Stain Removal Tips | Stain Removal Tips Overview

This is a guide for treating and removing the most common types of stains.

You can often remove stains yourself.  If you have a stain removal problem, here is how to discover if you can remove the stain, and if so, how to do it.  Common questions relate to stain removal from clothes, such as ink stain removal and removing many more types of stains.

Look to the sidebar to the right for articles about the most searched-for tips on how to remove specific types of stains.

But first, here are what you should ask yourself, look for, and do first before trying any stain removal techniques.

Most new garments have attached to them "permanent care labels" to indicate the care recommended.  The label is attached inside the garment, and could be at the back of the neckline, at the waistline, or at a back or side seam.

If garments are labeled "dry-clean only" or "professionally dry-clean", you probably can't remove stains from them yourself.  Blot up any excess stain material with a clean white cloth or paper towel only, and get it to a dry-cleaner within 24 to 48 hours.

If garments are labeled "washable", it may be possible to remove stains from them yourself.

Note that some items that may appear to be washable, are not.  And note also that some that appear to require dry-cleaning may be damaged further, or in some other manner, by dry cleaning.  So read the garment care label carefully.  The label care recommendations for garments are usually based on the fabric itself, but may relate to other parts, such as trim, elastic, interfacing, or adhesives.

Silk, woolen, and tailored linen garments must usually be dry-cleaned.  When you take them into the cleaners, point out the stains and what they are from, if you know.

Leather, suede, and fur items require specialty professional cleaning services not found at most dry-cleaners.

Different fibers behave differently when stained and when treated with stain removal agents.  The hang tags and fabric care labels include fiber content information.  This information can help you make better judgments about stain removal procedures, so make sure that at least in the future, you save the hang tags and don't remove the fabric care tags.  The hang tags also may identify durable press or soil release finishes that can either interfere with removing stains or make it easier.  For example, oily stains bond more firmly to treated fabrics than to untreated ones, making stain removal more difficult.  Keep in mind these points about fiber content when choosing clothing in the first place, and when choosing stain removal procedures, should it be later necessary.

Address stains immediately. Fresh stains are much easier to remove than those over 24 hours old.

Blot up liquid from the fabric with a white paper towel or clean white cloth.  Don't use a linty or dark-colored cloth.

Scrape or chip solids from the fabric with a dull knife, spoon, or spatula.  This may be easier after the stain has dried.  Brush off the excess before further stain treatment.

Surprisingly, you should NOT rub a fresh stain with bar soap.  Soap sets many stains.

Check your laundry for stains before washing.  Many stains need pre-treatment.

Check items before drying to make sure the stain has been removed.  If the stain is still evident, do not dry in a dryer.  The dryer heat will make the stain more permanent.

Don't iron or press stained items until the stain is completely removed.  Heat sets most fabric stains.

If you are going to use a stain removal agent, test it on a seam or hidden area of the garment to make sure it doesn't adversely affect the fabric.  Sometimes the "cure" may damage the fabric or color even worse than the stain itself.

The best preliminary step, for cotton and cotton/polyester blend fabrics, is to rub and rinse the item in cool, not warm or hot, water.  This will help remove dried food, protein (blood, egg, etc.), and oil stains.  Avoid excess or vigorous rubbing unless the fabric is tough and durable.

If you don't know the origin of a stain, don't use hot water.  Hot water can set protein stains such as blood stains, egg stains, and milk stains.

Use the water temperatures recommended by detergents and stain removal products.  Hot water is 120-140 degrees F.; warm water is 85-105 degrees F; cold water is 65-75 degrees F.  Colder water, below 60 degrees F., is too cold for use effectively with detergents.

If you wash heavily stained items in a washing machine, wash them separately.  Stains, and soil, can be redeposited on the cleaner items in the wash.  When using a washing machine, use the proper amount of detergent, according to instructions -- not too little or too much.  Water temperature should be warm, neither cold or hot.  Set the wash time as short as possible, then check results.  Don't overload the washer, a light load is preferable.

Note that many stains cannot be removed. Some stain removal chemicals, agents, or even commercial stain removal products can damage or discolor fabrics, making the result even worse.

If you have any doubt as to the safety of your fabric or the fabric color, test the chemical(s) or product(s) you want to use to remove stains on an inconspicuous location on the garment.

If in doubt, consult a professional cleaning service.

No liability is assumed -- use this advice at your own risk.

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