How to Get Spots Out of White Clothes, According to Experts

There’s nothing worse than getting a big stain on your pristine white shirt. But don’t worry—these stains aren’t as daunting as they appear, and there are plenty of easy ways to remove them. We talked to house cleaning professional Susan Stocker to teach you the best ways to remove all kinds of stains from white clothes, including commercial stain removers and other remedies . We’ll also explain how to remove old, set-in stains and provide general tips for stain removal.

How to Get Stains Out of White Clothes

House cleaning professional Susan Stocker says to apply a baking soda paste and let it sit for 1-2 hours before washing your clothes as normal. Other options include pretreating the stain with a stain remover or enzyme detergent, or rubbing the stain with dish soap.

Section 1 of 4:

Using a Stain Remover

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1
Remove excess residue. Blot or scrape away the excess of whatever caused the stain. This will help prevent the stain from spreading and will make it easier to remove. Then, turn the garment inside out and flush the stain with cool water to wash away remaining residue. ^{[1]
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- Check your garment’s care tag before using water, as some clothes are dry clean only.
- If the stain is oil-based (like from grease, makeup, or butter), avoid using water, as this will make the stain worse.
- Act as quickly as possible to prevent the stain from setting in.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Susan Stocker is a house cleaning professional and the owner of Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 green cleaning company in Seattle. She’s been a professional cleaner for over 10 years.
2
Pretreat with a stain remover or enzyme detergent. Using an enzyme detergent or stain remover is often the easiest way to get stains out of clothes. Apply your chosen pretreatment directly to the stained area and let it sit for several minutes. ^{[2]
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Research source} Or, soak the garment in a mixture of water and detergent.
- “I really like Puracy Natural Laundry Stain Remover ,” says Stocker. “It is a true miracle worker!” ^{[3]
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- Follow your stain remover’s instructions to apply it properly, and make sure it’s designed for white clothing. Most commercial stain removers work for all kinds of stains.
- If you’re dealing with a delicate fabric like silk or wool, mix a gentle detergent with cold water, pour the mixture over the stain, and use your fingers to squeeze the water through the fabric.
- If you’re worried about damaging the fabric, take it to a professional cleaner instead.
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Check your garment’s care label, and wash on the warmest setting recommended. ^{[4]
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4
Check the stain before drying. When treating stains, always make sure the stain is completely gone before drying the garment. The heat from your dryer will only set the stain in further, making it even more difficult—or impossible—to remove. ^{[5]
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Research source} If the stain is still there, repeat the pretreating and washing process until it’s gone.
- If you don’t have time to treat the garment again right away, allow it to air dry instead.
- If this method doesn’t seem to work, try one of the other remedies listed below or have your garment professionally cleaned.

Section 2 of 4:

Other Remedies for Removing Stains

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1
Use dish soap as a natural home remedy. If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, many people swear by dish soap. Simply wet the stain with cool water and rub in a bit of dish soap. If the stain is relatively small and fresh, you may only need to let the soap soak in for a few minutes. For larger, tougher stains, let it sit for several hours or overnight. Then, wash the garment as usual. ^{[6]
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- This often works for all kinds of stains, including tomato stains , dirt stains , coffee stains , and more.
- If the stain is particularly stubborn or set-in, however, you may need something stronger.
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Combat most stains with a baking soda paste. “Mix 4 tablespoons baking soda and 1 quart warm water,” says Stocker. Scrub the mixture into the stain and let it sit for 1-2 hours. Rinse the garment and check to see if the stain is gone. If it is, wash as normal. If it’s still there, repeat the process until it’s gone. ^{[7]
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Susan Stocker
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Expert Interview}
- This is a natural solution for most stains and can be particularly effective for tackling yellow stains .
- “Another trick [for yellow stains] is to mix 50% vinegar with 50% room-temperature water,” adds Stocker. Scrub the mixture into the stain and let it sit for 1-2 hours before rinsing. ^{[8]
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Brighten white clothes with bleach. “Non-chlorine bleach is my go-to,” explains Stocker. ^{[9]
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Susan Stocker
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview} Put on some rubber gloves and do a quick spot test to make sure the bleach doesn’t damage your clothes. Then, gently dab some bleach onto the reverse side of the affected area with a cotton swab. Let it soak for a few minutes, then wash the garment as normal.
- Oxidizing bleaches are less severe than chlorine bleaches. Chlorine bleach can damage color on fabrics, but in most cases, it should be okay to use on whites.
- To combat larger stains and brighten your whites in general, add bleach to your normal wash cycle, following the instructions on the bleach’s label.
- Do not mix bleach with other chemicals, as this will cause dangerous chemical reactions. Always work in a well-ventilated area, as well.
4
Treat sturdy fabrics with hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Mix 2 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. Do a spot test on an inconspicuous area to make sure the mixture won’t discolor or damage your clothes, then spray it directly on the stain. Let it soak for a few minutes, then rinse and wash the garment as you normally would. Hydrogen peroxide alone can also work. ^{[10]
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- This method works for most stains on sturdy fabrics like cotton and canvas. Do not use it on delicate fabrics like silk or wool.
- Use a funnel when pouring the hydrogen peroxide into the spray bottle so it doesn’t splash or spill.
- For large or stubborn stains, add the same ratio of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap to a bucket of hot water. Place the garment in the liquid and let it soak for about 30 minutes. Then, rinse it off and repeat if necessary.
5
Treat sweat stains with lemon juice. “Lemon juice works wonders!” Stocker says. “Mix 50% lemon juice and 50% warm water.” Then, scrub until the stain disappears. For the best results, use juice from a fresh lemon rather than the bottled juice from the grocery store. ^{[11]
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Susan Stocker
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview}
- Stocker also says a baking soda and water paste will tackle armpit and sweat stains . ^{[12]
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- Lemon juice and salt often work well to tackle mildew and rust stains on white clothes. ^{[13]
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- Adding some lemon juice to a white wash can generally refresh the clothes.
6
Remove blood and other tough stains with ammonia. Put on some rubber gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Combine ammonia and water in a 1:1 ratio, and dip a cloth or sponge into the mixture. Dab the solution onto the stain and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Rinse the stain with cold water, then wash the item as usual. ^{[14]
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- This works particularly well for stains from bodily fluids, such as blood , sweat, and urine .
- Another option is to mix ammonia with turpentine .
- Ammonia can also tackle grease and dirt stains if you add a small amount to your washing machine during a normal wash cycle.
- Never mix bleach and ammonia. The reaction is highly toxic and can create potentially deadly fumes.
7
Remove foundation stains with shaving cream. If you got makeup on your white shirt, Stocker recommends rubbing shaving cream into foundation stains. “Shaving cream works wonders: the mixture of ingredients in it breaks down foundation like nobody’s business [...] If the shaving cream doesn’t get it all out, do it again, but this time, mix a bit of rubbing alcohol with the shaving cream.” ^{[15]
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- However, Stocker adds that you shouldn’t use this method for wool or dry-clean-only fabrics. Instead, see a dry cleaner. ^{[16]
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Address oily stains with white chalk. Oil-based stains can be particularly tricky, as water often makes the problem worse. One natural method for tackling oily stains is to use white chalk. Gently rub the chalk onto the fabric, being careful not to damage the fibers. The chalk should absorb some of the oil, making it easier to remove in the wash. ^{[17]
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- Dust off any excess chalk before putting the garment in the wash.
- Only wash it in cold water, and don’t put it in the dryer, as this can cause the oil to set.
This may sound counterintuitive, but a good remedy for red wine stains is actually white wine. Carefully pour a bit of white wine onto the stain and dab the edges with a white kitchen towel or cloth. This won’t make the stain disappear entirely, but it can help it come out in a normal wash subsequently. ^{[18]
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Section 3 of 4:

Removing Stains from Dried Clothes

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Soak set-in stains in an enzyme detergent. The heat from the dryer can set in stains, making them much harder to remove . However, it isn’t always impossible. Fill a sink, basin, or other large container with enough water to submerge the garment. Mix in an enzyme detergent and soak the garment for a few hours before washing as normal.
- Check your garment’s care label to determine what water temperature to use.
- If the stain remains, repeat the process until it’s gone. Allow your garment to air dry unless you’re 100% sure the stain is gone.
- Take delicate fabrics to a dry cleaner instead of trying to tackle the stains yourself.

Section 4 of 4:

Stain Removal Tips

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1
Determine what kind of stain you’re dealing with. If possible, try to figure out what caused the stain, as different stains need to be treated differently. For example, oil-based stains like grease, butter, and some makeup can’t be treated with water, as it will only set the stain in further. If you’re not sure where the stain came from, avoid using water to be safe.
- In general, sweat stains, toothpaste , dirt, blood, and non-oily foods and makeup can all be treated with water.
2
Check your garment’s care label. In addition to knowing what kind of stain you’re dealing with, it’s also important to know how to care for the garment. Some clothes may be dry-clean-only, which means you probably shouldn’t attempt to treat them yourself. The care label will also tell you what water temperature to use when washing your clothes, which can help you avoid setting the stain in further. ^{[19]
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- Even after checking the care label, it’s still a good idea to spot test any stain removers, especially if you haven’t used them before. This will help you avoid damaging or discoloring your clothes further.
3

Treat stains as soon as possible. Once stains dry and set in, they become harder to remove. To avoid this, treat them as soon as you possibly can. Dab or scrape off the excess and pre-treat the stain with your preferred stain removal method before it dries. If you can’t treat the stain immediately, it will likely still come out, but the process may take longer. ^{[20]
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Wash your whites by themselves. “Only wash white with white,” explains Stocker. “Don’t even risk washing beige with white—it will discolor your white fabrics. Always use hot water to keep whites bright, and use a whitening agent.” ^{[21]
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How do you get hard stains out of white clothes?

Susan Stocker
Professional Cleaner
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

I usually recommend a baking soda scrub. If that doesn't work, mix equal parts vinegar and room temperature water. Scrub and let sit for 1 to 2 hours. Rinse and see if the stain is completely removed. If it is, wash the garment as usual. If not, repeat all steps until the stain is gone.

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How do I get chocolate stains out of white clothing?

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You should be able to get the stain out if you soak the garment in white vinegar or white wine for about 30 minutes.

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How do I remove old urine stains from underwear?

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Soak them in bleach and cold water for 30 minutes, then wash them. If this doesn't work, soak them in bleach and warm water for another 30 minutes, then wash again.

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Tips

In case of flower stains on white clothes, first remove the pollen using tape and then clean the clothes as mentioned above.

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Warnings

If you are using strong chemicals, make sure you properly ventilate the room where the item is being cleaned.

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Wear gloves if handling bleach or ammonia.

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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
House Cleaning Professional

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How to Get Spots Out of White Clothes, According to Experts

How to Get Stains Out of White Clothes

Steps

Using a Stain Remover

Other Remedies for Removing Stains

Removing Stains from Dried Clothes

Stain Removal Tips

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Video

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