How do you remove stains from your clothes? What should you do and what should you absolutely avoid when you have a stain on your clothing? Anyone can get a stain. If you have a household with young children, chances are your kids come home with stains on their clothes almost daily. Grass stains after playing football, mud stains from the playground, jam stains on T-shirts after lunch. But it’s not just children who get stains. Leaking pens (ballpoint pen stains) on shirts, tomato sauce, grease stains. Everyone gets stains on their clothes at some point.

The most important thing, regardless of the type of stain, is to prevent it from setting. "Setting" is an informal term referring to the chemical reaction of the stain with the fabric. Once a stain has set into the clothing, it is likely that the stain will not come out or only partially come out. The stain then often becomes permanent.

With a set stain, the fibers (usually cotton fibers) are discolored by the composition of the stain. Sometimes you can still remove the stain by scrubbing very hard. However, this causes your clothing to wear out quickly. Essentially, you are rubbing away the discolored fibers, which causes the fabric to become thinner in that spot. Often, you will always see a color difference between where the stain was and the rest of the clothing.

The most important rule or tip when dealing with stains is: do not let the stain set!

Treat every stain immediately with (lukewarm) water, or with an appropriate solvent if available (the different solvents will be discussed later, but water is always better than nothing). Avoid direct heat. Heat will only accelerate the setting of most stains. So never place the clothing with the stain on a heater, as this actually promotes the stain setting. Try to use only solvents that are at room temperature or lukewarm.

Avoid pressure. Use solvents carefully. Dab the stain and let it soak in the liquid. This is better than scrubbing hard and forcefully.

If you get a stain on your clothing, it is important to prevent it from setting in. The first step is to dab with (warm) water. But water alone will not permanently remove most stains.

Fortunately, not all stains are equally stubborn. Most everyday household stains are fairly easy to remove. Nowadays, many stain removers are available in supermarkets that dissolve most stains. However, it is important to always check the care label or washing instructions on the garment to see what is allowed. Wool requires a different treatment than, for example, cotton or silk.

What is the best solution for the type of material the stain is on? And what is the best method to remove a specific stain? Removing a stain from a cotton shirt requires a different approach than removing one from a silk shirt or blouse. And a grease stain needs a different treatment than a food stain. Using the wrong product or method can damage your clothing. Each type of garment and fabric has its own method and instructions.

Always check the label on the garment before treating a stain. Usually, it contains the washing instructions and the material composition, such as 100% cotton, wool, silk, or polyester. If there are specific washing instructions, it is advisable to always follow them.

Cotton: can withstand weeks, drying, and heat (although you want to avoid the latter for most stains – warm water is fine, but dry heat will set the stain). It is possible to bleach white cotton, but this will shorten the garment's lifespan. Use chlorine bleach only as a last resort and dilute it well before use. The best solvents for cotton are detergents and mildly acidic agents (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.).

Wool: is more sensitive to heat than cotton and must be handled carefully. You can soak it in water, but you will need to dry it flat to prevent distortion. Use only wool-safe solvents and lukewarm (not hot) water. Bleaches and acidic treatments will permanently damage wool. Treat the stain immediately with water or wool detergent and take the garment to a dry cleaner as soon as possible.

Synthetic fabrics: treatment varies depending on the material. Rayon and polyester can be washed and scrubbed more vigorously than cotton but will be damaged by bleaches like hydrogen peroxide. It is usually best to clean these fabrics using regular detergent or dish soap if the stain is greasy.

Silk: is very temperamental. You can treat stains with water, but then wash the entire garment. Dried water spots on silk look almost as bad as the original stain. Glycerin-based stain removers are also effective and gentle.

Regardless of what you use, test the stain remover on the inside of the fabric before applying it to a stain to ensure it won’t damage the material. Water is the only agent you can apply immediately and automatically – but be mindful of the temperature.

Universal, safe to use on practically everything, and an inexpensive solution. Effective as an immediate treatment to prevent the stain from setting. Requires longer soaking time to be effective on greasy stains but significantly reduces discoloration effects (lipstick, hair dye, color transfer from other garments, etc.). Usually not a definitive 100% effective treatment. However, an initial treatment of the stain with water almost always prevents it from setting.

Cheap and almost always available. Can be applied to the wet stain to absorb the chemicals. Effective on sweat/deodorant stains, red wine, and blood stains.

Mild acids like vinegar and lemon juice are excellent for coffee and tea stains, grass stains, and sticky residues such as tape and glue. Vinegar is also effective against mold—perfect for laundry that has soaked too long in water. Note: never treat wool with acids like vinegar or lemon juice.

Detergent and dish soap are very effective solutions and can be used on many types of fabric. Dish soap is often harsher and can damage delicate materials if not rinsed out immediately. Both products are effective against greasy stains, so use them on meat or gravy stains and, for example, chocolate stains.

Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing bleach. It is a fairly strong solution for stain removal and is not suitable for all fabric types. Colorful stains are often treated with oxidizing bleaches. Ideal for removing makeup stains, grass stains, blood stains, fruit stains, and other colored stains. Less effective on grease and can damage delicate materials. Dilute the solution for a gentler treatment.

Glycerine is a greasy substance derived from animal or vegetable oil. It is an ingredient also used in products like hand soap. Treating a stain with glycerine can be effective on many types of fabric and clothing. It is suitable for removing stains such as ink and paint from garments. Many popular stain removers available in supermarkets are made based on glycerine or a combination of glycerine and detergent.

Highly effective on organic stains and stains with odors (egg yolk, pet urine, blood, sweat, etc.). They cannot be used on wool or silk – these products react with proteins, and both wool and silk are made of protein.

Sold in supermarkets and drugstores in diluted form for home use. Use them with caution – you are rarely better off using these products at home. It is better to take your clothing to a professional dry cleaner.

A harsh, strong, and 'last resort' product. Use with care. It can severely damage materials and clothing and may cause discoloration. Always test before use and only use if the garment label does not say "do not use bleach."

Stubborn stains sometimes require multiple treatments to remove. Often, a combination of the above-mentioned products is necessary for tough stains. If you are unsure about the correct method, it is advisable to take the garment to a dry cleaner or laundromat.

If you know which product to use to remove the stain, it is important to proceed carefully. Using the product incorrectly can actually make the stain worse. Always treat the stain gently and avoid being too rough. Gently blotting and indirect soaking is always better than scrubbing with a cloth or your fingers.

That said, you will achieve better results if you follow a series of steps designed to extract a stain from the material.

• Immediately soak the stain with water even while wearing the clothing. We've said it before, but it bears repeating. Make sure the water is at room temperature and blot as quickly as possible with some toilet paper or a tissue. Soak the entire stain, not just the surface or top layer. The water must be absorbed throughout the entire stain.
• When you take off the clothing, wet it again and treat the stain with an absorbent material. Salt is the most common and cheapest option, but some people also use cornstarch or talcum powder for a similar effect. This works best on flat surfaces like woven cotton. Applying salt to, for example, a woolen tweed blazer will only make it difficult to remove later when you have to scrape the salt off. Leave the absorbent material on for about 10 to 15 minutes before removing most of it and washing out the rest with water.
• Apply the solvent lightly to the back of the stain. You want it to soak through and push the stain back toward the surface rather than deeper into the fabric. Applying it from the inside also gives you more assurance in case the solvent causes discoloration.
• Place the garment upside down on a clean piece of kitchen paper. Here, the stain, like the effect of the absorbent material, can continue to be drawn out. Let the garment lie upside down on the kitchen paper for at least an hour.
• Different solvents have different reaction times, so give them time. The only guideline is that you must not let the solvent dry before washing the garment. Be careful. If the solvent dries completely, you may end up with a larger, lighter-colored stain than before.
• Wash the garment with water to remove both the stain and the solvent. If possible, wash the clothing immediately in the washing machine or take it to a dry cleaner. Be sure to read the care label first, as not all fabric types and garments can be steamed.

To give an example of the above methods for removing stains, here are 10 examples of the most common stains. These range from workwear to a business suit. This stain guide helps you treat common stains correctly.

Blood stainsImmediately wash with cold water. If possible, soak in water at room temperature for at least 10-15 minutes. Treat the stain with an enzyme-based product or household ammonia. Wash separately.

Butter/Fat/Cooking Oil Stains: Treat immediately with lukewarm water. If possible, soak in warm water with detergent. Use a spray or stick pre-treatment if available. Gently remove and blot the stain with detergent, place upside down on kitchen paper, and let it rest. Repeat if necessary. For stubborn stains, you can carefully use bleach on the inside of the garment. Then let it rest upside down on kitchen paper before washing the garment thoroughly.

Coffee Stains: Immediately soak in lukewarm water. Gently blot with detergent or diluted vinegar in water. Wash in the warmest water allowed for the material and repeat if necessary. Avoid bar soap or powdered soap, as these can set the stain permanently.

Sweat Stains/Underarm Stains and Discoloration on the Collar: Wash with warm water and detergent. If the yellow discoloration remains, you can soak the garment in warm water with some salt, or use an enzyme-based product. Bleach can be used on white clothing, but only as a last resort.

Tomato Sauce: Carefully remove any remaining sauce or paste with a knife or spoon. Dab liquid detergent onto the stain. Wash with cold water from the underside of the stain (turn the fabric inside out), as you don’t want the stain to penetrate further into the clothing. Follow the washing instructions on the label.

Oil and Grease Stains: Treat the stain immediately with warm water. Soak as soon as possible in warm water with strong detergent. Place the garment inside out on kitchen paper. Wash separately and repeat if necessary.

Mud stains: Soak and stir in lukewarm water to remove as much as possible. Apply detergent and let it soak for about 20-30 minutes. Rinse and repeat. Wash normally and, if necessary, treat any remaining stain with bleach if possible.

Wine stains: Treat immediately with warm water. Apply salt to the stain and let it sit for a while. Wash off the salt, dab the stain with detergent or glycerin, and let it rest upside down on kitchen paper. Rinse and wash the garment normally according to the label. Do not use green soap, as it can actually worsen the stain.

Stains from urine and feces: Remove the residue and rinse the garment immediately in cold water. Do not use warm water, as this causes the stain to set further by activating proteins. Soak gently and stir regularly in cold water with detergent. Repeat this and let the garment soak for about 20-30 minutes. Then wash immediately. Bleach if necessary, but rinse thoroughly if it concerns diapers – bleach is too harsh for baby skin.

Odors: Not all stains are visible. For odors that remain after washing, you can apply calcium carbonate (chalk) and let it sit for a few hours. Shake off the excess product from the clothing or use a handheld vacuum for this.

Hopefully, we have helped you confidently tackle all stains from now on. One last tip: always keep a bottle of water or a Vanish stick, for example, in your car. Because if you’re not at home and get a stain on your clothes, you’ll always have a first aid remedy at hand. Smart, right?