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Awesome cleaner from the Dollar Store works great on every stain there is. From grease to grass stains on fabric, and will not affect the color of fabric! It is great for cleaning everything from lawn furniture to stove tops. It is well worth a dollar!
By Beverly C. from Hanover TWP., PA
I have on several occasions used the hand cleaner Goop as a spot remover. I have used it on items that have gone through the washer and dryer with grease spots. Put Goop on the stain and rub it in. Leave it on from 5 minutes to a day or two before washing. If the stain doesn't come out the first time, try again. It will often come out the second time.
By fossil1955 from Cortez, CO
Each of my laundry baskets has either a handle or holes on sides. If I see an item in the laundry pile that needs special attention such as pre-treatment, I will thread that item through the handle or holes. This allows me to remember to treat that item, but it also alerts my hubby to not wash that item. He doesn't do laundry often but when he does, he knows not to mess with those items. It saves both my time in fighting the stain, and fighting with him over washing something he wasn't supposed too.
By Denise from Nebraska
I spilled red jello all over the front of my white pants. It had dried before I could get home. No remedy seemed to work so I tried carpet spot and stain remover. After spraying it on and letting it sit for about 5-10 minutes, no more stain.
By Imtomi from Philadelphia, PA
I keep a spray bottle of laundry stain remover by our dirty basket so when there is a stain, I spray it on the item of clothing before putting it in the laundry basket. This way it has a longer time to work and I don't have to remember which item has the stain.
By Dizzee from Woodstock, IL
I wanted to get stains out of my kids clothes and of course my family, I tried everything. So to get the water in Nebraska to soften more, I used Cascade with bleach, then to protect all colors in our clothes I used Clorox II. I soaked the clothes in hot water for an hour, it worked perfectly. I tied it on hands me downs and it still work great. I used a cup of each product per load.
By 6956 from 88olds88
This is a guide about using Dawn dish soap as a stain remover. In addition to being an excellent grease cutting detergent for washing dishes, Dawn is also a very effective stain remover for your laundry, carpet, or other fabric items.
Here is a tip for keeping clothes nice longer! I have had to throw out clothes with small stains, because we didn't notice them soon enough to treat the stain. I have started keeping a laundry stain stick next to each of my hampers.
To get those horrible red koolaide, ketchup or any color stain out of your white countertop - spray on Dawn Power Dissolver - let sit a few minutes, if stubborn use Dawns twirling dish brush and wash up. That easy. It has been wonderful find. Love Dawn. By Prov31Wise
When trying to remove a stain from clothing, use an old battery operated toothbrush to work the pretreatment into the fabric. If the stain is small, you can dip the toothbrush in the pretreatment solution and keep your hands clean.
This tip is for removing purple stains (Pedialyte) on white cotton shirts.
Ask a QuestionHere are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question.
My husband spilled coffee on his new cotton robe and then put in by the washer and drier. I was not told of the stain and when I came across the stain it was approximately 3 hours later. I sprayed the stain with Shout, let it sit for 5 minutes and then laundered as usual with warm water. I did not notice the light stain when I removed the robe from the washer and then dried it. Now I have a light stain and a not happy husband; so how do I remove a set in coffee stain on a cotton robe?
By Cathy
Let your husband try to get the stain out himself and see how he does. He has no reason to be unhappy with you. Stains need to be treated as soon as possible. He should have told you it was stained. What color is the robe? Is it colorfast? Try bleach if it's white. Moisten the spot and rub bar soap or shampoo on it and rub in well, then launder. Hang the garment in the sun, maybe it will fade in the sunlight. Just do the best you can but not all stains come out.
I got a set-in (washed and dried) coffee stain out of a gold cotton bedspread by soaking it for a week in Oxyclean (name brand, not a substitute) and water. I think the gold color was lightened slightly - but not much. I have good luck getting food-based stains out with that product and a long soak.
If all that fails then you can moisten the spot pour lemon concentrate on it and salt it down good with salt and lay flat in sun and it will draw it out.
I made a French hand sewn dress for my daughter, 26 years ago. It is a light lavender color and cotton. A small light brown spot is on it. How can I get it out for my granddaughter to wear?
By Melinda from MS
It's impossible to get rid of that stain since it is now permanently set in the fabric. I read this idea somewhere in covering a stain, is there a way to sew a pretty applique over the stain to conceal it?
I used lemon juice and place the dress in the sun for a couple of hours, most of the stain came out. I then tried the vinegar, as was suggested here, and it finished getting it out. Thank you for your help!
I use vinegar to remove stains from a white evening gown, apply it several times ,put in sunshine,i f that don't work, if you have a piece of that fabric left you can cut out the stain & sew the fabric on the under side or get an iron on patch to mend it, good luck.
I love Gymboree clothing, however as you know Gymboree stains really badly. I tried everything but nothing works. Any suggestions?
Maria
Have you tried soaking in dish washer detergent and warm water? If you haven't, try 1/4 cup detergent in a bucket of water. Make sure the clothes are covered in the solution. Soak for 2 days, then pour into your washer and wash as usual. You may want to try one piece first to see if it works as well for you as it has for me.
Try OxyClean powder or spray. I got mustard out of my daughter's shirt by soaking it in Oxyclean for 30 minutes, and adding more of the powder when I washed that load of clothes.
Best product ever is M30. you can get it at dollar general in a tub for 1.00. A lady who owns a consignment store told me about it.
I have a coat that has a very strong green water stain. What can I use to get it out? I hope you can help. Thanks.
Stain on coat
I have a plain white t-shirt. I noticed the last time that I washed it, it came out of the washing machine, with 3 small black spots on it. These spots, weren't on my other clothes. I ran a washing machine cleaning (no clothes) with chlorine liquid bleach and hot water. Then, I did treating, of the shirt with Dawn dish detergent and tried washing it again. No luck. Please advise. Thank you.
By L. Lackey
If you think these black spots are dots from a black ink pen, spray the dots with hair spray and then wash as usual. The ink should start to "run" when you spray it. If it doesn't "run," its not ink.
If you think it might be mold, you'll need to use another method. Clothes left to sit in a washing machine tend to get moldy. Thats why they get a sour smell. It is the mold starting to form.
Best wishes always.
How can I remove set in stains from clothing?
By Brandi from Ontario
The best only cost a dollar. Most dollar stores carry this product. You can even use it in the wash. It is called awesome. Its a multi-purpose degreaser. It works amazing spray it on stains let it sit a few minutes then throw in wash.
I was using Old English scratch cover on my coffee table, the dark stain, and accidentally got spots of this stain on my cream colored top. How do I remove this stain. Thanks for any advice out there.
bettydeboop
By bettydeboop from Middleton, NH
I use spray and wash with resolve. It works really well. Just spray it rub the cloth and wash it.
I just realized that my lambskin Chanel bag has an inch long light blue ink mark on the side. I do not know how long it has been there. Does anyone know a safe technique to remove ink stains from soft, taupe-colored lambskin without drying it out and removing the color. I have not touched it yet because I am afraid I will mess up the material. Thanks!
Cat from Penn.
I would suggest to go to the Chanel shop. I guess that as Louis Vuitton they have an after sales service to clean and mend bags. They will know the right way to clean it without damaging the leather.
Can anybody help me? I was at a glow in the dark party and got fluorescent dye on my favourite t-shirt. How can I get out? Thanks guys.
By Mel
While using liquid Tide detergent to rub a stain on some clothes before putting them in the washer, I got a splash of Tide detergent on my London Fog brown coat (that I was wearing while doing that). Now I have a dark brown, almost black spot on the sleeve.
How can I get it out? The coat is 56% biconstituent fiber (81% polyester 19% nylon) and 44% polyester.
One spot has been there for weeks. It happened before and I didn't try anything to remove it. The other spot is from today.
By Michael O.
I recently got antiquing gel on some clothing, but thought it would come out by using Goop and washing it. It did not and am looking for suggestions to remove the stain.
By Kay E
How do I remove a coffee stain on a white cotton shirt?
By Colin
I accidentally washed an Old English staining rag in my load of colored clothes and now I need to know how to get the stain spots out of my clothes. Please help!
By Brad
I'm looking for a stain remover for all kind of stains, similar to those used in laundry shops. If you can help me in this case (to buy), please answer me. Thank you.
Davari
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
How do I clean stains left after washing and drying my laundry?
By Thomas
Please read Archives at bottom of page. I think you'll find the answer. (09/05/2010)
By MCW
How do I remove set in stains?
By Debbie from NY
I often end up with "new" stains on clothing, especially from hubby. Then best luck I have had, is using Simple Green on them. I wet the stain first, then spray till soaking with the Simple Green, and let it sit overnight, then wash the next morning. It may not take all of the stain out, but it looks better than before. (08/03/2010)
My sister swears by what she calls "brown soap". I had some stains on a tee shirt that had been through the dryer and I thought it was done since the strains had been "cooked" in the dryer. She gave me a bar of brown soap, I wet the shirt and rubbed the soap over the stains and washed again. Lo and behold, the stains were gone! She said every supermarket has brown soap and it's dirt cheap and I'm sure it has been around for a long, long time. (08/06/2010)
By DorothyNYC
I shop at consignment stores for my eBay store and I have several things with set in stains on them. I have tried everything from Dawn and Clorox 2 to carpet cleaner. Nothing works. Please help!
Victoria from Greenwood, AR
A friend told me to try Goo-Gone. I did on a black grease stain and it worked. The stain was on a red shirt and it came out. I'm sure it would work on a white shirt as well. Good luck! (04/24/2008)
By LAKELL
I frequently buy used clothes from yard sales, and thrift shops. I had purchased a 100% cotton button-down blouse that was white with black and tan small flowers print. The shirt was covered in large yellow stains (probably the reason it was donated to the church thrift store). One sleeve looked as if it was dunked in the offending liquid.
I tried first by using my trusty "Shout" stick and washing in warm water per label instructions, that didn't make any difference in the stains. Next I came here and tried some of the tips suggested above. I mixed dish soap (Dawn) with borax and scrubbed the paste in the stains with a toothbrush. They didn't move. Next I scrubbed the stains with bleach and liquid laundry soap, set them in the washer with boiling water overnight and washed first thing in the am with hot water. That faded them some, but they were still noticeable and not one (even the very small) had disappeared altogether. Finally in frustration, I soaked the shirt in lemon juice, wrung it out and set it out in a very sunny place to hang and dry. The stains are now completely gone! Not a trace anywhere. It's hard to say if the whole lot of treatments finally "wore them out" or if it was the lemon juice and sunshine that would have won the day after all. Thanks for all the help! (06/13/2008)
By Ann
I had bought Simple Green spray as an alternative to 409. I didn't like the way it worked for that, so I put it beside the laundry to try using it as a stain remover.
Boy, did it work! Stains that had been set in clothes for 5-6 years that I thought would never come out (re-washing it several times over had turned it into a "perma-stain" came right out in one wash. I now use it for all my stains! (10/07/2008)
By mpfickling
This is to Lar about stains on a white shirt. Try a dishwasher detergent and water solution. Soak as long as needed. I have the best luck with the powder Cascade, but it does take some stirring to dissolve it. (10/24/2008)
By Toebeanie
For removing tomato stains and red chili, after washing normally, just set in the sun. It fades away surprisingly quickly. (10/28/2008)
By Estrada
I know that for those orange-ish water stains on white clothing. A product called Iron Out works like a charm! (12/10/2008)
By Jessica
Try a bit of dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water. Soak the stain 5-10 minutes and lightly scrub with a toothbrush or between your hands. Rinse thoroughly. Then mix room temperature water with white vinegar 50/50. Soak the stain for 5-10 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Repeat the step above with the dishwashing soap. Rinse thoroughly then launder if necessary. If it's a lighter garment, you can add a tiny bit of regular bleach to the dishwashing soap and water solution.
For carpet stains: Do as above, but add just a bit of regular bleach to the dishwashing liquid steps, but do NOT use regular bleach for darker carpets! Also, do not scrub the stains on your carpet, just soak and blot up the liquids. These steps have taken out set carpet stains, pet urine stains, and even soy sauce out of my beige speckled carpet! (Part of the carpet was quite darker in color and the tiny bit of bleach didn't hurt it, but, again, I wouldn't risk it on darker carpets. (01/29/2009)
By Kathy W.
A friend once told me to use a bar of hand soap, wet it slightly, rub it on the stain a few seconds then launder as usual. She said it works every time. I have never had to use it yet. (10/31/2004)
By Clarees
Make a paste of Oxyclean and laundry soap, let it soak for awhile (just remember to place a towel between the fabric layers). (10/31/2004)
By ginann
I usually put some bleach and water in a small bowl & use a q-tip to apply the mixture. If it is a solid white tee shirt or blouse, this works fine. A friend told me that you should boil water and pour it directly on the stain (even if the stain is an old one, the garment has been laundered and put in the dryer), it works great. I always thought that boiling hot water would 'set a stain' but it does not. Try it! (10/31/2004)
By Rosalie
Here's a stain recipe I got from Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette. Pour 1 cup of powdered Clorox 2 (I've never tried liquid) and 1 cup of Cascade dishwashing detergent into a pail, bucket or other container large enough for the stained item. Add the HOTtest tap water you can get. (I usually boil water in a teapot, pour that in, then finish filling with HOT tap water.) Stir until Clorox 2 and Cascade seem to be dissolved. (I never seem to get it all dissolved.) Add the item and soak anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight. Wring out the item and launder as usual.
Although the ingredients seem deadly to laundry, I've used this method a dozen or more times on many different fabrics and have never had any negative results. In fact, it has removed the stain(s) 99% of the time. I was at a thrift shop the other day where all clothes in one room were 10 cents each! There were several items I bought for 10 cents that had a small stain or two but seemed worth the chance of trying to get the stain out for the price. I will soak them overnight in the above solution.
Good luck
(10/31/2004)
By FlaKathy
Put Lysol (concentrated) liquid solution on the stain and put it out in the sun. May need to repeat this. I have gotten many set in stains out this way! (03/23/2005)
By Missy
I have just recently started using this method: Put a dab of any clear shampoo on the spot, cover in salt, rub in, leave overnite and launder in the morning. So far, it has worked really well. I am dieting and changing sizes frequently, so I purchase my clothes at thrift stores and yard sales. (03/24/2005)
By suzi homemaker
Use Dawn dish washing liquid directly on the stain. Let it soak, scrub it then throw it in the washer. This worked on a whole load of clothing that had been dryed with a busted ink pen. (03/25/2005)
By klr2080
This is a tried and true tip! I had this shirt that had a very very old set in grease stain on it and I just hated to give it up. So as I was going through my closet found my shirt and decided to make my own stain concoction. What did I have to lose?
On the stains I rubbed some Shout Gel and then I took some powdered Borax and rubbed it into the gel/stain too and threw it in the wash and crossed my fingers. I also took one of my daughters stained shirts and did the same and threw it in as well. The old set in stains all came out! Completely gone! I was amazed.
Needless to say I have been going through all our old set-in stained clothes to give them new life!
(06/14/2005)
By KimMcG
