Detergent stains are some of the most stubborn and irritating types of stains you can get on your clothing. It’s almost like the little blue demons hide in your clothes waiting for the perfect moment to make their appearance known. With all of these different detergents and types of laundry, it’s hard to know what will react well with certain fabrics and what is going to stain them. So how do you get those pesky little detergent stains out of your clothes? Keep reading for our tips on how to get detergent stains out of clothes!
How To Get Detergent Stains Out Of Clothes
1. Stick to the Basics
There are many ways you can get detergent stains out of clothes, but the easiest and simplest is to stick with the basics. I’m not a huge fan of using bleach on my clothes, but it is a great way to get stains out of your whites. The downside is that bleach can be very harmful to your clothing, especially if you have children who play in the backyard or if there are animals that chew on your clothes. So don’t use bleach if you can help it! If you must use bleach, try using 1/2 cup per gallon of water and dilute it as much as possible. There are also some detergents that are safe for use on your clothing without bleaching them.
2. Get Rid of Stains Quickly
The longer a stain stays on your clothing, the more difficult they become to remove. With this in mind, make sure to get rid of any stains as quickly as possible so they don’t have time to set into your clothes and ruin them. Using cold water and ice cubes will help get rid of stains immediately (but don’t put too many ice cubes into your washing machine because they could break). You could also try rubbing alcohol on the stain until it disappears or vinegar which also helps with removing stains immediately. Some people like to use hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda for quick removal from their clothing but I would only suggest this for small spots because hydrogen peroxide can be very harsh on your clothes if it gets into the fabric.
3. Try a Stain Remover
If you’re not sure what to do for stains, it may be a good idea to try some stain removers. There are a lot of these types of products on the market today and some of them will work better than others. Some stain removers are made specifically for getting out detergent stains, while others are made for removing other types of stains. I have used both types of stain removers with great success and have had no problems with either one. If you have any experience with any specific kind of stain remover, feel free to share your tips in the comments!
4. Don’t Worry About Stains So Much
I know that when I get detergent stains on my clothes, I worry about them so much that they seem like they will never come out! But truthfully, they don’t take long at all to remove (unless the spot is huge). So even if you get a stain on your favorite pair of jeans or favorite dress shirt, don’t worry about it so much! It will come right out!
5. Don’t Forget to Wash Everything Else!
Sometimes when you get detergent stains, you might think that it will be fine to just throw your clothes in the washing machine without washing anything else. But this is not a good idea! When you use detergent in your washer, it leaves residue on your clothes that can cause problems for the next time you wash them. So make sure to also wash any other items that have detergent stains on them such as towels, bed sheets, and comforters.
6. Wash Dark Colors Separately from Light Colors
I know this sounds like common sense but I see people do this all of the time and I just don’t understand why! If you are using a full load of laundry and there are some colors separated from others (such as dark colors from light colors), make sure to put those colors in their own separate load of laundry so they don’t get mixed up with others colors while in the washer. This way they can be washed separately and not get ruined by other colors on laundry hampers or mixed together with other colors.
What Are Detergent Stains?
- Detergent stains are a type of stain that occurs when you use too much detergent in your wash.
- Detergent stains can be caused by any type of detergent, but the two most common types are powder-based and liquid.
- Detergent stains can be caused by using too much or too little detergent in your wash, or by using the wrong type of detergent for the fabric you’re washing.
- The most common types of detergents that cause detergent stains are laundry powders and liquid laundry soaps.
- Certain types of fabrics have a natural affinity for certain types of detergents and will get more pronounced staining from certain brands than others.
- You can only get rid of detergent stains if they’re fresh, which means they have been on your clothes for less than 24 hours after washing them.
How To Remove Drying Agent Residue From Detergent Stains
- Wear the item you have with the detergent stain until the stain has fully set
- Wash the item in a front loader (or place it in a mesh laundry bag if it’s not too large) to prevent staining of other clothes
- If you can, soak your laundry in white vinegar for 1-2 hours before washing it
- Wash and dry your item as usual
- After washing, add some vinegar to your dryer with your dryer sheets or fabric softener and run them through one more time (scent optional)
- For stubborn stains, use a toothbrush dipped in undiluted vinegar to scrub at stains on clothing
- For any stubborn stains, use undiluted vinegar directly on the stain on your clothing or item.
How To Get Liquid Detergent Stains Out Of Clothes
Treat the Stain Immediately
Getting stains out of clothes is often more difficult than putting them in. However, this is not always the case. If you have a stain on your clothes that you’re planning to wear tomorrow, treat it immediately. If you put off washing your clothes for a few days, it’s almost guaranteed that the stain will have set in and become much more difficult to remove.
One Step at a Time
If you have stains that are on a very small area of an article of clothing, try treating it one step at a time. For example, if there is only one spot on your shirt where the detergent has stained it and it’s very small, try treating just that spot first before moving on to other parts of the shirt. This will ensure that the stain doesn’t spread and become larger over time when you attempt to treat all of the fabric with one process like this.
Wash Separately
If there are multiple spots on your shirt where detergent has stained it or if there are stains on an entire article of clothing, make sure to wash these items separately from other items as well as from each other so they don’t come into contact with each other and cause any new stains or problems later on down the line when washing them in one wash cycle together.
Wash Hot Water Only
Most detergents contain enzymes that allow for fabrics to be bleached after being washed using hot water alone (very hot water). The enzymes in the detergent will break down the proteins in your clothes, and they’ll come out of your clothes along with the detergent. However, if you use cold water instead, the detergent will set into your clothes like glue and it’s almost impossible to get out of them.
Use A Stain Remover
If you’re not sure how to get stains out of clothes, we recommend using a stain remover. Stain removers are designed to be able to remove stains from fabric and clothing without damaging them in any way. If you’re unsure about a stain remover for clothing that is not meant for fabrics, we recommend trying one on a small area first before using it on an entire article of clothing.
Conclusion
Detergent stains can be annoying and frustrating to deal with, but they don’t have to be! With the right stain remover, you can get rid of those pesky stains in no time at all. It is important to remember to check the label of the clothing and to use the correct settings on your washer so that you don’t get the stain again.
