Imagine this: It’s a late Saturday morning and you’re enjoying a nice, spicy meal inside your favorite restaurant when suddenly your spoon falls and the splash of sauce ricochets onto your white shirt.
White shirt.
In those few seconds, you realize that your once dream-like brunch out turns into an outfit nightmare because a spot of bright red now lives in the middle of your pristine clothes.
You rush to get your Tide pen and Remove it. You’re successful but it’s obvious to a stranger’s eye that you’ve rushed to get a stain out which leads you to think that your outfit is no longer nice to look at.
As a fashion girl, experiencing this was such a rain in my parade.
But I took it as a lesson to learn how to Remove any and all stains from clothes and even from my home.
So, if you’re just like me – read on and find out so you never have horrific nightmare scenarios with stains ever again!
How to Remove Blood Stains
We’re going to start off strong with how to remove blood stains. It’s a fairly common type of stain, mainly because we’re often going about our days in a focused state and there are times where we make a little accident, like nicking our finger against a sharp object and there it is – a flow of red.
But there’s nothing to panic much about because there’s a fool-proof way to remove blood stains in case they get in your clothes!
According to CNN, it all starts with determining whether the blood is fresh or dry.
The only difference between these two is that fresh blood is quicker to get rid of. Other than that, here are the steps to ensure that patch of red is gone:
- Step 1: Apply cold water to wet the stain.
- Step 2: Apply a small amount of high-quality liquid detergent to the stain and gently brush with a laundry brush. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Step 3: Rinse again with cold water, and blot with a dry rag to remove the stain and water.
- Step 4: Repeat until both the stain and detergent residue are removed.
- Step 5: Allow the fabric to air-dry.
How to Remove Oil Stains from Clothes
Unlike blood stains, oil stains on clothes are one of the most difficult to remove.
But even if it’s challenging, it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. Apartment Therapy takes us through some tried and tested steps!
First, you have to understand that oil is liquid when it's warm and that it’s solid when it's cold so when tackling this stain, it’s important to run it through warm water to make it easier to take out. After that, it’s time to:
- Sprinkle baking soda on the affected fabric and allow it to sit for 24 hours.
- After a day passes, vacuum or brush the baking soda away.
- Spray the affected area with a solution of vinegar and water.
- Scrub with soap and a brush, then rinse.
- Repeat the process if the stain remains.
How to Remove Yellow Stains from White Clothes
Have you ever pulled out your favorite white shirt, worn it on your person, checked yourself out in the mirror and noticed that there’s a random yellow stain?
I’ve experienced this scenario once or twice and let me tell you – it is kind of annoying.
But as Clorox describes it, yellow stains on white shirts are caused by oxidation of leftover stains which means a few things: you didn’t clean the previous stain and its remains turned yellow from the exposure to air over time.
Now, doesn’t that make it doubly annoying?
But like all the stubborn stains – if they can appear…they can also disappear, and Grammar NYC shows us how:
- In a bowl or spray bottle, mix 3 tablespoons of dish soap, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide. Apply your whitening solution and let it sit for an hour. Afterwards, wash under cold water as usual and dry.
How to Remove Water Stains from Wood
Now, have you ever come home from a long and hot summer day, set down your bags and grab a cold drink to sip while watching your show in the living room. Then, set it down on your wooden table without the coaster?
Now, it’s too late – the water has made its mark and you’re fussing over how to get it off. Merry Maids shows us how:
- Wipe the table with your microfiber cloth to remove any residue or crumbs.
- Set the iron to warm and let it heat up.
- Lay your towel or t-shirt over the stained area.
- Iron the stain through the fabric for about five seconds.
- Remove the heat for about 30 seconds and check to see if you’ve made any progress.
- Repeat as necessary.
How to Remove Stains from Leather
We all love our leather bags. We care for them to our utmost ability and these bags care for our stuff for years on end.
But what happens when our enduring leather bags take on a stain? HGTV teaches us how to help remove them. Different leathers have different ways of cleaning so when your beloved leather good is white, then either clean with these two methods:
- Oil + Vinegar: Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/4 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray on the stain and let sit for five minutes before wiping. It’s important to keep in mind to avoid bleach or ammonia-based cleaners as they can damage the leather.
- Toothpaste: Dampen the stained area with a damp cloth. Apply a bit of non-gel toothpaste on the stain and use a soft toothbrush to scrub away the stain. Wipe the area with a clean cloth when finished, then dry with a towel.
If it’s regular or dark leather, then here are a few ways to get rid of a stain on them:
- Water Stains: Water spots can be removed from leather by moistening the area again with a little water, then using a gentle blow dry. Don’t place leather in the sun to dry.
- Oil Stains: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the spot. Gently rub it in and let sit for a few hours or overnight. Wipe off the powder with a soft cloth.
- Ink Stains: Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently blot the stain before drying the area with a blow dryer. If the stain remains, apply a thick coat of non-oily cuticle remover overnight, then wipe off with a damp cloth.
How to Remove Coffee Stains
Just as much we love our leather goods, we also love our coffee – and if ever you get a stain from this lovely drink, Southern Living teaches us how to get it out:
- Blot the stain with a tissue or towel to remove the excess coffee.
- Combine a quart of warm water, ½ teaspoon of dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Soak your garment in the mixture for 15 minutes.
- Rinse the fabric with warm water and use a sponge and rubbing alcohol to dab the garment.
- Wash the garment as usual according to laundry instructions then air dry.
- Repeat if necessary.
How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Glass
One might think stains on glass are easy to remove – but it’s quite different if it’s a hard water stain. Good thing Rayne Water shows us how to keep all our glass surfaces clear, clear and glowing:
- Mix lemon juice and baking soda to form a paste with a toothpaste-like consistency.
- Spread the paste onto the stained glass surface, focusing on the affected areas.
- Use a soft-bristle brush or cloth to gently scrub the paste into the stains.
- Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a microfiber cloth or squeegee.
How to Remove Red Wine Stains
Like coffee, most of us also love red wine and while it’s somewhat aesthetic to receive a stain from this elegant drink, we must not wait too long to remove it! Lacrema shows us how since red wine tends to be one of the few liquids that can swiftly penetrate deep into a fabrics pores:
- Red wine will move toward anything dry that it comes into contact with. So grab a dry, powdery material and apply it generously on the red wine stain. It can be:
- Table salt
- Baking soda
- Sodium percarbonate, a.k.a. a granulated form of hydrogen peroxide
- Dry soap powder
- Talcum powder, which is used for baby powder
- Kitty litter
- These dry materials will “pull” the red wine out of the carpet! Remember, always apply the blotting method, even when it comes to cleaning up the salt or powder.
- Let the powdery material settle for a few minutes. In some cases, this may be enough to actually remove the stain completely.
How to Remove Sweat Stains
You might think that sweat doesn’t stain on clothes, but they do! If you ever encounter this, then our very advice would be to create a one-is-to-one part solution of water and white vinegar and soak the clothes under it before rubbing a paste of baking soda, salt and hydrogen peroxide to fully remove the stain!
How to Remove Stains from Toilet Bowl
We all hate this type of stain – and that is a valid concern to have! Our tip to remove it? Soak the toilet bowl in a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes before taking an electric scrubber like this one from Dovety and whirring the stain away!
How to Remove Pee Stains from Mattress
If you’re a mother to wonderful children or a caretaker for energetic kids – or maybe someone who encounters sleep issues and experiences a rather surprising moment of peeing on the mattress, please don’t worry.
Sometimes these things happen and there’s nothing to be ashamed of! Allow us and the Sleep Foundation to help you remove it:
- Strip the bed and put all your bedding in the washing machine as soon as possible.
- Gather white vinegar, baking soda, water, a spray bottle, a vacuum, and a few cleaning towels.
- Using the cleaning towel or paper towels to gently blot the moist areas to soak up as much liquid as possible. Don’t ever scrub the mattress, as this pushes the urine further into the bed.
- Create a solution of half water and half distilled vinegar, and put it in a spray bottle.
- Spray the affected area before blotting the excess moisture out.
- Cover the area with a generous layer of baking soda and let it sit on the mattress for as long as possible. The recommendation is at least 8 hours.
- Vacuum off the baking soda and inspect the mattress for signs of stains and urine odors.
- If necessary, repeat steps 5 through 9 until the odor and stains are removed.
How to Remove Carpet Stain
If you were to ask us what we consider to be the most difficult stain to remove – it has to be carpet stains. Imagine walking barefoot and you step on a stain like this. It can grind on your gears and make your only purpose for the day dedicated to taking it out.
COIT says that the best way to remove it is by mixing a solution of white vinegar, dish soap and water, putting it on a spray bottle and applying it on the affected area. Let it sit for a few minutes before blotting it with a towel or using a scrubber to remove the stain.
How to Remove Rust Stain
We’re down to the last type of stain you can encounter and those are rust stains. While you may not encounter this often, it’s also important to keep any object made of metal free from rust stains to prolong its product life. Apartment Therapy shows us how by using distilled white vinegar and salt:
- For small objects affected by rust (like keys), soak in a bowl of white vinegar for up to 24 hours and then rinse clean and dry.
- For larger objects, apply vinegar directly to the rust-affected area and sprinkle with salt. Use a wad of aluminum foil to scrub the rust away.
FAQs
What is the #1 rule for removing stains?
The number one rule is to always respond as quickly as possible. The more time you let a stain sit, the harder it becomes to remove it!
What are the 3 things to remember about removing stains?
It comes in three Ps: promptness – meaning you have to act as swiftly as possible to remove the stain, patience – meaning you have to give yourself time to work the stain out and not get frustrated when things don’t go your way, and perseverance – meaning it’s better to spend time removing a stain than giving up and letting a piece of clothing or accessory go to waste.
Does Dry Cleaning Remove Stains?
Amongst the many stains and the many ways to remove them, begs a rather unique question: does dry cleaning – a rather unconventional method, remove stains?
ZIPS Cleaners says yes! Dry cleaning as a method uses special solvents instead of water to remove a variety of stains – from the simplest to the most difficult!
The best part? Dry cleaning uses these solvent without ever shrinking or destroying the fabric, so it’s definitely a great alternative if ever the aforementioned solutions don’t work for you!
