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How to Get Stains Out of Clothes: A Stain-by-Stain Guide
How to get stains out of clothes: first steps for any stain, hot vs cold water, old and set-in stains, and how to treat 42 common stains, from blood to ink.
Stain & Fabric Care
Expert stain removal techniques and fabric care guides to protect your clothes.
- 56 articles
- 4 topics
Stains 18
How to Get Slime Out of Clothes, Even When It's Dried
Scrape it off, loosen it with white vinegar, work in dish soap and wash before drying. Steps for fresh and dried slime, dye stains and delicate fabrics.
How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths and Keep Them Away
Kill clothes moths by washing at 120°F or hotter, dry cleaning or freezing infested items, then vacuum and store clean woolens in airtight containers.
How to Get Bleach Stains Out of Clothes: What Really Works
Bleach removes dye, so no wash brings the color back. Neutralize fresh bleach, then color in, re-dye or redesign the spot. Fabric limits and safety rules inside.
How to Get Rust Out of Clothes (and Why It Appeared)
Get rust stains out of clothes with lemon juice and salt, cream of tartar or a fabric rust remover. Skip chlorine bleach, then find where the iron came from.
How to Get Grass Stains, Mud and Red Clay Out of Clothes
Pretreat grass with an enzyme product, let mud dry and brush it off, and keep chlorine bleach off red clay. Steps for jeans, uniforms and shoes.
How to Get Wrinkles Out of Clothes Without an Iron
Toss clothes in the dryer with a damp towel for 10 to 15 minutes, or use shower steam or a spray. Methods ranked, plus fixes for polyester, silk and leather.
Hydrogen Peroxide Stain Remover: How to Use It on Clothes
How to use 3% hydrogen peroxide as a stain remover on clothes: which stains it lifts, how long to let it sit, the dish soap method, and when it bleaches color.
How to Get Mold Out of Clothes, Even Set-In Mildew Stains
Brush mold off outdoors, wash as hot as the label allows, then soak any leftover stain in a fabric-safe bleach. Steps for whites, colors and set-in stains.
How to Get Glue and Tree Sap Out of Clothes
Sponge tree sap with cleaning fluid, freeze hot glue and soak super glue first. Steps by adhesive type, plus which fabrics acetone ruins.
How to Get Wax, Crayon and Chapstick Out of Clothes
Scrape off the wax, press it between paper towels with a warm iron, then wash. Covers dried wax, crayon, lip balm and the dryer drum.
How to Get Nail Polish, Makeup and Sunscreen Out of Clothes
Blot nail polish from the back with remover (never on acetate), then wash. Also covers makeup, nail glue and why sunscreen turns orange.
How to Get Gum Out of Clothes, Even After the Dryer
Harden gum with ice, scrape it, pretreat and wash, and keep it out of the dryer. Fixes for dried gum, residue, delicate fabrics and the dryer drum.
How to Get Chocolate, Coffee, Wine and Sauce Out of Clothes
Rinse in cool water, pretreat, then wash by stain type and skip the dryer. Steps for chocolate, coffee, wine, tomato sauce and mustard.
How to Get Paint Out of Clothes: Acrylic, Latex and Oil
Wet acrylic and latex paint rinse out; dried paint is much harder. Step-by-step fixes for wet, dried and oil-based paint, plus when to see a pro.
How to Get Blood Out of Clothes and Sheets (Fresh or Dried)
Get blood out of clothes and sheets with a cold-water soak, then an enzyme presoak for dried stains. Steps for jeans, whites, mattresses and old stains.
How to Get Ink Out of Clothes: Pen, Sharpie & Marker
Get ink out of clothes by blotting rubbing alcohol through the back of the stain. Steps for pen, Sharpie and marker, dried ink and ink in the dryer.
How to Get Grease and Oil Stains Out of Clothes
Get grease and oil stains out of clothes, even after drying: blot, pretreat, wash in the hottest safe water and check before the dryer. Fabric and safety tips.
15 Laundry Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Clothes (And How to Fix Them)
Stop ruining clothes! Learn 15 common laundry mistakes & how to fix them. Avoid damage, save money & get perfect results with our expert laundry error guide.
Fabrics 16
Things to wash 14
Smells 7
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