Stains A–Z

Baby formula & milk Formula and milk are protein stains: rinse or wipe off as much as possible while fresh,... Ballpoint & ink Treat ink while it is fresh — laundering or drying can set it, and dried India ink may be... Berries, fruit & juice Rinse a fresh fruit or berry stain promptly with cool water and keep soap away from it —... Blood Work fast and keep everything cold: rinse fresh blood under cold running water and rub the... Candle wax Harden the wax first — hold a bagged ice cube on it — then scrape off as much as you can... Chewing gum Freeze the gum first: hold ice (bagged, for carpet and upholstery) against it until it... Chocolate Chocolate is a combination stain: deal with the greasy part first, then the color. On... Coffee & tea Sponge or rinse a fresh coffee or tea stain promptly in cool water, then pretreat with an... Cooking oil & grease Absorb what you can, then get an oil-cutting pretreatment into the fibers and launder... Dye transfer Dye stains are very difficult to remove, so keep the discolored item away from heat and... Feces / diaper blowout Get solids off while the mess is fresh — wipe or rinse away as much as you can before it... Grass Grass is a tannin-and-protein stain, so keep heat away from it: pretreat both sides with a... Lipstick Lipstick is an oily, heavily pigmented stain: dissolve the waxy base first with a... Makeup & foundation Match the treatment to the formula. Water-based makeup comes out with bar soap or... Mud & soil Let mud dry, then scrape or brush off as much as possible before any water touches it.... Old yellow storage stains Yellowing on stored textiles comes from detergent residue, oxidized oily soil, fiber... Paint (water- vs oil-based) Speed decides everything: latex (water-based) paint rinses out with water and detergent... Permanent marker Permanent (felt-tip) marker is one of the hardest stains — UGA warns permanent inks are... Red wine Act fast: blot the spill, then sponge with cool water or club soda; table salt sprinkled... Rust Never bleach a rust stain: both UGA and Texas A&M warn chlorine bleach sets rust... Sunscreen Sunscreen leaves an oily lotion stain, and sunscreens containing avobenzone can also react... Sweat & deodorant For perspiration, soak the garment 15–30 minutes in warm water with a sodium perborate... Tomato & ketchup Scrape off the excess, then treat washables with a pre-wash spot remover or rub in liquid... Urine (human & pet) On washable fabric, rinse with cool water, soak in cool water with a heavy-duty liquid... Vomit & spit-up Vomit is a protein stain: scrape off solids, rinse or soak in cold water while fresh, and...