How to Get the Most Common Kinds of Stains Out of Your Clothes

Chances are that if you're here, you've stained an article of clothing and you'd really like to get it out. We're here to help.

While clothing stains can be frustrating, the good news is that most of them can be dealt with if you have the right tools at your disposal and an idea of how to combat them. Since different stains require different tactics, keep reading to find out how to get these common stains out of your clothes for good.

Blood

Bloodstains can be both long-lasting and embarassing, but getting them out properly is all about the technique. The biggest mistake people make is washing blood-stained clothes in hot water, as that makes the stain set, making it nearly impossible to remove. Instead, clean blood stains by washing the area by hand with detergent and cold water. Once washed, apply a bit of hydrogen peroxide to make the blood stain bubble up and dissolve completely before your regular wash.

 

Chocolate

Chocolate can be another tough stain to get out if you're unprepared, but with the right products, removing chocolate from clothing can be a breeze. We recommend using an enzyme cleaner, which includes a bunch of special ingredients that break down different types of stains. These cleaners often come in powder form, so mix with water according to the directions and soak for the required time before throwing your article of clothing in the wash, and it should be as good as new.

(via Shutterstock)

 

Coffee

Is there anything more annoying than spilling dark coffee on yourself—especially when you're wearing white? Coffee stains can seem nearly indestructible, but that's not always the case—if you act fast. First, you want to remove any excess liquid with a cloth, napkin or paper towel. Next run it under cold water (again, hot water will make it set) before applying liquid laundry detergent onto the stain. And since coffee and tea have similar makeups, this process also works on pesky tea stains.

 

Grass

Grass stains aren't just super noticeable, but also difficult to remove if you don't have a winning strategy. First, mix a mixture of one part white vinegar with two parts water. Then, apply it to the grass-stained area. For tougher materials, like thick denim jeans, you can then scrub in the mixture using a scrub brush, but for more delicate clothing, you may want to use something smaller and gentler, such as a toothbrush.

(via Shutterstock)

 

Grease

Grease stains can seem impossible to get rid of if you don't know the trick, but all you need is a little liquid dish soap to get the job done. Simply apply the dish soap to the grease or oil stain and let it soak before applying cold water and scrubbing it out with a toothbrush. After its turn in the washing machine, if it's not completely gone, redo the process and try again.

 

Ink

Ink may be the toughest stain on this list to get out of clothing, but not all hope is lost as long as you act quickly. Start by soaking up any excess ink with a paper towel, also being sure to place a paper towel inside the article of clothing, so any ink doesn't soak through to the other side. Next, you'll want to get some rubbing alcohol and coat the ink stain using cotton balls or a sponge. Give it about 15 minutes and the ink stain should mostly dissolve, before washing it in the machine.

 

Juice

Just like hot water will set certain types of stains, laundry detergent will make juice stains set, so instead, treat the stain first with white vinegar before rinsing with cool water. If the stain persists, also apply an enzyme cleaner before washing.

 

Lipstick

While most types of makeup will come out of your clothes through a regular wash cycle, highly pigmented lipsticks and lip stains can be another issue altogether. Here, we recommend using a dry cleaning solvent to soak the stain before throwing it in the wash and repeating if necessary.

(via Shutterstock)

 

Mud

Mud stains are one unusual instance where you actually want to wait until the article of clothing is dry to deal with the mess since attempting to clean up mud can cause it to spread and soak deeper into clothing. Once dried, brush off excess dirt (if you can do this outside it's ideal, but you can also vacuum up any dirt in the laundry room) before soaking the stain with detergent for about 15 minutes, occasionally scrubbing with a toothbrush to loosen any caked dirt, before washing.

 

Sweat

Nothing ruins a white top like dark sweat stains, but lucky for all of us, it's not too tough to get them out. Make a mixture of equal parts water and baking soda to create a paste and brush it into the stains with a toothbrush. Allow it to dry before washing it back to sparkling white.

 

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