30 ml
10 ml
bundles
8.5 oz
50 oz
bundles
detergent + booster
From coffee spills to streaks from your deodorant, stains are an annoyingly inevitable part of life. The trickiest part is that not all stains are created equal. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to cleaning up blemishes.
Lucky for you, we here at Snif know a thing or two about doing laundry, and we're ready to help. Today, we’ll be breaking down 10 different types of stains and ways for you to remove them successfully.
1. Coffee Stains
To effectively remove a coffee stain, start by blotting the spot with a paper towel to remove any liquid that’s still on your garment. Next, combine one teaspoon of white vinegar, one teaspoon of dish soap, and one cup of warm water.
Once your concoction has been made, carefully blot it onto the stain using a clean cloth. As you continue to blot, you’ll notice the discoloration beginning to fade. Rinse your garment with cold water.
If it still looks stained, repeat the process until it’s gone.
2. Chocolate Stains
It's tough to remove old chocolate stains, so always try to start the removal process as quickly as possible.
Begin by carefully scraping off any remaining chocolate with a dull knife. Then, pretreat the stained area by applying dish soap or liquid laundry detergent directly onto the spot.
Pretreating garments allows your detergent to get a headstart at breaking down tricky stains before they even reach your washing machine. Once the detergent or dish soap has been applied, wash your stained items with hot water.
3. Blood Stains
Blood marks are another kind of stain more likely to get successfully cleaned if it's done while still fresh. Start by rinsing the garment with cool water — avoid using hot water, because this can cause the blood to lock into the fibers of your fabric.
Gently dab hydrogen peroxide onto the stain until it's no longer there. If you don’t have this on hand, you can make a paste out of water and baking soda and use that instead.
Finally, finish off the job by tossing your garment into the laundry machine and washing on cold.
4. Deodorant
To remove deodorant streaks from your clothing, start by creating a cleaning paste from water and baking soda. Carefully scrub the paste onto the stained area using a clean cloth or brush. (If you don’t have a cleaning brush on hand, you can use a clean toothbrush.)
Once you’ve scrubbed on the paste, allow it to sit for about 20 minutes, then rinse it clean. If this doesn’t seem to be working, you may need to repeat the process with a different product. Instead of baking soda, try treating your stains with white vinegar or a stain removal solvent.
5. Grease Stains
Oil-based stains can take a few washes to get cleaned up, but it is possible! If you have a grease stain you’d like to get rid of, begin by sprinkling cornstarch or baking soda onto the spot and letting it sit for about 15 minutes.
During this time, the baking soda or cornstarch will help soak up any excess grease. Brush it off, and pretreat the remaining spot with dish soap by rubbing the product gently into the material. Finish off by washing it in warm water, and repeat as many times as necessary.
6. Ketchup
To clean up a little ketchup spill, start by blotting the stained area with a paper towel. Be careful not to rub the ketchup any deeper into your material, though — this could cause it to spread and make your job more difficult.
Next, flip the fabric to the back of the stain and rinse with cold water.
After all excess ketchup has been successfully removed, you can pretreat the stain with vinegar or a liquid detergent. Whether you wash the fabric in cold or hot water should be based on the item’s care instructions written on the tag.
7. Red Wine
Cleaning up a red wine stain can feel daunting, but it might only take a couple of steps.
Start by cleaning up any excess wine with a clean cloth. After blotting, sprinkle a bit of baking soda or salt over the stained area.
Leave this to absorb any remaining liquid, and then brush it off. Next, combine hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Apply the mixture onto the stain and let it sit for five to 10 minutes. Wash off the mixture and the stain with warm water, and repeat the process if necessary.
8. Grass Stains
Grass stains are one of the most common stains, especially if you’ve got an athlete or active child in the house. Start by pretreating the stain with liquid detergent. If you don’t have a color-safe detergent, use white vinegar diluted with water instead.
Use a brush with soft bristles to apply your detergent or vinegar onto the spot and gently scrub away the stain. Rinse off the solution with warm water and toss the garment into your washing machine. Grass stains can be pesky, so finish off with a stain remover if needed.
9. Ink Stains
Ink is a particularly tough stain to fix because the substance is usually designed to stay on paper permanently. Still, it’s totally possible to clean up — it’s just unlikely that you’ll be able to use typical water-based solutions.
Do a patch test to see if either rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer are safe to use on your fabric. Once you’ve tested it on a small area, gently dab your chosen product with a clean cloth. Rinse the alcohol off with cold water and wash the fabric in your machine.
10. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is another product that often stains kids’ clothing, toys, and blankets. Thankfully, it’s not too hard to treat. Flip the stained fabric around and rinse with cold water — this should help to remove excess juice without spreading it even more.
Next, pretreat the stained area with a mixture of vinegar and water or with a liquid detergent. Once it's ready to be washed in the machine, use cold water. If the stain is particularly tough, use a color-safe stain remover and wash it again.
Good as New
With a little elbow grease, your stained clothing will look good as new. All it takes is the appropriate cleaning products, a high-quality detergent, and a little attention to detail. Show those pesky stains who’s boss.
Sources:
Stain Removal | Museum Conservation Institute
Grease | Synthetic, Automotive & Industrial | Britannica