Stain removal made easy: we’ll show you the best tips and tricks to use on stains with home remedies that you can buy in the nearest supermarket.
General rules
- The sooner stains are treated, the more easily they are removed.
- Stains should always be processed from the edge to the center so that they do not spread out.
- Always test stain remover on a concealed area first.
Home remedies
Ox-gall soap
All-round talent for removing stains. Essential in any laundry room. In principle, gall soap can be used on most stains – however, it works better if the stain is fresh and has not yet dried. Regardless of whether you use liquid or solid gall soap, put the soap with a little water on the stain to be treated, rub it in gently and leave it on for a few minutes. The garment can then simply be washed in the washing machine as usual with detergent, or by hand. Especially effective for:
- Grease stains (oil, butter)
- Colored stains (lipstick, ketchup, wine)
- Fruit and vegetable stains
- Protein stains
- Blood stains
- Sweat stains
Baking soda (Natron)
Color freshener, decolorizer, fabric softener and odor eliminator. Another must-have, which was already valued as an inexpensive household item in grandma’s days. It is also the best remedy for musty laundry. If you have stained laundry, place the stained clothing in a bowl of warm or hot water and add one to two cups of baking soda. Let the garment sit overnight before putting it in the washing machine the next day. Also add a little baking soda during the wash cycle. A common mistake made when washing towels is using fabric softener. For cuddly soft towels, add a little baking soda instead of the conventional fabric softener. Another benefit of sodium is that it neutralizes unpleasant odors. If you have laundry that smells particularly intense, let it soak in soda overnight.
Salt
Very useful for blood stains. Soak the fabric in cold salt water and then wash it. Important: it is essential to rinse with cold water, because when the protein in blood is heated, it binds to the textile fibers.
Lemon
salt stains and water stains on shoes can be removed quickly and easily with lemon juice: To do this, drip a little juice onto a cloth and dab the areas to be treated with it. Then clean your shoes with the appropriate shoe polish.
Lemon juice also provides first aid when removing grass stains from clothing. Let the stains dry and then sprinkle them directly with the juice and leave it on the fabric for several hours. Then wash by hand or in the machine as usual. Lemon also works well on coffee, tea and ink stains.
Vinegar
Especially good for sweat stains. Use clear, distilled white vinegar. If you only have cider vinegar, use less and dilute with water before putting on the fabric. Soak the fabric for at least 30 minutes with a 1: 1 mixture of vinegar and water, even better overnight. Wash as usual. Vinegar is also very effective at removing rust stains. To do this, mix equal parts salt and vinegar and apply directly.
Brush
Makes it easy to use the soap and, at the same time, the detergent can work deeply into the fibers. A brush is ideal for the intensive pre-treatment of collars and cuffs.
One of our favorite brands for e.g. natron or white vinegar is “Starwax”, which you can find here or here (not sponsored)
