How to Remove Common Stains from Clothes: A Complete Stain Removal Guide

Posted on 12th Aug 2024 How to

Stains appearing on outfits could be a problem as it might delay your plans like attending an important meeting. It could even put a temporary stop to your plans of wearing your favorite outfit. The major concern here is to remove common stains from clothes because of a lack of supplies or a defective washing machine. 

You can look for a professional laundry and dry cleaner for your clothes which is Love2Laundry. Our service ensures to transform your outfits into new one.

As a reliable laundry in Pakistan, let’s look at some of the ways to remove stains from clothes and protect them from sustaining damage. It might be removing oil stains or ink stains from clothes, here’s what you can do.

---

General Stain Removal Tips

There are multiple tips you can follow at home to remove common stains from clothes. It’ll keep your shirt safe from food stains, wine stains, and even grass stains, and here’s how you can deal with them:

---

Immediate Action

Taking immediate action to deal with fresh stains is one of the finest tips to follow to remove stains. For example, eating your meal in a restaurant and ketchup spills on your shirt, then take a napkin and remove it immediately.

Blot the stain with a clean cloth and gently dap the stain after coming home. Then, rinse your shirt and wash it to remove stains from colored clothes.

---

Pre-Treatment Techniques

Pretreatment is an important tip to remove common stains from clothes. If you don’t have a laundry detergent or a stain remover, then you can use vinegar and baking soda.

Prepare a solution by adding one of them to a bowl filled with water, then apply it to the stain. Leave the solution for a few minutes and blot it gently before washing your fabric.

Common Stains and How to Remove Them

You’ll find many common stains that ruin your precious fabrics and can get confused because each stain has a different removal technique. So, below are the instructions mentioned to get rid of common stains:

Spot Remover

To remove common stains from clothes like spots, you can start by:

• Identify the type of stains like oil, ink, or wine.
• Blot the stain gently with a clean cloth instead of rubbing.
• Test the fabric first by applying a cleaning solution on a smaller part to remove common stains from clothes.
• Apply a stain remover on the stain and let the solution sit for 10 minutes and then rinse with cold water.
• Wash your clothes as usual.

---

Remove Grass Stains

Grass stains contain a bit of dirt and grime, so whenever you see some on your clothes, then:

• Rinse the fabric with cold water to remove the most common stains of grass. 
• Apply a stain remover and leave it for at least 15 minutes.
• Scrub the stained area gently with an old toothbrush.
• Wash your outfits as per the instructions mentioned on the label.
• Check the condition of your outfits before drying them.

---

Remove Blood Stains

Blood stains look more prominenton white shirts, even a tiny mark is enough to ruin your dressing. So, for removing stains from white clothes, you can:

• Rinse the stained area with cold water to remove as much stain as you can.
• Use a laundry detergent or liquid soap and rub it on the stain gently.
• Soak your clothes in cold water for a few minutes.
• Start washing your clothes as per the instructions provided.
• Dry your clothes naturally by hanging them on a clothesline.

Remove Collar Stains

The collars of the shirts highlight the beauty of the fabric. However, they, too, can get dirty because of the sweat released from your body. You can remove the stains from the collar by:

• Pretreat the stain with a cleaning solution of warm water and liquid detergent.
• Apply the solution and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes to let it go deep in the fibers.
• Put your clothes in the washing machine and start washing them.
• After the wash, inspect the outfit carefully to see if the stains remain or not.
• Dry the outfit as per the instructions on the clothing label. 

---

Remove Lipstick Stains

Lipstick stains contain a bit of oily and greasy substance that becomes hard if it gets dried on your outfits. You must pretreat the stain first before washing it, as it won’t be removed. You can remove tough stains from lipsticks by:

• Scrap off the excess part with the help of an old knife or a spoon.
• Blot the stain with a clean cloth to absorb as much lipstick stain as you can.
• Take a small amount of liquid laundry detergent, apply it on the stain by using a brush and leave it for 15 minutes.
• Use a solvent instead of water to deal with the oily and greasy substance of lipstick stains.
• Wash your clothes as usual and check your fabric before drying if there’s a need to repeat the process.

Remove Grease Spots

Start by blotting the grease spots on your outfits using a clean towel with gentle hands.

• Apply liquid dish soap on the affected area to reduce the thickness of grease stains.
• Let the solution sit for 10 minutes so it can go deep into the fibers to remove grease spots.
• Blot the stain again and wash it with hot water.
• Hang your clothes after the wash for air drying instead of using a steamer.

Remove Oil Stains

If you find oil stains on your clothes, then start the removal process by:

• Blot the oil stain with a clean cloth or a towel.
• Put some absorbent powder like baking soda or cornstarch on your fabric and leave it for 30 minutes.
• Take a brush and gently rub it on your outfit to remove the absorbent powder.
• Pretreat the stain with the help of liquid dish soap.
• Wash the garment as usual and dry it as per the required instructions.

You can even remove stains with baking soda as a pretreatment. So, use it as a substitute.

Remove Ink Stains

Ink stains are one of the most common ones avoiding it would be tough because ink comes in regular use. So, to remove it from your clothes, you can start by:

• Gently dab the stain with a towel to absorb as much ink as you can.
• Put some hand sanitizer on a cotton ball and apply it to the ink stains.
• Rinse your outfit in cold water and repeat if you still find some ink stains left.
• Wash your clothes with the instructions mentioned on the label and use hot water.
• Hang your outfit on a clothesline to dry.

---

Remove Tea Stains

When it comes to getting tough stains out of clothes, tea stains are one of the toughest. When the stain gets dried, it becomes permanent and hard to remove. But you can follow the washing process below to get rid of tea stains:

• Blot the stained area with a towel and rinse the fabric with cold water.
• Apply a stain remover on your fabric and leave the solution for 5 minutes, and for older stains, leave the solution for 30 minutes.
• Set up your washing machine and start washing your clothes.
• Inspect the garments carefully and if you still find some tea stains, then repeat the process.

Remove Coffee Stains

• Take a clean towel and blot the coffee stain with gentle hands.
• Rinse the stained area with cold water and apply a stain remover for pretreatment with a soft brush.
• Let the solution sit on the coffee stain for 5 minutes.
• Fill up your washing machine with detergent and hot water, and start washing your clothes.
• Dry your clothes as per the instructions mentioned on the clothing label.

Remove Marker Stains

Marker stains are generally of two types, permanent and non-permanent, and even a single mark is enough to ruin the outfit. The use of markers is common, and so are the marker stains. So, to remove common stains from clothes like markers, begin with:

• Blot the marker stain with a towel to prevent it from spreading.
• Apply hand sanitizer on the marker stain with a cotton ball and blot it again.
• Start washing your clothes after rinsing them with cold water.
• Let the fabric dry by either hanging it on a clothesline or placing it on a flat surface.

Remove Ketchup/Sauce Stains

If you find out that some ketchup has spilled on your t-shirt while having dinner, then deal with it immediately. Once the stain gets dried, you must have a proper procedure for the removal of old ketchup stains. So let’s check it out below:

• Take an old knife or a spoon and remove the excess part of the ketchup stain.
• Rinse the stained area of your t-shirt with cold water to pull out the stains under the fibers.
• Apply a liquid detergent or dish soap on your fabric for pretreatment and leave it for a few minutes.
• Fill up a bucket with cold water and soak your t-shirt in it for 30 minutes.
• Wash your clothes as usual by using warm water.

---

Remove Sweat Stains

To remove sweat stains from your outfits, start by:

• Form a cleaning solution with four tablespoons of baking soda and a quarter cup of warm water. Apply it on your clothes and leave the solution for 60 minutes.
• Rub the stained area together to loosen up the sweat stains, and use a toothbrush for older ones.
• Start washing your clothes in the washing machine with hot water.
• Check your clothes after the wash, if you still find some sweat stains on your outfit, then repeat the process.

Remove Chocolate Stains

Mostly, chocolate stains get thicker quickly and require a detailed process for removal. You can start the washing process with some pretreatment mentioned below:

• Scrape off the excess part by using a spoon or an object with sharp edges.
• Rinse with cold water as quickly as possible to get the chocolate stains out of the fabric.
• Apply a stain remover or liquid detergent on chocolate stains using a bristled brush.
• Soak your fabric in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes and then wash as usual.

Advanced Stain Removal Techniques

There are some situations where you might need advanced techniques to remove common stains from clothes. The reason could be the delay in the washing process, which makes the stain permanent. However, if you follow the below-mentioned techniques, then you can remove any type of stain.

Using Enzyme Cleaners

Using enzyme cleaners to deal with stubborn stains is a good strategy as it provides multiple benefits:

• Eco-friendly Washing
• Suitable for organic stains (blood, food, & sweat)
• Complete removal of odors
• Prevention of allergens
• Perfect for long-term use

---

Commercial Stain Removal Products

Another effective stain-removal technique is to use commercial stain-removing products. Stain removers work fine when it comes to pretreating the stains and provides advantages like:

• Works on different fabrics (clothing & carpets)
• Saves time
• Suitable for emergencies
• Enhances Hygiene
• Increases the lifespan of outfits 

 Prevention and Maintenance

You can take some preventative measures to protect your clothes from sustaining multiple stains. It’ll keep your fabrics clean every time and the laundry basket empty. So, let’s have a look:

Regular Laundry Practices

Make a habit of regular laundry so that you won’t find pending outfits that require washing. You can choose weekends to wash your clothes because if you delay the process, then the stains might leave a permanent mark on your outfits.

Protective Measures

The protective measures you can take to remove common stains from clothes are to: 

• Wear an apron while cooking or gardening. 
• Use napkins while having dinner.
• Take immediate action upon finding a stain on your outfit.
• Use placemats and tablecloths to prevent food stains from spilling on your clothes.

FAQs –  How to remove stains from clothes

---

Wrap Up!

Now that you know how to remove common stains from clothes without hurdles, you can easily wash your outfits. Whether it’s a food stain, grass stain, or even an oil stain, the washing process will guide you through everything.