How to Naturally Remove Tough Stains on Clothes

Most tough stains on clothing can be naturally removed using household items you already have on hand! No need to buy toxic chemicals to have bright, white, and unstained clothes.

Growing up at home, my mom always did everyone’s laundry so I had no experience with anything laundry related when I got married. I ruined a lot of clothes by throwing whites with colored clothes or delicates in with jeans. I finally learned my lesson after multiple failures and called my mom for some laundry 101. Then, after having a baby, I had to call her once again and ask how to get baby stains out of clothes. So here are my mom’s stain removing tips and tricks!

Before I move onto what I use to get stains out and how to do it, make sure you check out our homemade laundry detergent!

What To Use On Tough Stains

Instead of using bleach or other toxic and very strong stain-removers, try giving these natural options a try and I don’t think you will go back!

Sunlight

Yup, you read that right! UV rays actually whiten garments and get the stains out by breaking down the bonds in the stains until they can’t hold. Wash your clothes, like baby clothes through a gentle cycle then hang them outside on a line to dry and get the burp or poo stains out.

Boiling Water

Boiling water is an excellent resource to get tough stains from berries and baby poop off of clothes! All you got to do is wash the stained spot off with regular water to ensure that no berry seeds or dirt remain, then pour the boiling water over the spot and throw it into the washer. You will see the stain disappearing as you pour the boiling water over the stain. Do not wash the spot with soap before pouring the boiling water!!! I don’t know the mystery behind this, but if you use soap beforehand, it will not work.

Dawn Dish Soap

For any grease or dirt stains, dawn dish soap does the trick! Before throwing my kitchen towels into the washer, I wash any stains out with Dawn before throwing into the washing machine. Any oil stains or even oil and grease from cars can be treated with Dawn dish soap.

Baking Soda

Not only is baking soda great for odors, it is great to whiten clothes as well! Fill a tub with water and clothes garments that need whitening and sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit overnight. Then wash as usual in the washer. You will also notice that baking soda softens clothes. So, adding baking soda when washing towels and bed sheets isn’t a bad idea.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is a great alternative to chlorine bleach! Use it as it’s substitute to whiten laundry. I use this to remove underarm staining from deodorant on whites as well as other heavy stains like turmeric or juice on clothes.

White Vinegar

Vinegar is another great alternative to bleach. It acts as a nice fabric softener, removes strong odors, and removes stains. I also use vinegar to wash the washing machine once in a while. Read more about that here.

Tips to Ensure Stains Get Out

Although the list of household products above work magically, here are some tips to remove the tough stains easily.

Get the Stains Out As Soon As Possible

In order to be able to fully get a tough stain out, try to wash it out right aways if possible. This increases the chance of getting out a stain I would say 95% more than if you wait until you do laundry. So, as soon as your toddler spills pomegranate juice on himself, take his/her clothes off, wash it out with water and if the stain is not out, then use boiling water and baking soda to get it out. Then, let it air dry until you next run a load of laundry.

Check the Stains Before Throwing Into the Dryer

Once you throw a stained clothing piece into the dryer, it will never be unstained again! So, inspect your clothes to make sure the stain is out before throwing into the dryer. If it’s not out, as I mentioned earlier, hang it up outside and see if the UV rays will do it.

Conclusion

Thanks for stopping by Two Peas in Two Pods!!! We hope you are able to get all your stains out going forward the natural way! Let us know in the comments below if you tried any of these methods and your results! Pleas share this post with your family and friends and be sure to subscribe to our Two Peas in Two Pods Community where we share homemaking inspiration: cozy decorating, delicious cooking, and non-toxic cleaning!

<3 Inna & Irene