What's a great stain remover for clothing?

[ilovepcot]

Nothing I've tried works! There's nothing "exotic" on my clothing...just the usual food spills here and there....usually something oily. My clothes come out of the wash "better" than they went in, but the tops can't be worn again except in the house. I can't keep buying new clothes because of this. Help! What works for you?

 

[golfgal]

I use "Stain Stick". I like it because it is meant to be applied and then sit for a day or more so if you get something on a shirt, apply the Stain Stick, toss in hamper until you are ready to wash. I have maybe one stain a year it doesn't take out.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I use Shout. Squeeze some on there and rub it in really good. Wait a few mins before throwing it in. This has worked for me and has gotten even blood and chocolate out. Sometimes I have to repeat the process a couple of times but it always works for me. Hope this helps!

 

[WDWorBUST]

What I have found that works the very best on oily/greasy food type stains is plain old original Dawn dish soap.

 

[ilovepcot]

What I have found that works the very best on oily/greasy food type stains is plain old original Dawn dish soap.

This made me laugh! You should have seen me just before I posted. I'd used all my stain remover on the last load of clothes I did about an hour ago. Three tops came out with "oily spots" on them. Ugh! Hoping to wear the tops on a trip next week, I did the only thing I could think of...grabbed the Dawn, BUT I didn't stop there. Crazy as this sounds, I boiled a pot of water and poured it over the spots soaking in Dawn and scrubbed with a small brush. Stuff isn't dry yet but I "think" it may have worked. Can't keep this up! I feel like Ma on "Little House".

 

[3smithboys]

I have 3 boys who think that their shirts are napkins - it drives me crazy!!! Anyway, I love Zout!!! I should by stock in the company! I think it works the best. Everyone I tell about it loves it too.

 

[luv2sew]

I use Lestoil...pour a little on the spot rub in a little bit of water on it and rub with a brush or your finger, let set and wash....usually works one time but for extra stubborn stains try it again....this even works on stuff thats already been through the dryer...this is a trick my MIL taught me.

 

[ilovepcot]

Lestoil. That's the only one I haven't tried - I think.

I'm almost certain I've used Stain Stick...hope it's not the power of suggestion. My mom swears by Shout but she has very soft water. Mine is very hard and I know that contributes to a detergent not working as well...perhaps a stain remover too. Oh yeah, Zout made me cuss. My mom thinks it's a great product, however.

 

[minniecarousel]

Oxy-Clean!

Someone spilled red wine on the back of my husband's yellow Tommy Bahama raw silk shirt (!) I made a paste of the Oxy-Clean powder and placed it directly on the stain. I added water and let it sit in the water, diluting the paste. Then I threw the tub with the shirt and the water right into the washing machine. Got that stain out. Helps with cleaning the rest of the clothes in that load.

 

[DawnCt1]

Lestoil is great for grass and grease stains. I have tried all of the others and two weeks ago I bought some Tide Stain Release. DS had a shirt that I had worked on with everything else, no success. I put stain release on it, left it in the sink over night with a little water and the darned stain came out. It is amazing. ...and a bit pricy.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

My Mom was great at getting stains out! She used a brown bar soap called Fells Naptha. Wet it, rub it in and wash. I use it too but I am not as good as she was...I guess I just dont run it in good enough.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Just googled it...It is good for poison ivy too!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels-Naptha

 

[perdidobay]

Dawn dishwashing detergent, I scrub it in the spot first, let it sit for 5 minutes, then wash.

 

[surfgirl]

another Dawn convert...

I don't scrub it, boil it, or even dance around it. I just put a little on the direct spot, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and throw it in. It even works if the clothes have been washed and dried and you discover a grease spot.

Works great for anything greasy, oily: butter, olive oil, cooking oil, etc.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

another Dawn convert...

I don't scrub it, boil it, or even dance around it. I just put a little on the direct spot, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and throw it in. It even works if the clothes have been washed and dried and you discover a grease spot.

Works great for anything greasy, oily: butter, olive oil, cooking oil, etc.

Me too, well except it probably isn't Dawn, most any dish soap designed to "cut the grease" will work on oily stains on clothes.

 

[Angelhalo]

Haven't read any of the other answers yet, just wanted to say the BEST thing for oily or greasy stains is dish soap! I just put a couple of drops on the items and then throw the item in the was with everything else and the stain comes out every single time!

 

[Angelhalo]

Me too, well except it probably isn't Dawn, most any dish soap designed to "cut the grease" will work on oily stains on clothes.

Ditto! Mine is some no name brand dish soap from Aldi and it works great at getting grease stains out of clothes! AND since it's from Aldi, it's CHEAP!

 

[arminnie]

The is what works for me when all else has failed (and I've tried them all).

From from Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette:

Pour 1 cup of powdered Clorox 2 (I use liquid) and 1 cup of Cascade dishwashing detergent (I use liquid) into a pail, bucket or other container large enough for the stained item. Add the HOTtest tap water you can get. (I usually boil water in a teapot, pour that in, then finish filling with HOT tap water.) Stir until Clorox 2 and Cascade seem to be dissolved. (easier if you use liquid) Add the item and soak anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight. Wring out the item and launder as usual.

It is very important to mix the clorox, cascade and hot water thoroughly or it can cause spotting on the clothes.

I've used this in the washer when I had a top loader. It was easier than trying to use a bucket. I haven't tried it in my front loader.

 

[horseshowmom]

I use "Stain Stick". I like it because it is meant to be applied and then sit for a day or more so if you get something on a shirt, apply the Stain Stick, toss in hamper until you are ready to wash. I have maybe one stain a year it doesn't take out.

I agree about the Stain Stick (the green top stick). It works better than anything I've used. In fact, a friend of mine's daughter did her science fair project on what cleaner was the best, and Stain Stick came out as the best.

What I have found that works the very best on oily/greasy food type stains is plain old original Dawn dish soap.

Yes, it works well for that, and in a pinch it can work great for washing a horse too!

 

[GraysMom]

I use Oxiclean in the blue bottle with a yellow trigger top. It works extremely well on all sorts of stains (better than the powder). DS5 has gotten blueberry and raspberry spots on his clothes recently, and they disappeared BEFORE I washed them (within 15 min of being sprayed-this usually happens if you can spray the stain while it's still wet/fresh). I have seen it for sale at grocery stores, but I usually but it at Walgreens when the do a 2/$5 sale. There was just a coupon for $1 off of 2 in the newspaper within the last few weeks.