How to Remove Food Stains from Clothes: A Complete Guide

Everyone who eats spills on their clothes sooner or later. That’s why it’s useful to know how to remove food stains from clothes using homemade stain removers so you always have what you need.

But there are a few important things to keep in mind before you even start trying to remove food stains from your clothes:

1. Avoid using heat unless directed. This includes hot water, a dryer, and even direct sunlight. Heat can create a chemical bond that creates many permanent stains on your fabric.
2. Confirm that the item is washable. If the garment is labeled “dry clean only,” you can clean up the spill and seal it in a bag to take to a professional, but avoid aggressive treatment at home. (See the steps below for my tricks to keep the stain from setting.)
3. Test for color stability in a hidden area so as not to damage the fabric.
4. Stain with white towels or rags. This prevents dye transfer.
5. Avoid rubbing. Rubbing a stain can make it permanent. To blot, press the towel onto the stain, lift, then switch to a clean spot on the towel and repeat.
6. Always air dry after removing the stain. Check the fabric once it is dry to see if you need to repeat the process.

First steps for fresh leaks

The sooner you deal with a food spill, the easier it is to remove. Waiting until you’re done eating or drinking to deal with a spill on your shirt can result in a permanent stain.

• For liquid spills: Wipe, don’t scrub, with a white paper towel to remove the mess from the surface. Rubbing only pushes the stain deeper into the weave.
• For oily or creamy discharges: Wipe off the excess, then sprinkle the area with cornstarch or baking soda. Let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb the grease before brushing.
• For non-washable items: Wipe, then place the item in a resealable plastic bag. Make sure the stain is facing outwards, not painted in the center. Seal the bag and refrigerate it to prevent the stain from setting, then take it to a dry cleaner within 24 hours.

How to remove berry juice stains

Berry pigments bind quickly to fabrics. This is one of the few times you will need heat to remove the stain. For best results, act immediately. Here’s how:

1. Soak: Soak the stained area in cold water for 30 minutes.
2. Apply detergent: Rub a small amount of liquid dishwashing detergent directly onto the stain.
3. Rinse: Rinse well under cold water.
4. Excitement: Boil water. Stretch the fabric over a bowl (stain side down) and pour the boiling water through the stain from a height of about a foot.
5. Deal with leftovers: If discoloration persists, dab with lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. Rinse off after 5 minutes.
6. Launder: Wash the item as soon as the stain is gone.

Removing stains from buffalo sauce and hot sauce

These types of stains are difficult because they contain a mixture of fats, oils and strong spices like cayenne pepper. Some brands also contain food dyes. If you’ve spilled hot sauce or buffalo sauce on your shirt, here’s how to deal with the mess:

1. Blot: Use a clean paper towel to gently lift the sauce. Avoid rubbing, which pushes the stain deeper.
2. Absorb: Sprinkle baking soda over the area. Let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out the oils, then shake it up.
3. Pretreatment: Rub dish soap on both sides of the fabric. let it sit for 5 minutes to break down the fat.
4. Rinse: Rinse the back of the stain with cold water.
5. Soak with vinegar: Soak the stain in a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and cold water for 30 minutes.
6. Repeat: If the stain persists, repeat the steps with the soap and vinegar.
7. Dry: Air dry the item and make sure the stain is 100% gone before washing as usual.

How to remove chocolate stains from clothes

Chocolate contains milk proteins and oils that resist water. To remove them, you must first dissolve the oil. Here’s how:

1. Harden: Use an ice cube to firm up the melted chocolate.
2. Scrape: Use a dull knife or spoon to remove the excess chocolate pieces.
3. Apply soap: Apply liquid dish soap to both sides of the stain.
4. Wait: Let the soap sit for 5 minutes to dissolve the proteins.
5. Rinse: Rinse with cold water, keeping the stain side down.
6. Launder: Wash normally once the stain is completely removed.

Cleaning stains from coffee, tea and red wine

Because these drinks contain tannins, they often require heat to fully rise. Here’s how to get rid of stains caused by coffee, tea or red wine spills:

1. Blot: Use paper towels to absorb the liquid.
2. Salt treatment: Cover the spill with table salt. Wait 5 minutes and then shake or brush. Repeat until the salt no longer changes color. (This indicates that the liquid has been completely absorbed.)
3. Soap & Peroxide: Combine equal parts liquid dish soap and hydrogen peroxide. Apply to both sides of the stain and rinse with cold water after 5 minutes.
4. Rinse with heat: Stretch the fabric over a bowl (stain side down) and pour boiling water through the stain. This uses gravity to pull the remaining dyes from the fabric.
5. Final touch: Once cool, work in dish soap with an old toothbrush, rinse with cool water and air dry.

How to remove egg stains

Egg whites coagulate easily with heat, so always use cold water when following the steps below:

1. Remove the excess: Carefully remove the excess egg with a dull knife.
2. Blot: Use a white paper towel to absorb the spill.
3. Initial rinse: Rinse the back of the stain with cold water.
4. Soap treatment: Apply liquid dish soap to both sides of the stain. Let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse.
5. Mopping: Use an old toothbrush to scrub the dish soap into the stain, then rinse again.
6. Alcohol finish: Clean the area, apply alcohol to both sides, wait 10 minutes and do a final rinse with cold water.
7. Air dry and inspect. Wash as usual once you are sure the egg stain is gone.

How to remove greasy food stains

Grease stains are common and often reappear after the first wash. Follow these steps to ensure complete removal:

1. Blot: Remove excess fat with a paper towel.
2. Absorb: Apply cornstarch or baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes until the powder looks discolored, then remove. Repeat until the powder remains white.
3. Treat: Rub dish soap on both sides of the fabric.
4. Wait: Let it sit for 5 minutes.
5. Rinse: Rinse under warm running water for a full minute, stain side down.
6. Control: Air dry the item. If the grease spot returns, repeat the process before washing.

Removes stains from ketchup, barbecue and tomato sauce

Heat is the enemy here when trying to remove ketchup, barbecue sauce, and other tomato-based stains from clothing, so follow these steps:

1. Blot and absorb: Clean the sauce, then apply salt or baking soda for 5 minutes to lift the pigment.
2. Excitement: Turn the fabric over and rinse the back of the stain with cold water.
3. Soak with vinegar: Soak in a 50:50 mixture of white vinegar and cold water for 15 minutes, scrubbing occasionally. Rinse well.
4. Soap & Peroxide: Mix equal parts dish soap and hydrogen peroxide. Scrub the stain with a toothbrush.
5. Rinse with gravity: Rinse from the back with cold water so that the water washes away any stains.
6. Air Dry: Allow the item to air dry and then inspect. Once it’s gone, wash as usual.

How to remove mayonnaise stains

Mayonnaise is a very greasy stain that can be difficult to remove. Act quickly to get fresh mayonnaise off your clothes, but don’t give up hope on getting rid of old ones. The homemade stain remover below works wonders for getting mayonnaise out of clothes!

1. Scrape: Remove excess mayonnaise with a dull knife.
2. Absorb: Immediately cover both sides with cornstarch or baking soda for 10 minutes.
3. Create a paste: Mix equal parts liquid dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda.
4. Treat: Rub the paste into both sides of the stain with your finger and let it sit for 15 minutes.
5. Rinse: Rinse the fabric with warm, running water, keeping the stain side down. This washes the lingering greasy mess out of the fabric.
6. Air dry and inspect: Mayonnaise stains, like other grease spots, have a habit of returning after an item has dried. So, let it dry and check to make sure you have removed it completely. Wash as usual once the stain is completely gone.

How to remove mustard stains

Mustard contains turmeric, which can permanently stain fabric if not handled properly. Here’s how:

1. Excitement: Rinse the stain with cold water from the back of the fabric.
2. Mixture: Combine equal parts liquid dish soap and hydrogen peroxide.
3. Apply: Apply the mixture to both sides of the stain and wait 5 minutes.
4. Rinse and wash: Rinse with cold water. If the stain is gone, wash the garment. If not, repeat the steps.