15 Types of Stains and How to Remove Them Yourself

When it comes to stains it is important to treat them as soon as possible, because the older the stain, the more stubborn they get. Moreover, stains that have been laundered and dried become nearly impossible to remove. Having an inventory of stain removers is crucial to erase these eyesores from your favorite clothing and from around your home.

Therefore, Bright Side has made a comprehensive list for removing all types of specific stains you may get in your day-to-day life.

1. Ink from carpet

What you will need:

• Clean absorbent towels
• Diluted carpet shampoo (1 part liquid carpet shampoo to 4 parts water)
• Vacuum cleaner

What to do:

1. Remove any excess ink with an absorbent towel by lightly blotting the stain. It is important to not rub it.
2. Next sponge it with cool water and blot again.
3. Apply diluted carpet shampoo using a brush or towel.
4. Once it is dried, vacuum the area, and repeat again if needed.

2. Candy from your carpet

What you will need:

• Dull knife or paper towel
• 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent (free from lanolin or bleach) with 1 quart of water

What to do:

1. Scrape with a blunt knife or blot it as much as possible using a paper towel.
2. Add the detergent mixture to the area and blot the stain with a paper towel.
3. Continue to apply the detergent mixture, blot until removed, and rinse with water before blotting it dry.
4. Lastly, lightly spray it with water and directly place a pad of paper towels on top. Weigh down with a brick until dry.

3. Sunscreen from washable fabrics

What you need:

• Pretreatment laundry stain remover
• Heavy-duty liquid detergent
• Dry cleaning solvent
• Absorbent paper towels

What to do:

1. ​​​​​Apply a pretreatment laundry stain remover and wait for it to saturate the area. If the stain remains, then you can rub it with heavy-duty liquid detergent.
2. Immediately launder it at the hottest temperature possible.

For very heavy stains, put dry cleaning solvent onto the back of the stain over paper towels. Let it dry, and then rinse it before continuing with the steps above.

4. Baby formula from upholstery

What you need:

• 1 tablespoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent with 2 cups of cool water

• Clean cloth

What to do:

1. Sponge the stain with the detergent mixture, using a clean cloth.
2. Blot the stain until it is mostly dried, before repeating until the stain vanishes.
3. Finally, sponge the area of cold water and blot dry to remove the detergent.

5. Dye transfer from washing

What you need:

• Heavy-duty liquid detergent
• Dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach
• Liquid chlorine bleach

What to do:

1. Use a heavy-duty liquid detergent to pretreat the stain and rinse it out.
2. Next, soak the item in a diluted solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.

If the stain remains and the item is white or colorfast, then you need to soak the entire garment in a diluted formula of liquid chlorine bleach and water. Unfortunately, if the stain does not come out after 15 minutes of bleaching, then it is impossible to remove it with bleach.

6. Spaghetti sauce from upholstery

What you need:

• 1 tablespoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent with 2 cups of cool water

What to do:

1. Use a clean cloth to sponge the stained area with the detergent mixture.
2. Blot the stain until the liquid is removed.
3. Repeat the steps until the stain has gone.
4. To finish, sponge the area with cold water to remove the detergent, and finally blot to dry.

7. Ice cream from clothing

What you need:

• Pretreatment laundry stain remover
• Heavy-duty liquid detergent
• Chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach
• Dry cleaning solvent
• Absorbent paper towels

What to do:

1. Saturate the stain with a pretreatment laundry stain remover and wait a minute or 2 until the item has absorbed the liquid. If the stain is particularly heavy, then you need to rub it with a heavy-duty liquid detergent.
2. Launder it as soon as possible. If this does not work, then soak the clothing item in chlorine bleach, if it is safe for the fabric.

For extremely difficult stains, you should first apply a dry cleaning solvent to the backside of the stain, on top of absorbent paper towels. Let it dry before rinsing and starting with step 1.

8. Toothpaste from clothing

What you need:

• 1/5 teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 quart of warm water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Enzyme presoak product

What to do:

1. Soak it for 15 minutes in the detergent mixture.
2. Rinse before sponging it lightly in circular motions from the center to the edge using rubbing alcohol.
3. Finally, soak it for 30 minutes in 1 quart warm water and 1 tablespoon of an enzyme presoak product.

9. Bird droppings from upholstery

What you need:

• 1 tablespoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent with 2 cups of cool water
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Ammonia

What to do:

1. Use a clean cloth to sponge the stain with the detergent mixture.
2. Blot the stain until the liquid is absorbed, and repeat the steps until the stain goes.

If the stain doesn’t vanish, then you can use an eyedropper to safely apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide and afterward a couple of drops of ammonia. After this, you should sponge it with cold water and blot until dry.

10. Curry from upholstery

What you need:

• 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 2 cups of cool water

• Rubbing alcohol
• Ammonia

What to do:

1. Use a clean cloth to sponge the stain with the detergent mixture.
2. Leave the mixture on the stain for at least 30 minutes.
3. Blot every 5 minutes with a clean cloth and more of the mixture.
4. Sponge the area with cool water and blot until dry before sponging it with rubbing alcohol and blotting to remove the stain.

If the stain remains then you can try a stronger mixture of dishwashing detergent with ammonia in 2 cups of warm water, and repeat like above.

11. Playdough from carpet

What you need:

• Blunt knife or paper towel
• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent (which does not contain lanolin or bleach) with 1 quart of water

What to do:

1. Remove as much of the playdough as possible with a blunt knife or a paper towel.
2. Apply rubbing alcohol with a clean cloth or cotton ball. If the dough is deep into a thick carpet, then blot it. However, if the stained area is only on the surface then rub in one direction, not circular.
3. Next apply the detergent mixture to the area and blot the stain until removed.
4. Lightly rinse with water to remove the detergent mixture.
5. Finally, spray with water and put a pad of paper towels with a brick on top to make sure it dries.

12. Rust from carpet

What you need:

• Lemon Juice
• 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent (which does not contain lanolin or bleach) with 1 quart of water
• paper towels

What to do:

1. Cover the stain with lemon juice using a spray bottle and leave it for 5 minutes.
2. Remove as much of the juice as possible by blotting the stain with a paper towel.
3. Next add the detergent mix.
4. Blot the stain until removed.
5. Lightly rinse the area with water and remove any excess water by blotting.
6. Spray again with water, but this time place a pad of paper towels and a brick on top and leave to dry.

13. Bleach from upholstery

What you need:

• 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with 2 cups of cool water
• 1 tablespoon of white vinegar with 2 cups of cool water

What to do:

1. Use a clean cloth to sponge the area with the detergent solution.
2. Blot it until the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Repeat these steps until the stain is gone.

If the stain still hasn’t gone, then use the white vinegar mix by sponging the stain. Blot the area until the liquid is absorbed and finally sponge with cold water to rinse it and blot dry.

14. Peanut butter from upholstery

What you need:

• An absorbent
• Vacuum cleaner
• Dry cleaning solvent

What to do:

1. Sprinkle the absorbent over the stain, such as baking soda or cornstarch.
2. Leave it for 10-15 minutes before vacuuming it up.
3. Use a clean cloth to sponge the stain using a dry cleaning solvent and blot until absorbed.
4. Repeat until the stain is gone.

15. Graphite from a carpet

What you need:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Blunt knife
• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 teaspoon of detergent (which does not contain lanolin or bleach) with 1 quart of water

What to do:

1. Vacuum the area using the crevice tool of the vacuum cleaner in order to remove the soot.
2. Use a blunt knife to remove any remaining soot.
3. Apply rubbing alcohol with a cloth or cotton ball to clean the stain. If it is deep into the carpet then blot it, but if it is just the surface then rub in one direction.
4. Stop when it has disappeared.

If this has not worked yet, then try applying the detergent mixture and blot the stain with a paper towel. Continue until removed. Rinse with water and blot dry. Lastly, lightly spray with water and place a pad of paper towels with a brick on top and leave to dry.

What’s your magic stain remover? Please share it with us!