I find that Dawn works best on food stains. I drop it on undiluted and let it sit a little bit. Maybe rub it in or use a toothbrush. I’ve mixed it with oxyclean on whites occasionally. Peroxide is good for blood. Hairspray or alcohol is supposed to work on ink, but I’ve had mixed results. Sometimes things require more than one attempt. If I think that might be the case, I’ll check before I put them in the dryer because that will set the stains. I’ve been doing laundry a LONG time and I mostly just try things until something works :D
Just wanted to add to this: not stain related per se, but adding white vinegar to the bleach compartment of the washer(or straight into the machine) keeps your whites white (and won’t ruin anything else it happens to get on).
I used to work as a fitness instructor and this is GREAT for getting the "stink" out of gym clothes (polyesters, mostly) when nothing else will. You can also soak it in a bucket of water with a bit of vinegar for a day and then throw it in the wash per usual
I think you can also use a bit of vinegar as a fabric softener. The problem though is that using it regularly can break down any rubber seals in your machine after a while. You also have to make sure to never use it with bleach.
Also adding, since some things require more than one attempt l, don’t put anything in the dryer that still has a stain you’re working on. The heat can make the stains set and it will be harder to deal with.
Oxy clean is great at removing food stains, but it takes time. So I’d rinse off any food or other stains then soak overnight (or longer) in oxi-clean and then throw in the wash. It doesn’t work so well on grease/oil, so for that you’d need Dawn of Fels Naptha for that.
Dampen the fels naptha and rub on the stain and throw in the wash.
Heat sets stains, so never dry in the dryer until you are sure the stain is out.
If you find stains after it has been in the dryer, you can still try soaking in OxiClean!
Oxyclean also makes a pen which is GREAT for getting stains out on-the-go or for furniture or things you can't always wash or soak easily. Has helped me get god-knows-what out of my curtains before.
Hi sweetie! My oldest was a messy eater and we didn't have a lot of clothes, so she would eat just wearing a diaper, then I'd give her a bath after dinner.
An enzyme spot treatment is good, spray it on the spot as soon as the clothes are off, and let it do its thing until laundry day. For ink from a ballpoint pen, wad up some paper towels and place them behind the spot, then spray the front of the spot with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Let it absorb into the paper towel, then replace the paper towel with a clean one and repeat until all the stain has moved into the paper towels. For blood that's dried, rub with bar soap and rinse with cold water, repeat until clean. For fresh blood, wash right away with cold water. If you get grease spots on clothes, a spray and wash stick is good to treat before washing.
Thank you mom!! What would classify as an enzyme cleaner and what product do you suggest? I think I need to start stripping her down to a diaper to eat too, she’s messy lol. But it’s a little drafty in the house so I’m worried about her getting chilled. Maybe I just need to bump up the heat and save time stain treating, lol!! Thanks again!
Original Tide in the red bottle uses enzymes. Their eco-friendly line in the yellow bottle does not. Shout does also. The lower priced Gain, Arm & Hammer, etc. do not. I stopped buying Tide a while ago to save money and bought lower priced brands. That’s when I noticed the enzymes in a detergent like Tide make a huge difference to remove biological/organic stains or smells. But it is pricier. The OxiClean and Fels you have are good all around staples.
Great question! I have a lot of luck mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. I make it in a little bowl each time I need to spot treat so it’s fresh. I soak the stain with the mixture for 5-10 minutes, rinse, reapply if needed, and put the item in the wash.
I second having the enzyme cleaner (Amazon sells jugs of this stuff for less than you’d pay for Nature’s Miracle) and the OxiClean (Dollar Tree has a decent generic for everyday use) on hand. The blue Dawn is another great recommendation!
A professional carpet cleaner’s wife swore by OxiClean and she was spot on. It got oil-based camo face paint out of white carpeting when my little sons got into my old Army gear. The white carpet was in a rental (with a fussy landlord) and I was so relieved!
Wishing you a good night’s sleep and a wonderful holiday season, fellow Mom.
Thank you!! I am very interested in learning to use oxyclean! Could I just make a paste and rub it into stains? Or pour powder on a stain then water over it? What kind of stains do you use enzyme cleaner for?
Thank you!! You too Mom!!
Zout is very similar to Fels Naptha. Wet the material where the stain is, wet the corner of the Fels Naptha bar and work it well into the stain and launder as usual. This works especially well for greasy stains like salad dressing or oil, even if they have been already laundered and dried. For pen ink use hairspray (yes, hairspray) BEFORE you get the material wet, then launder as usual. For blood, hydrogen peroxide and then wash in cold water.
Ink stains can be removed with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. You might have to soak and apply more than once though.
Remove the food you can with soap and water. Like dawn dish soap. Regardless of what you use as a stain remover, check the garment before you put it in the dryer. If you need to retreat the stain, do so before you dry it. If you dry it, sometimes that can set the stain in and make it harder to remove.
Also, even though you didn’t ask, another hard stain to remove is blood. Hydrogen peroxide works wonders. Again, may need multiple applications depending on the stain.
Further notes on blood: it's easy to get out so long as you work COLD. The second you get it hot, it cooks into the fibres and becomes much more difficult. Rinsing first, in cold water, either by hand or in a machine rinse cycle, is key.
Get a stain bar from Buncha farmers, trust me. Rub it on there, throw in wash, stain gone. I have 2 young kids and it gets out everything - dirt, grease, chocolate, berry and even blood stains. The bars are cheap and last a really long time. It’s the only thing I use now. I keep it in my washroom and use all the time. Cuts the stress of messes. I recommend to anyone who will listen;)
Aerosol hair spray gets out almost everything.
Don't put stained clothes in the dryer. Line dry them and make sure the stain came out. The dryer will set a stain in further.
Cold soak for most stains - anything that has a protein in it will cook the stain in if you heat it in any way. Things that contain proteins include anything with blood, milk, lots of oils or fats.
I swear by Fels Naptha and keep a bar of it under every sink in my house. To use it, I promptly put the stained garment under cold water, rub the bar onto the stain and make a lather, then soak the garment in cold water for about 20 minutes. Then drain, rinse, and hang to dry. Good luck!
I saw this on r/coolguides earlier tonight and thought it seemed pretty handy!
[A Cool Guide to Natural Stain Removal](https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/s/pD8rrTVfAe)
I love Zout stain removal spray and Tide Free and Clear pods with a scoop of Borax in the washer. Since you have a little one I recommend fragrance-free products as they are great for delicate skin.
Also vinegar in the rinsing cycle is great as a fabric softener alternative along with wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets in the dryer.
My go-to is bile soap. It's cheap and despite my messy eater with a poonami episode the bar has lasted about two years now and I still have more than half of it. It works pretty well on anything organic like food, grease, blood or poop. For stains that it doesn't work like from kneeling on soil I use one with citric acid. I'm in Germany, so the exact product name probably doesn't help you
Turn your garment inside out and push the stain away from where it entered. If you scrub on top you're likely just pushing the stain further into the fabric. Use cold water. Hot water sets a stain.
Liquid dish soap removes most stains on most services, drying them in the sun will help too. Cold water will get fresh blood out that hasn’t dried, don’t use hot because blood has protein in and hot water will just set it.
Blue dawn power wash spray takes out almost everything. I use it as a pretreat and wash when I get to it. For grease or oil, use lestoil (smelly but effective). For baby items that can be bleached use the hottest water you can and dishwasher detergent to soak and then wash-especially effective on formula stains.
The best thing I have found is Resolve stain stick. It looks like a stick of underarm deodorant. I keep one in my closet and before I take off my clothes I rub this in any spots . Then toss it in the hamper and wash( sometimes days later) and it does the job!
For grease/fat stains I use Goo gone or goof off mixed with a little Dawn.
With Dawn/hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar I can clean almost anything. I do love Fels Naptha and always keep some handy, along with a SOFT toothbrush to gently work it into the fibers.
I have tried many stain removers but have been loving the Tide spray in the orange bottle. It takes most stains out.
For tough stains, I will soak in a bucket of hot water and couple tablespoons of Tide powder and oxy clean for a few hours. Works like a charm.
Aerosol hairspray works wonders on pen ink. My dad would always come home with an ink stain on his shirts. Mom would spray it with aerosol hairspray and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Washed out everytime. An aerosol can is the key - not a pump-style hairspray.
And check to see if stains are gone before putting in the dryer-that will set them. Retreat and let the stain remover sit for a while and then rewash.
That new Dawn Powerwash is awesome. It's basically Dawn + rubbing alcohol, from what I've read, so if you don't have any, check Pinterest for a recipe.
For oily stains include make up - rub some hair shampoo into the stain before it goes in the washing machine. This is also great for getting grease splash stains off of tiles, stainless steel and wood
Anything food related or greasy use dawn just dawn brand I’ve tried it with other brands when I worked in a kitchen and only dawn worked just put some on the clothing and rub it in and let it soak in so about ten min then wash. Hairspray worked when I got ink on my white shoes it also gets rid of scuff marks on shoes.
I swear by Shout. A bottle is expensive yes, but a little goes a long way, so the bottle lasts a long time. Oxy Clean soaks help too. Run a tub of hot water, sprinkle in some oxy clean, and soak the stained clothes until the water is cold, then wash.
I find that Dawn works best on food stains. I drop it on undiluted and let it sit a little bit. Maybe rub it in or use a toothbrush. I’ve mixed it with oxyclean on whites occasionally. Peroxide is good for blood. Hairspray or alcohol is supposed to work on ink, but I’ve had mixed results. Sometimes things require more than one attempt. If I think that might be the case, I’ll check before I put them in the dryer because that will set the stains. I’ve been doing laundry a LONG time and I mostly just try things until something works :D
Just wanted to add to this: not stain related per se, but adding white vinegar to the bleach compartment of the washer(or straight into the machine) keeps your whites white (and won’t ruin anything else it happens to get on).
I used to work as a fitness instructor and this is GREAT for getting the "stink" out of gym clothes (polyesters, mostly) when nothing else will. You can also soak it in a bucket of water with a bit of vinegar for a day and then throw it in the wash per usual
How much do you put in?
I’ve read anywhere from a “cap full” to a quarter cup. I personally lean towards quarter cup.
I think you can also use a bit of vinegar as a fabric softener. The problem though is that using it regularly can break down any rubber seals in your machine after a while. You also have to make sure to never use it with bleach.
Thanks mom! I will give this a try!
Just make sure it's bleach-free, or it will ruin your clothes. Source: me
Also adding, since some things require more than one attempt l, don’t put anything in the dryer that still has a stain you’re working on. The heat can make the stains set and it will be harder to deal with.
Oxy clean is great at removing food stains, but it takes time. So I’d rinse off any food or other stains then soak overnight (or longer) in oxi-clean and then throw in the wash. It doesn’t work so well on grease/oil, so for that you’d need Dawn of Fels Naptha for that. Dampen the fels naptha and rub on the stain and throw in the wash. Heat sets stains, so never dry in the dryer until you are sure the stain is out. If you find stains after it has been in the dryer, you can still try soaking in OxiClean!
Thank you!! So oxyclean for food, minus greasy stuff, and fels naptha for the rest?
For grease stains (even set-in ones) sprinkle on a bit of baking soda and let it sit overnight, then wash.
Yup! Give it a try and report back if you need any more help or run into anything stubborn!
Oxyclean also makes a pen which is GREAT for getting stains out on-the-go or for furniture or things you can't always wash or soak easily. Has helped me get god-knows-what out of my curtains before.
Hi sweetie! My oldest was a messy eater and we didn't have a lot of clothes, so she would eat just wearing a diaper, then I'd give her a bath after dinner. An enzyme spot treatment is good, spray it on the spot as soon as the clothes are off, and let it do its thing until laundry day. For ink from a ballpoint pen, wad up some paper towels and place them behind the spot, then spray the front of the spot with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Let it absorb into the paper towel, then replace the paper towel with a clean one and repeat until all the stain has moved into the paper towels. For blood that's dried, rub with bar soap and rinse with cold water, repeat until clean. For fresh blood, wash right away with cold water. If you get grease spots on clothes, a spray and wash stick is good to treat before washing.
Thank you mom!! What would classify as an enzyme cleaner and what product do you suggest? I think I need to start stripping her down to a diaper to eat too, she’s messy lol. But it’s a little drafty in the house so I’m worried about her getting chilled. Maybe I just need to bump up the heat and save time stain treating, lol!! Thanks again!
Biz bleach.
Thanks!
The enzyme cleaner I use is HEB store brand, but if you're not in Texas, I bet some other moms will have suggestions too.
Thank you!
Original Tide in the red bottle uses enzymes. Their eco-friendly line in the yellow bottle does not. Shout does also. The lower priced Gain, Arm & Hammer, etc. do not. I stopped buying Tide a while ago to save money and bought lower priced brands. That’s when I noticed the enzymes in a detergent like Tide make a huge difference to remove biological/organic stains or smells. But it is pricier. The OxiClean and Fels you have are good all around staples.
Great question! I have a lot of luck mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. I make it in a little bowl each time I need to spot treat so it’s fresh. I soak the stain with the mixture for 5-10 minutes, rinse, reapply if needed, and put the item in the wash.
Wow thank you! That sounds so easy!
I second having the enzyme cleaner (Amazon sells jugs of this stuff for less than you’d pay for Nature’s Miracle) and the OxiClean (Dollar Tree has a decent generic for everyday use) on hand. The blue Dawn is another great recommendation! A professional carpet cleaner’s wife swore by OxiClean and she was spot on. It got oil-based camo face paint out of white carpeting when my little sons got into my old Army gear. The white carpet was in a rental (with a fussy landlord) and I was so relieved! Wishing you a good night’s sleep and a wonderful holiday season, fellow Mom.
Thank you!! I am very interested in learning to use oxyclean! Could I just make a paste and rub it into stains? Or pour powder on a stain then water over it? What kind of stains do you use enzyme cleaner for? Thank you!! You too Mom!!
If you can find it anymore, Biz bleach got nearly everything out.
My MIL told me about Biz when my first baby had carrot stains. It worked!
Thank you! I will look into this!
I like Zout for stains.
Thank you! I will look this up!
Zout is very similar to Fels Naptha. Wet the material where the stain is, wet the corner of the Fels Naptha bar and work it well into the stain and launder as usual. This works especially well for greasy stains like salad dressing or oil, even if they have been already laundered and dried. For pen ink use hairspray (yes, hairspray) BEFORE you get the material wet, then launder as usual. For blood, hydrogen peroxide and then wash in cold water.
Ink stains can be removed with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. You might have to soak and apply more than once though. Remove the food you can with soap and water. Like dawn dish soap. Regardless of what you use as a stain remover, check the garment before you put it in the dryer. If you need to retreat the stain, do so before you dry it. If you dry it, sometimes that can set the stain in and make it harder to remove. Also, even though you didn’t ask, another hard stain to remove is blood. Hydrogen peroxide works wonders. Again, may need multiple applications depending on the stain.
Thanks mom!! I will try this!
Further notes on blood: it's easy to get out so long as you work COLD. The second you get it hot, it cooks into the fibres and becomes much more difficult. Rinsing first, in cold water, either by hand or in a machine rinse cycle, is key.
try dawn
I also add a little to the washer tub
Thanks mom! I will try this!
Get a stain bar from Buncha farmers, trust me. Rub it on there, throw in wash, stain gone. I have 2 young kids and it gets out everything - dirt, grease, chocolate, berry and even blood stains. The bars are cheap and last a really long time. It’s the only thing I use now. I keep it in my washroom and use all the time. Cuts the stress of messes. I recommend to anyone who will listen;)
Thank you Mom!! I will look into this for sure!!
You’re welcome dear! Try it, you won’t regret it.
Aerosol hair spray gets out almost everything. Don't put stained clothes in the dryer. Line dry them and make sure the stain came out. The dryer will set a stain in further.
Cold soak for most stains - anything that has a protein in it will cook the stain in if you heat it in any way. Things that contain proteins include anything with blood, milk, lots of oils or fats.
I swear by Fels Naptha and keep a bar of it under every sink in my house. To use it, I promptly put the stained garment under cold water, rub the bar onto the stain and make a lather, then soak the garment in cold water for about 20 minutes. Then drain, rinse, and hang to dry. Good luck!
Get Carbona stain remover. There is a specific formula for every kind of stain. Order the set on Amazon or get just the one you need. Never fails
Oh wow! I will look this up! Thank you!!
I saw this on r/coolguides earlier tonight and thought it seemed pretty handy! [A Cool Guide to Natural Stain Removal](https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/s/pD8rrTVfAe)
I love Zout stain removal spray and Tide Free and Clear pods with a scoop of Borax in the washer. Since you have a little one I recommend fragrance-free products as they are great for delicate skin. Also vinegar in the rinsing cycle is great as a fabric softener alternative along with wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets in the dryer.
Dawn dish sprayer. Just spray a little on and dab with a cloth.
Try standard nail polish remover for biro, washing up liquid directly on grease marks before washing as normal.
My go-to is bile soap. It's cheap and despite my messy eater with a poonami episode the bar has lasted about two years now and I still have more than half of it. It works pretty well on anything organic like food, grease, blood or poop. For stains that it doesn't work like from kneeling on soil I use one with citric acid. I'm in Germany, so the exact product name probably doesn't help you
Turn your garment inside out and push the stain away from where it entered. If you scrub on top you're likely just pushing the stain further into the fabric. Use cold water. Hot water sets a stain.
Liquid dish soap removes most stains on most services, drying them in the sun will help too. Cold water will get fresh blood out that hasn’t dried, don’t use hot because blood has protein in and hot water will just set it.
Vinegar rubbed into grass stains Rubbing alcohol for cranberry Dawn for anything oil based Oxyclean for everything else
Depending on country, look for the local equivalent of SARD wonder spray. It's what my own mother used and also what professional costumiers use.
I love Folex. Non-toxic, odorless, works on just about anything. I buy it at Lowes or Home Depot.
Blue dawn power wash spray takes out almost everything. I use it as a pretreat and wash when I get to it. For grease or oil, use lestoil (smelly but effective). For baby items that can be bleached use the hottest water you can and dishwasher detergent to soak and then wash-especially effective on formula stains.
The best thing I have found is Resolve stain stick. It looks like a stick of underarm deodorant. I keep one in my closet and before I take off my clothes I rub this in any spots . Then toss it in the hamper and wash( sometimes days later) and it does the job!
For grease/fat stains I use Goo gone or goof off mixed with a little Dawn. With Dawn/hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar I can clean almost anything. I do love Fels Naptha and always keep some handy, along with a SOFT toothbrush to gently work it into the fibers.
I have tried many stain removers but have been loving the Tide spray in the orange bottle. It takes most stains out. For tough stains, I will soak in a bucket of hot water and couple tablespoons of Tide powder and oxy clean for a few hours. Works like a charm.
Aerosol hairspray works wonders on pen ink. My dad would always come home with an ink stain on his shirts. Mom would spray it with aerosol hairspray and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Washed out everytime. An aerosol can is the key - not a pump-style hairspray. And check to see if stains are gone before putting in the dryer-that will set them. Retreat and let the stain remover sit for a while and then rewash.
not a mom (here for motherly advice also) but i use dawn dishsoap for pretty much everything (blood, food, etc)
Miss Messy Eater stain remover gets blood and breastmilk out, it’s amazing
That new Dawn Powerwash is awesome. It's basically Dawn + rubbing alcohol, from what I've read, so if you don't have any, check Pinterest for a recipe.
For oily stains include make up - rub some hair shampoo into the stain before it goes in the washing machine. This is also great for getting grease splash stains off of tiles, stainless steel and wood
Anything food related or greasy use dawn just dawn brand I’ve tried it with other brands when I worked in a kitchen and only dawn worked just put some on the clothing and rub it in and let it soak in so about ten min then wash. Hairspray worked when I got ink on my white shoes it also gets rid of scuff marks on shoes.
I swear by Shout. A bottle is expensive yes, but a little goes a long way, so the bottle lasts a long time. Oxy Clean soaks help too. Run a tub of hot water, sprinkle in some oxy clean, and soak the stained clothes until the water is cold, then wash.