Real homemakers share their favorite tried-and-true ways to lift stubborn stains out of laundry!
Last month I tried a fun experiment on my Bildirimlerim Facebook page.
I put together a list of household tips generated by artificial intelligence and posted one tip each day, asking the ladies there what they thought of how well AI keeps house.
Some tips sparked great conversation. A few were laundry tips, and I was surprised by how much I learned about stain removal that was completely new to me.
So I asked, “What are your favorite stain removers for clothes? I’ve only heard of a bar of Sunlight soap and “Miss Mouth Stain Remover,” and I’ve never tried either! What else am I missing??”
The replies were an incredible flood of suggestions, and I was blown away. I’ve included some of my favorites here in case they help you as much as they’ve helped me!
Stain removal tips from real housewives
(Update: I made a handy stain removal guide you can print and hang in your laundry room!) Just fill out the form below and I’ll send it your way!
- Pour boiling water over berry stains so it flows through the fabric. The stain disappears like magic.
- Hairspray works on ballpoint pen stains. (I’ve used this trick on ink for years!)
- Mix Sunlight dish soap, water, and ammonia for grease stains. Brush it on with an old toothbrush and let it sit for 5 minutes before washing. Others also recommended Dawn dish soap, or any dish soap mixed with sugar, for grease.
- The most important tip for stains: NEVER PUT STAINED CLOTHES IN THE DRYER. Heat can set the stain, so keep working on it until it’s gone.
- Blood stains — never use hot water, because it will set the stain. ALWAYS use cold water.
- Homemade all-purpose stain remover options: Dawn, peroxide, and baking soda made into a paste. Leave it on for 60 minutes, then wash. Dawn and vinegar. Green degreaser in a spray bottle, plus borax.
- Stain removal on the go: One lady wrote, “I discovered Wet Ones hand towelettes are marvelous for removing stains from clothing. Always keep them in the car when you’re out and about, and use them at home, too. I highly recommend them and have passed the tip along to others. Use them right away or soon after the mishap. They work like magic. The best I have ever used or experienced.”
- Dirt (on white baseball pants!): Dawn and peroxide, or soak in Vengeance, then wash with detergent.
- Toothpaste as a stain remover (I had never heard of this, so I did a little research. One article said it helps remove grass stains, lipstick, and ink.)
Product options for stain removal
Disclosure: The following contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.
Everyone has their own preference for stain removal. Some people want to treat stains in the most “chemical free” or natural way possible, while others don’t care about that at all.
So, I’m listing the products recommended in that Facebook post. Please do your own research on all of them.
***DISCLOSURE: I haven’t tried many of the products below, so they don’t carry my “seal of approval.” They might be just what you’re looking for, though, so I wanted to include them. (Most of the following are stain removers sold on Amazon.)
- Tide rescue spray
- Fels Naptha soap
- Avon bubble bath (Wow! I’ve never heard of that… What must it do to our skin in the bath? Tee hee hee…)
- I love the Norwex envirocloth and water for carpet stains. Catch the spill right away and wipe it up with water!
- Grandma’s Secret Stain Remover
- Dawn Powerwash
- Miss Mouth Stain Remover
Laundry stain removal products from this post
The following items can be found at Walmart.
Other laundry & cleaning tips
- How to make laundry smell good (without harsh chemicals!)
- Does your kitchen dish cloth always smell funky? You might want to see how this Norwex dish cloth works!
- How do you clean an electric stovetop? (There’s a super-secret trick that makes it SO much easier!
- How to clean a glass shower door the easiest way possible!
- Tricks for getting wrinkles out of clothes without an iron.
