Natural DIY Stain Remover

The homemade stain remover vinegar is a natural and effective way to remove stains from your clothes. It is easy to make and can be used on any clothing.

Removes stains. At some point, we’ve all grabbed for a bottle, frantically attempting to rescue a favorite tablecloth, blouse, or couch cushion. The laundry area of the supermarket cleaning aisle is filled with hundreds of stain remover solutions that promise to remove any stain known to man. Still, many of them are full of ingredients that may be harmful to your health and that of your family. In my experience, commercial stain removers over-promise and under-deliver. So, what safe and efficient stain removers can you use to get stains out of your clothes?

First, some key points:

  • It’s important to note the plural: stain removers. Stains come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A stain-removal technique that works effectively for one kind of stain may make another type of stain much worse. Match your approach to the staining material and the cloth type. The American Cleaning Institute lists over 40 (!) distinct colors and provides various methods for eliminating them (some of which are very hazardous). My stain cleaning suggestions will be a little more straightforward.
  • Act quickly, but don’t exacerbate the situation. The longer a stain is left on a piece of clothing, the more difficult it will remove. Just be sure to wipe or brush away any wet or loose things rather than rubbing them in. Don’t throw a soiled item into the dryer (if you have one) without first inspecting it: the dryer’s heat may set certain kinds of stains, making them more complicated (or even impossible) to remove. Continue to work on the stain if it is still visible, then wash again.
  • Don’t dismiss traditional physical methods. Using a dry, stiff brush after mud dries, washing quickly with cold water, or pushing liquid soap into a stain with a stiff brush before laundering are just a few of them (or rubbing the cloth against itself to accomplish the same thing). These techniques may frequently reduce or even eliminate the stain without the need for a separate stain remover.

Safe and Natural DIY Stain Remover

Start with the weakest choice on the list and work your way up if that doesn’t work. Because many stains fall into several categories, you may need to use your best judgment and mix and match stain removal techniques.

These include the following:

  • coffee
  • tea
  • fruit juice
  • sauce de soja
  • dark soda
  • grass
  • ketchup
  • tomato sauce
  • mustard
  • soot

Anything that has a lot of colors has a chance of transferring some of that color to your clothes. So here’s how you can get rid of colored stains.

Note: Avoid using hot water whenever possible since heat may set a colored stain permanently.

  1. If the discolored material is still wet, blot it as much as possible using clean rags or paper towels.
  2. Dry stains should be brushed to remove any loose material. Next, rinse the item under cold running water while holding the cloth with the stain face down so that any residue is rinsed away from the fabric rather than absorbed deeper.
  3. Work a tiny amount of your regular laundry detergent (try my Homemade Laundry Soap) or a natural, dye-free soap into the stain using a small, stiff brush (you may even hold a pinch of fabric in each hand and press the fabric together to achieve the same thing), and then wash as soon as possible.
  4. Check after you’ve washed your clothes. If the stain persists, repeat step 2 and soak the item in water for several hours before washing or cleaning it. Bleach (an eco-friendly, non-chlorine brand) may help remove a leftover color but try it first on an inconspicuous part of the item to ensure you don’t remove anything other than the stain.
  5. Specific strains that won’t come out with water may come out with alcohol. Blot the spot with a clean white cloth soaked in clear vodka or rubbing alcohol. If the blotting fabric takes up color, keep going until no more color is transmitted, periodically moving to clean parts of the rag. After that, rinse with water. On persistent grass or tomato stain remnants, a paste prepared from an unseasoned powdered meat tenderizer may be worth a go (see Stains of Protein below).

Greasy, oil-based stains are removed using this stain remover.

These include the following:

  1. Remove as much loose debris as possible using a dull knife or the edge of a spoon, then wipe the area with clean rags or paper towels. As much as possible, avoid rubbing the irritating material into the item.
  2. Apply a tiny amount of regular laundry detergent or a natural, dye-free soap to the stain and massage it in with a stiff brush. Launder as soon as possible. As long as the oily stain does not include a brilliant color, use the hottest water the cloth will allow (such as a commercial cake decorating icing with loads of artificial dyes). Launder in cold water if vivid colors are present.
  3. If the stain persists after washing, soak the affected area with a natural citrus oil-based cleanser (try a drop on an inconspicuous area first to ensure it won’t harm the fabric or alter its original color).

Citrus Oil Stain Remover (DIY)

By drying citrus peels and immersing them in vodka for a few days to a few weeks. After straining off the peels, let the remaining liquid rest in a shallow dish uncovered until the vodka has evaporated (you can also buy lemon, orange, tangerine, or grapefruit essential oil). To create your grease-cutting stain remover, combine a few drops of any citrus oil with a teaspoon of natural, liquid soap. For comprehensive directions, see the entire recipe after this post.

Protein Stains

These include the following:

  • milk
  • an ice cream cone
  • formula
  • blood
  • fluids of the body
  1. Remove as much loose debris as possible using a dull knife or the edge of a spoon. Then, using clean cloths or paper towels, dab the area. As much as possible, avoid rubbing the irritating material into the item.
  2. Apply a tiny amount of regular laundry detergent or a natural, dye-free soap to the stain and massage it in with a stiff brush. Then, as usual, do the laundry.
  3. If staining persists, use an enzyme-based cleaner to saturate the area. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes so the enzymes may break down any leftover protein into washable residues. Then, as usual, do the laundry.

Stain Removal using a Homemade Enzyme Cleaner

By combining an unseasoned powdered meat tenderizer with a bit of water, which activates the enzymes, you may create a highly efficient enzyme cleanser. Natural enzymes, such as bromelain (found in pineapple) and papain (found in papaya), are often included in powdered tenderizers.

Advice on Getting Rid of Specific Stains

Mildew. Sigh. Many textiles may be permanently discolored by mold and mildew. If none of the techniques above work, try using natural fabric dyes or black walnut hulls to tie-dye the garment.

Mud. Allow it to dry thoroughly before brushing with a firm brush to eliminate any remaining dust. If the color persists, see the Deeply Colored Stains section above.

Nail polish, paints, and dyes You may be stuck with the stain depending on the kind. Mildew may help when you’ve exhausted all other alternatives (water for water-based goods, citrus-based cleaning solution for oil-based products).

Perspiration. Wet stains should be soaked in ammonia for at least 30 minutes, and dry stains should be soaked in white vinegar. Then rinse and follow the Deeply-Colored Stains instructions above.

Rust. Bleach may make rust stains more apparent, so avoid it. Soak in white vinegar or lemon juice for a few minutes, and then wash as usual. Sun-bleaching may be used to remove stubborn rust stains on white clothing:

  • Soak the item in lemon juice or white vinegar.
  • Allow drying completely before rinsing.
  • Hang the thing in the sun for a week or as long as it takes for the color to fade (don’t attempt this with colored goods since the original color will disappear on the side facing the sun).

Resins and tree sap If you have any cold cream on hand, massage it into the liquid to dissolve it, then proceed as directed above for Oil-Based stains. If you don’t have any cold cream, blot away as much sap as you can with rags soaked in a citrus-based cleanser; then saturate any residual stain with a citrus-based cleaner and wash as usual.

The Ultimate Guide to Natural DIY Stain Remover

Time required: varies

Servings: Vary

Ingredients:

  • 1–2 cups vodka, depending on the number of peels
  • citrus peels (lemons, oranges, tangerines, or other citrus fruits) that have been dried
  • dish soap made from natural ingredients
  • container with a cover
  • sieve
  • bottle with a squeeze (a liquid dish soap bottle)

Directions:

  1. Fill a covered jar halfway with vodka and add the dried citrus peels. Allow them to sit for many days, up to two weeks, in an excellent, dark location.
  2. Strain the peels into a shallow dish using a sieve. If tiny particles remain, sift the mixture once again through a piece of cheesecloth soaked in vodka. It’s critical to dampen the cloth with vodka so that it doesn’t absorb the oil.
  3. Allow the leftover liquid to rest in a shallow dish until the vodka has evaporated and just a trace of oil remains.
  4. Pour the resultant oil into a dish soap made from natural ingredients (a few drops per teaspoon of soap). If you don’t want to create your oil or are short on time, you may utilize bought essential oils instead.
  5. For easier usage, store a greater quantity of DIY stain remover in a liquid soap-style container (or another squeeze bottle).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best homemade stain remover?

A: The best homemade stain remover is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap.

How do you remove stains from clothes?

A: The best way to get rid of stains is by using a stain remover. However, if you don’t have one, there are other ways that you can use to remove the stains from your clothes.

Related Tags

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FDA Compliance

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

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