Before You Start: The Rules

  • Act immediately — fresh stains are much easier to remove than dried ones
  • Blot, never rub — rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper into fibres
  • Cold water for protein stains (blood, sweat, egg, milk, dairy) — hot water cooks the protein and sets it permanently
  • Check the care label before treating — some fabrics need gentle handling
  • Test on an inconspicuous area when using strong treatments on delicate fabrics

Stain Treatment Guide

  • Blood: Cold water immediately — rinse thoroughly. If dried: soak in cold salt water, then apply hydrogen peroxide (test first on coloured fabric). Never use hot water.
  • Grass: Pre-treat with dish soap or a laundry pre-treatment spray. Work in with an old toothbrush. Wash in cold water. For stubborn grass: white vinegar applied before washing helps.
  • Grease and oil: Sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder on the fresh stain to absorb oil. Leave 15 minutes, brush off. Apply dish soap (excellent degreaser) directly to the stain, work in gently, leave 5 minutes, wash in warm water.
  • Red wine: Blot up excess immediately. Pour salt or sparkling water on the stain while fresh. Apply dish soap and white vinegar solution. For dried red wine: see our dedicated guide.
  • Coffee: Cold water rinse from the back of the fabric. Apply dish soap and white vinegar. Wash normally. See our coffee stain guide for detailed steps.
  • Ink (ballpoint): Apply rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or hand sanitiser to a cloth, dab at the stain. The alcohol dissolves ballpoint ink. Blot, do not rub. Wash normally.
  • Sweat stains: Apply a paste of baking soda and water, leave 30 minutes, rinse. Or use a product with oxygen bleach (Vanish, Napisan). Soak for 30 minutes then wash normally.
  • Mud: Let dry completely — do not try to clean wet mud. Once dry, brush off as much as possible. Pre-treat the remaining stain with laundry liquid, then wash normally.
  • Tomato sauce: Remove excess. Rinse with cold water from the back. Apply dish soap. Wash in cold water. If any pink tint remains after washing, apply lemon juice and place in sunlight for a few hours before rewashing.
  • Deodorant marks: Rub the white marks with a piece of nylon stocking or damp sponge using a circular motion. Or use a dedicated deodorant mark remover sponge.
Oxygen bleach for white fabricsFor white or colourfast fabrics with stubborn stains: soak in warm water with oxygen bleach (Napisan, Vanish Oxi Action) for 30–60 minutes before washing. Oxygen bleach is safe for colours (unlike chlorine bleach) and very effective on food, wine, and biological stains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Heat from the dryer sets stains permanently — this is the hardest situation. Try: apply dish soap directly and work in, soak in oxygen bleach solution for several hours, or try a commercial enzyme-based stain remover (Preen, Sard). Multiple treatments may be needed. Very old heat-set stains (especially protein stains like blood) may be permanent. Prevention: always check for stains before putting items in the dryer.
WD-40 can help remove some oil-based stains (grease, tar, crayon, lipstick) from fabric by dissolving the oil. Spray a small amount, leave a few minutes, then treat with dish soap to remove the WD-40 itself (which leaves its own oily residue), and wash normally. It does not work on water-based stains (coffee, wine, blood) and can leave an oil stain of its own if not thoroughly treated with dish soap after use.