The Ultimate Guide To Removing Stains From White Clothes

Getting a stain on your favorite (or most expensive!) white shirt feels like a tragedy. But before you start thinking about throwing out your once-immaculate white shirt, know that it is probably salvageable.

There are ways to remove stains out of white clothes whether it’s sweat, rust, wine, blood, or a whole host of other nasty spots.

Here is a guide on how to erase the unsightly splotch from your white clothes. You’ll learn all about quick fixes for stains, the best fabric-safe methods for cleaning your favorite items, and tips for keeping your white clothes light and bright!

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• What to Do Right Away When Stains Happen
• How to Tackle the Most Common Stains
• Natural vs. Store Bought Stain Removers
• What To Do If A Stain Doesn’t Come Out
• How to Keep White Clothes Bright Longer
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• FAQs
• Final Tips for Removing Stains Safely

What to Do Right Away When Stains Happen

Unfortunately, stains are inevitable. Life brings all sorts of mishaps – weather its an accidental spill of food, oil splatter from cooking in the kitchen, or blood from taking care of your hurt child, things happen to our clothes.

When you discover a stain on your clothes, do the following right away:

• Blot the stained area with a light colored rag or even a paper towel. Try to soak up as much excess as possible. Don’t rub the stain into the fabric.
• If you are at home, remove the clothing and soak in cold water.
• If you are not at home, use a stain remover such as Miss Mouth’s Messy Stain Remover or Tide To Go. Soak the item when you get home.
• Pre-treat the stain with a stain remover prior to laundering. Be sure to check the care label especially on delicate fabrics.
• After the stain has been treated for the recommended amount of time, wash
• NEVER put your stained clothing in the dryer until you have confirmed the stain is gone.
• Test stain treatment options on a hidden seam to make sure it will not ruin your fabric.

How to Tackle the Most Common Stains

Some stains require different treatment methods and techniques. We are going to break down all the most common stains that we get on our white clothes and the best way to remove them!

Sweat Stains

Forgot your antiperspirant or undershirt today? Or maybe you just had an important meeting or a big date! Don’t let those embarrassing stains on your white shirts stick around.

Wash It Hot

Sweat stains should be easy to remove from your white clothes. Simply launder the white fabric with your favorite laundry detergent — but use hot water. If possible, launder before the sweat dries.

Soak in White Vinegar

If the hot-water laundering did not do the trick on your tough stains, try white vinegar. In a large bucket or tub, mix one cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of warm water (not boiling). Soak for 30 minutes, then wash in hot water.

Hydrogen Peroxide

If the vinegar trick didn’t work, it’s time to resort to hydrogen peroxide. This method will bleach your white shirt — but don’t worry. It won’t damage it.

Blot generous amounts of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain. Let it sit for half an hour. Then wash or launder with hot water.

Deodorant Stains

Most deodorants contain aluminum, which is the ingredient that causes yellow stains in the armpits. Although some deodorant stains can be permanent, you can still try to fix this discoloration issue by following the solutions below.

Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda, Oxygen Cleaner

Prepare 1 teaspoon of dish soap and a quarter cup of water. Then pour in ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide and two tablespoons of baking soda. Mix well.

Apply the mixture on the armpit stains, then agitate. Let your white shirt sit for 2 hours, then launder in a washing machine using cold water.

If the deodorant stain remains despite the above method, mix together 1 scoop of oxygen-based cleaning powder, and water (following the manufacturer’s ration) Soak the fabric overnight, then toss it in the washer in the morning.

Grease and Oil Stains

So, you splashed grease on your favorite white shirt. Don’t fret. Grease stains are one of the easiest stains to remove, because it is an oily substance.

Laundry Detergent

Using a liquid laundry detergent with enzymes, dab gently onto the stained area. Then, depending on the care label attached to your clothing, wash on the hottest setting allowed on the instructions on the label. Repeat as needed.

Dishwashing Detergent

The great thing about dishwashing detergents is that it easily absorbs grease.

Lay out your white garment and apply dish soap on the grease stain. Rub or agitate the detergent into the fabric using your fingers until the stain dissolves. You may need to let the dish soap sit for several hours in order for it to fully absorb the oil.

Rinse the garment, then proceed to wash it the normal way using laundry detergent. If the stains are stubborn, you can simply repeat the process.

Food and Drink Spills

The best advice really depends on the food that stained your white clothes! The first rule: Don’t panic and try to wipe it off. The food will smear and spread all over your clothes!

Before removing the stain, scrape off the food first using a knife, or anything flat and hard. You can even use your credit card. Then blot the stain with a paper towel.

Vinegar – General food and drink

With a vinegar-soaked sponge, dab on the stain. Use only white vinegar. Then wash normally. If the stain has not been completely removed, make a solution of 3 parts vinegar to one part water, then soak the garment in it. Leave overnight before washing.

Toothpaste – General Food and drink

Apply toothpaste into the food stain, then leave it for 2 to 3 hours. Then wash normally.

Lemon Juice – Fruit juice or curry

Simply squeeze lemon juice into the stain and leave it overnight. The following morning, launder in a normal wash cycle.

Baby Powder, Cornstarch, and Flour – oily food

Apply talcum powder, flour, or cornstarch on both sides of the stain. If you have no cornstarch, use an artificial sweetener.

Leave it for 30 minutes, then brush off all the powder. Then wash with a mild detergent in warm water. You can also try using dish soap as mentioned above.

Dishwashing Detergent and Hydrogen Peroxide – wine stains

Mix the two components together in equal parts. Then pour the solution over the wine stain. Let the solution soak into the fabric until the red wine stains fade away. Then launder the normal way.

Vinegar and Sun – Coffee Stains

Mix ⅓ cup of white vinegar and ⅔ cup water. Soak your coffee-stained white fabric in the solution. Then air- or sun-dry the clothing (do not use a dryer). Then wash as usual.

Blood Stains

Whether it’s from a kid’s scraped knee, a nosebleed, or your period staining your favorite pair of white trousers, bloodstains can easily be removed.

Cool Water Soak

Soak the white fabric with bloodstains in cool water for 1 hour. Cold water actually breaks up the stain, which makes it easier to remove. You can also try turning the fabric inside out and running water against the blood stain from the back. The water will push the blood off the fabric, loosening the stain. Wash as usual.

Soap and Water

A simple hand-wash can do the trick. Scrub the garment using soap and water. This method proves to be successful even on sturdy fabrics, such as linen.

Enzymatic Cleaner

Except for wool or silk, use an enzymatic cleaner for stubborn blood stains. This method biodegrades the blood stain, making it easy to remove.

Grass and Outdoor Stains

Those familiar green streaks are pesky, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person — or a mom with kids that enjoy rolling and sliding in the grass. Special shout out to the football and baseball moms out there! Here are some solutions to fix grass stains.

Before removing the stain, pre-treat it first. Soak your grass-stained white clothing in cold water. Don’t use hot water! Cold water will soften the stain.

Liquid Detergent

This one’s a simple solution! Just using a laundry detergent, you can remove the grass stain. With a small amount of liquid detergent, rub the stain until it dissolves. Then wash it the usual way.

Hairspray

The alcohol in hairspray acts as a solvent to break down pigment. Spray on the stain and leave until dry. Grab a brush (stiff-bristled, preferably) and scrub out the stain. Then apply liquid detergent and wash the regular way.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol dissolves the green chlorophyll pigments in grass. Grab a clean sponge or cotton ball, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on it ,and gently dab across the stain. Do not wipe or scrub. Rinse in cold water and wash as usual.

In a pinch, you can try bleach. Bleach can damage the fabric if left for too long, so be sure to launder promptly.

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Natural vs. Store Bought Stain Removers

I always recommend starting with natural stain removers whenever possible. Not only are they cheaper, but you likely already have them in your home! The most common and effective natural stain removers are:

• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Hydron Peroxide
• Lemon Juice

Home remedies are great, but sometimes you need something stronger! There are two main options to choose from – enzyme cleaners and oxygen based cleaners.

Enzyme detergents use specialized proteins (enzymes) to break down stains. It works best on organic stains such as blood, grass, and food. The label will note if it is an enzyme cleaner or not.

Oxygen based detergents (such as oxygen bleach) are stronger and work best on stubborn stains and is great for brightening and whitening. Some oxygen based stain fighters ALSO contain enzymes. Again, be sure to read the label.

What To Do If A Stain Doesn’t Come Out

First of all, never dry a stained piece of clothing in the dryer until you are certain the stain is removed. The high heat will set the stain, making it extremely difficult, or even impossible, to remove.

If the stain is still set after treatment and washing. You have a few options:

• If the stain is quite faded, try re-washing it.
• You can try treating the stain again with the same treatment method if the stain is significantly lightened.
• Try a different treatment option if the stain is still strong.
• Bleach is always an option that will likely take the stain right out – just be sure to use cautiously. I use this as a last resort

How to Keep White Clothes Bright Longer

If you are trying to keep your white clothes lasting as long as possible, here are some simple tips that will help.

• Wash whites only with whites to prevent dye transfer.
• Wash on hot water to remove all body oils.
• Wash often; white fabric shows wear much quicker than darks
• Use detergent specifically formulated to keep whites bright
• Treat stains immediately.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are a few common mistakes that people make when trying to get stains out of clothes. Avoid these and your clothes will last much longer!

• Do not put stained clothes in the dryer! Some stains, like grease, are hard to see when clothes are wet. Let the article air dry and then inspect for lingering stains.
• Avoid immediately soaking in hot water. Start in cold water.
• Do not start treating stains with bleach. Try other methods first.
• Be extremely careful mixing cleaning agents. Use one stain treatment method, then wash. If necessary try a different method.

FAQs

What is the best homemade stain remover for clothes?

The best, all-purpose homemade stain remover for clothes is a mixture of equal parts Dawn dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. 

What is the best laundry stain remover?

The best stain remover depends upon the stain. When in doubt, try Dawn dish soap, cold water, or a stain treatment like Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater or Carbona Stain Remover.

How do you remove stains from non-white clothes without fading?

To remove stains without fading colors, try fabric safe treatment options like Dawn dish soap and baking soda and vinegar.

Final Tips for Removing Stains Safely

Now get out there in your favorite shirt, white dress or white jeans! You don’t need to be afraid of messing them up now that you know how to get all kinds of stains out.

Use cold water, pre-treat as soon as you can, use natural or store bought stain removers, and don’t use the dryer!

Now that you know how to clean your white clothes, let’s chat about how to clean white Converse!