Step-by-step removal for 47 stains on clothes and around the home (sofas, mattresses, sneakers…) plus fixes for 10 laundry problems (dye transfer, smelly towels, yellowed whites) — coffee, wine, blood, ink, lipstick, yellow sweat, sunscreen, rust, mildew and more — with methods for whites, colors and wool/silk, what not to do, and how to treat dried stains.
Plant-pigment stains like coffee and wine. Using soap first can actually set them.
Protein-based stains like blood, milk and mud. Hot water first cooks them into the fabric.
Mostly-oil stains like cooking oil and collar grime. Dish soap and the warmest water the garment can take.
Stains where the color itself has dyed the fabric: turmeric, grass, hair dye, markers. Detergent first, then bleach.
Stains that mix oil and color, like lipstick or kimchi juice. Oil first, color second.
Stains that need their own approach: rust, gum, candle wax, nail polish, mildew, sunscreen.
Stains on things that aren't clothes: sofas, mattresses, sneakers, kitchenware. Many can't be soaked, so the trick is to use little water.
Problems that come up on laundry day, like dye transfer, shrunken sweaters and sour-smelling towels. Knowing the cause tells you what can be reversed and what can't.
What each one dissolves, and when not to use it.
The first thing to reach for when pre-treating most stains. Apply it directly to the stain, leave for 5–10 minutes, then wash.
Packed with grease-cutting surfactants, so it works well on oily stains like cooking oil, lipstick and collar grime. Unscented, dye-free products are the safest.
⚠ Too much in the washing machine and it will foam over. Use a little, on the stain only.Detergent containing protein-digesting enzymes (look for 'enzyme' on the label). Good for stains with protein in them, like blood, milk, sweat and grass.
⚠ Wool and silk are protein fibers, so enzymes can damage the fabric too.Releases hydrogen peroxide when dissolved in water, which breaks down pigments. Many products are safe on colors too, and it works best in warm water around 40℃ (104°F).
⚠ It's alkaline, so don't use it on wool, silk or leather. Don't leave metal buttons or zippers soaking for long.The strongest bleach. A last resort for old pigment and mildew stains on white cotton and linen.
⚠ Never on colors, wool, silk or spandex, and it makes rust and sunscreen stains darker. Mixed with acidic cleaners, vinegar or ammonia it releases toxic gas.Dissolves alcohol-soluble pigments like ballpoint ink, permanent marker and grass. Hand sanitizer gel contains the same ingredient, so it can stand in when you're in a hurry.
⚠ Flammable. It can dissolve some fabric dyes too, so test first.Dissolves nail polish and some oil-based inks.
⚠ Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fibers dissolve in acetone and you'll end up with a hole. Always check the label.Being acidic, they dissolve stains involving metal, like rust (iron), the orange stains from sunscreen, and mineral scale.
⚠ Never mix with chlorine bleach. Test first on colors.General home methods. For valuable garments or unknown fabrics, ask a dry cleaner. Follow product labels for bleaches and solvents, ventilate, and never mix them.
Search for how to get a stain out and you'll find a dozen conflicting tips — some of which make it worse. This guide covers 47 stains — 37 on clothes and 10 on things around the home like sofas, mattresses and sneakers — plus 10 laundry problems such as dye transfer, shrunken knits and musty towels, sorting the clothing stains (coffee, wine, kimchi, curry, blood, ballpoint ink, lipstick, yellow sweat, sunscreen, rust, mildew and more) by what they are made of — tannin, protein, oil, dye, oil-plus-dye, or special — and gives each one a page with steps to take right now, fabric-specific advice, what not to do, and how to tackle a stain that has already dried.
Stain removal comes down to what the stain is made of. Protein stains cook into fibers in hot water, so start cold. Tannin stains set with bar soap, so start with water and liquid detergent. Oil needs dish soap and the warmest water the fabric allows. Dyes need detergent, then bleach. Mixed oil-and-dye stains need the oil broken down first and the color second. Each stain page follows these principles and explains why the order matters. Type a stain in the search box or filter by type.
No. Protein stains like blood, milk, egg and mud cook into the fibers in hot water. If you don't know what the stain is, rinsing in cold water is the safest first step.
Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) is milder and many products are safe on colors. Chlorine bleach is much stronger — use it only on white cotton or linen, only if the care label allows, as a last resort. On rust, sunscreen and yellow sweat stains it can make things worse.
Pick the closest type (oil, dye, protein, etc.) and follow the basic rules on the main page. If you don't know what it is, cold rinse → liquid detergent → check is the safest sequence.
These are general home methods and can't be guaranteed safe for every fabric. For valuable garments or unknown fabrics, a dry cleaner is the safer choice from the start.
General household guidance. Follow product labels for bleaches and solvents, and ventilate.