How to Remove Stains from Clothes and Laundry

How to Remove Oil and Grease Stains

• Automotive oil
• Hair oil
• Meat or fat
• Butter or margarine
• Face creams
• Salad dressing
• Hand lotion
• Mayonnaise
• Machine Grease

Always try to treat an oil-based stain as soon as it is noticed. The longer you wait, the longer the oil and stain have to set into the deeper layers and threads of the fabric.

First lay the stain face up on your workspace and sprinkle liberally with baby powder. Let the powder sit on the stain overnight if possible. If you can not leave it sit over night, at least leave it on for several hours. In the morning, shake off the powder, then with your hand brush the fabric to remove the remaining powder. If the stain is still very visible re-apply powder and let set another couple of hours. Again shake off then brush off remaining powder. This will have absorbed the oil from the fabric.

Now place your spot on an absorbent towel or paper towels with the stain facing up. Next apply a grease cutting dishwashing liquid directly to the spot with HOT water. Fingers or an old toothbrush work well on most fabrics to get the suds into the fibers. The suds will lift any remaining oil from the fabric. Blot with a clean sponge, absorbent towel or paper towels until all of the stain is removed.

Then wash as usual. After washing check the stain. If it is still visible repeat scrubbing with the dishwashing detergent. Do not dry in an automatic dryer until after the stain is removed to your satisfaction since the heat of an automatic dryer will set the stain. If you are unsure, dry it on a clothesline to see how the stained area looks when dry.

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How to Remove Protein Stains

• Baby Food
• Milk or Formula
• Blood
• Mucous
• Cheese Sauce
• Egg
• Ice Cream
• Feces
• Urine
• Vomit
• White glue or paste
• Mud

For stains containing proteins, such as blood, milk, or eggs, begin by rinsing with COLD water. Hot water can make some protein stains more difficult to remove. After rinsing out the stain, apply an enzyme-based stain remover and launder normally, or see our Guide to Hand Washing Clothes for other washing options.

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How to Remove Ink Stains

First you need to determine what type of ink makes up the stain. There are four common types of inks:

1. Water based ink - from the markers that are used for transparencies and overhead projectors.
2. Ballpoint pen ink
3. Permanent ink - found in many markers, fountain pens, stamp pads and even some ballpoint pens
4. Dry Erase Marker

How to Remove Water-Based Ink

Pre-treat with heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly

If the stain remains, consider an oxygen-based laundry stain remover that is compatible with the fabric, following the manufacturer's instructions. Chlorine bleach should only be used on garments whose care labels specifically permit it. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, acids, or other cleaning chemicals.

Warning - any bleaching damage to colored garments is irreversible. Also, since bleaching can alter the color of the garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.

How to Remove Ballpoint Pen Ink

First, place an absorbent towel underneath the stained area. Test rubbing alcohol on a hidden part of the fabric to check for color damage. If the fabric is compatible, gently dab the stain with a clean white cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, working from the outside toward the center. Replace the towel underneath as ink transfers onto it. Rinse thoroughly, apply liquid laundry detergent, and wash according to the garment's care label.

If the stain remains, consider an oxygen-based laundry stain remover or bleach product that is compatible with the fabric, following the manufacturer's instructions. Chlorine bleach should only be used on garments whose care labels specifically permit it. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, acids, or other cleaning chemicals.

How to Remove Permanent Ink and Marker Stains

It is called permanent ink for a reason - it may be very difficult to remove the whole stain. The procedure below should help to lighten the stain significantly.

First, place the garment on a flat work surface and put the stained section on an old but absorbent towel that is allowed to get stained (or on a thick pad of paper towels). Use a clean white rag dipped in rubbing alcohol and dab at the stain. You should see the stain transfer to the rag. Use another dry cloth to blot up the solution between applications. You may need to re-position the towel underneath to a dry section.

Keep applying the rubbing alcohol and blotting it up several times. Then rinse the spot with clean water and blot that up. Repeat until stain is gone, or at least lighter.

How to Remove Dry-Erase Marker Stains

You will actually move the stain from your clothing to an old towel, here's how it is done...

First place an old clean and absorbent towel (that you don't mind staining) directly under the stained fabric to absorb excess moisture and to keep the stain from bleeding to other parts of your clothing item. Then use Murphy's Oil Soap with a small brush, like an old toothbrush. Keep the brush very wet with the soap while rubbing on the stain. Keep moving the towel to put new dry locations underneath the stain - this will absorb the stain and keep the stain from bleeding back through. Continue brushing Murphy's Oil Soap onto the spot until is almost completely gone.

Next take a clean damp sponge made sudsy with Dawn dishwashing liquid and rub the spot with the suds until the rest of the stain is removed. Remember to keep moving the towel around underneath the spot to absorb the liquid.

Once you have the spot removed, rinse the sponge until it runs clear and then keep blotting the spot with the clean sponge (and keep moving that clean towel around underneath) until the soap and all residues are all blotted out. Then wash in the laundry as usual.

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How to Remove Dye Stains

• Cherry, Blueberry, etc
• Felt-tip Marker (permanent may not come out)
• Tempera Paint
• Mustard
• Grass
• Walnut husk
• Mercurochrome
• Color bleeding in the wash (dye transfer)

Dye stains are one of the most difficult to remove.

First, soak the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and let set for an hour or more. Then rinse thoroughly. Second soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.

If the stain remains, consider an oxygen-based laundry stain remover or bleach product that is compatible with the fabric, following the manufacturer's instructions. Chlorine bleach should only be used on garments whose care labels specifically permit it. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, acids, or other cleaning chemicals.

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How to Remove Wax-Based Stains

• Furniture polish
• Carbon paper
• Eye make-up
• Candle wax
• Crayon
• Lipstick
• Shoe polish
• Floor wax
• Tar
• Pine Resin

The best removal method depends on the material causing the stain. For hardened candle wax, gently scrape away the excess with a dull knife or plastic card. For oily or greasy residues, apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent or a fabric-safe stain remover and gently work it into the stain. Allow it to sit according to the product directions, then wash according to the garment's care label. Check the stain before machine drying, and repeat the treatment if necessary. Some wax-based products, including shoe polish and tar, may require specialized treatment or professional cleaning.

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How to Remove Combination Stains

• Barbecue sauce
• Ketchup or catsup
• Chocolate or cocoa
• Hairpray
• Calamine lotion
• Face make-up (powder, rouge, foundation)
• Gravy
• Tomato sauce

First, rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain then rinse thoroughly. Second, soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.