcohol can set vomit and damage acetate and silk.
Vomit on other materials
Other stains on delicates & lace
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.