In a perfect world, your washing machine would instantly erase stubborn stains. But sometimes, even the best laundry detergents and high-tech washers aren’t enough to remove the evidence of your spills and splatters.

The good news is most stains are removable—the tricky part is knowing which tricks to use. Different types of stains require different techniques to get rid of them. That said, here are some general guidelines that apply to almost any stain:

• Act Fast: The sooner you treat a stain, the easier it will be to remove
• Blot, Don’t Rub: Blotting draws stains out of fabric; rubbing pushes the stain deeper
• Pretreat Before Washing: Remove as most of the stain as you can before running a wash cycle
• Use Cool Water: Hot water can set stains, making them harder to remove

In this article, we’ll show you step-by-step techniques for removing six types of tough stains: grease, red wine, coffee, grass, blood, and sweat.

Pro tip: No matter which stain removal method you use, test it on an inconspicuous part of the fabric before going all in. This will let you know whether the cleaning method will damage or discolor the garment.

How to Remove Grease Stains From Clothes

What You'll Need:

• Liquid dish soap (the regular stuff you use for your dishes)
• A clean, dry cloth or paper towels
• An old toothbrush
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Apply a small amount of dish soap directly onto the stain.
Step 2: Let the dish soap sit for 5-10 minutes. This gives it time to break down the grease.
Step 3: Gently scrub the oil stain with the toothbrush, using gentle motions.
Step 4: Rinse the stained area with cold water from the backside of the stain. If the stain is still hanging around, repeat the process until you've shown that stain who's boss.
Step 5: Throw your garment in the wash as you normally would, using warm water and high-performance laundry pods.
Step 6: Air dry the garment.

How to Remove Red Wine Stains From Clothes

What You’ll Need:

• Kosher salt
• Distilled white vinegar
• Clean dish towel
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Cover the wine stain with salt.
Step 2: Pour a bit of white vinegar on the stain to neutralize the red wine pigments.
Step 3: Blot the stain with a clean dish towel.
Step 4: Rinse your garment under cold water and check if the stain is removed. If not, repeat the process until it’s gone.
Step 5: Run a normal wash cycle with cold water and laundry detergent pods.

How to Remove Coffee Stains From Clothes

What You’ll Need:

• Liquid dish soap
• Distilled white vinegar
• Clean dish towel
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Run cold water over the coffee stain.
Step 2: Apply a few drops of dish soap onto the affected area and gently rub it in with your finger.
Step 3: Mix equal parts water and white vinegar, then dab the mixture onto the stain using a clean cloth.
Step 4: Blot the stain with a clean towel to lift away the stain.
Step 5: Give the stained area a final rinse under cold water.
Step 6: Launder as usual with cold water and laundry detergent pods

How to Remove Grass Stains From Clothes

What You’ll Need:

• Soft cloth or towel
• Liquid dishwashing soap
• Small bowl
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Using the cloth, gently scrape off as much excess grass as you can from the garment.
Step 2: Mix a few drops of dish soap with cold water in a small bowl.
Step 3: Gently blot the grass stain with the dish soap solution using a new clean towel.
Step 4: Let the dish soap soak into the stain for 10-15 minutes.
Step 5: Rinse the fabric with cold water to remove all of the dish soap residue.
Step 6: Wash the garment in the washing machine with cold water and laundry detergent pods

How to Remove Blood Stains From Clothes

What You’ll Need:

• Liquid dish soap
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda (optional)
• An old toothbrush
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Rinse the stained area with cold water as soon as you can.
Step 2: Apply a few drops of dish soap directly onto the stain and gently rub it into the fabric with your finger.
Step 3: For white fabrics, apply a bit of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain to help dissolve the blood pigment.
Step 4: For an extra stain-fighting boost, make a paste with baking soda and water, apply it to the stain, and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Gently scrub the stain with an old toothbrush using a gentle, circular motion.
Step 6: Rinse the garment with cold water and take a look. If the stain is still lingering, repeat the process until it’s gone.
Step 7: Toss the garment in the washer with cold water and a gentle detergent

How to Remove Yellow Sweat Stains From White Clothes

What You’ll Need:

• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• A small bowl
• An old toothbrush
• Laundry detergent pods

Step 1: Combine equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl to create a paste.
Step 2: Dab the paste directly onto the yellow stain.
Step 3: For white fabrics, apply a bit of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain.
Step 4: Gently scrub the stained area with an old toothbrush using gentle, circular motions. Let the paste sit on the stain for 15-30 minutes.
Step 5: Rinse the garment with cold water. If the stain is still visible, repeat the process until it’s gone.
Step 6: Wash the garment in the washing machine with other white clothes only.

Pro Tip: Check out our ultimate guide to removing yellow stains from white clothes.

Goodbye Stains, Hello Sexy Fragrances

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