How to Get Stains Out of Almost Anything

Things can sometimes get messy and your favorite clothes can get nasty stains on them. However, choosing the right pretreatment can help you fix them. 5-Minute Crafts prepared a stain removal guide to help you with this.

1. For oil stains, use chalk.

What to do:

• Calcium in chalk absorbs oil. Rub it onto the fresh greasy spot and wait 10 minutes.
• Wash and dry your clothes.

2. For coffee or tea stains, use baking soda.

What to do:

• Wet the stained fabric with warm water.
• Pour about a teaspoon of baking soda on the stain and gently rub it into the fabric.
• Let the baking soda settle and rinse it.

3. For sweat, use lemon juice.

What to do:

• Mix equal parts of water and lemon juice.
• Scrub the stained area with the mixture and wash.

4. For ink on cotton fabric, use milk.

What to do:

• Pour some milk into a bowl.
• Soak the stained part into the milk for at least 20 minutes (or longer for heavy stains).
• Remove and scrub the stain with a clean toothbrush, then wash.

5. For grass stains, use vinegar.

What to do:

• Mix one part distilled white vinegar with one part water.
• Soak the stain for around 30 minutes. Then scrub the stain and rinse in cool water.
• Scrub the stain with the detergent, let it sit for a while, and wash it off.

6. Use berry stains, use boiling water.

What to do:

• Place the stained item at the bottom of the bathtub (or at the bottom of your kitchen sink).
• Very carefully, pour boiling water onto the stained item from a great height.

Tip: Do this during the first 24 hours after the item got stained. After this, it will be too late as the stain will already be set.

7. For candle wax, use a hot iron.

What to do:

• Scrape the wax off the surface with a dull knife. Place the stain between 2 clean paper towels and press with a warm iron. Repeat the process with new paper towels to absorb more wax.
• Place the stain face down on a clean paper towel and remove the remaining wax using a sponge and some stain remover. Let it dry and wash.

8. For deodorant stains, use vinegar.

What to do:

• Soak the stain in white vinegar for an hour, then scrub it. Wash the item.

9. For tomato stains, use vinegar.

What to do:

• Soak the stain in vinegar. Then wash it.

10. For crayon stains, use liquid dish soap.

What to do:

• Scrape off as much crayon as possible from the stain.
• Rub some liquid dish soap into the stained area and let it sit for a few minutes.
• Rub fabric under warm water to remove the stain. Wash the item.

11. For scorch marks and burns, use lemon and salt.

What to do:

• Sprinkle some salt onto the stain and wet it with lemon juice.
• Spread the item in the sun and let it dry. Wash.

Note: Severe scorch cannot be removed.

12. For cosmetics and lipstick, use rubbing alcohol.

What to do:

• Soak a cotton ball or the tip of a washcloth in rubbing alcohol.
• Rub it over the stain, then wash it.