Natural Stain Removers for Laundry - Healthy and Lovin' It

Need some stain removers that really work? Check out my go to Natural Stain Removers for Laundry.

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When I first decided that I didn’t want to put toxins in my laundry (skin can easily absorb poisons), I knew I needed to change my detergent and stain removers. I honestly had no idea where to start. Reading the labels at the grocery store seemed to require a PhD in chemistry! Plus, I have hard water so that makes getting my laundry clean more challenging.

After some research and trial and error, I have now found some stain removers that work and are non toxic. I do use one controversial stain remover (more on that in a minute). But most of the stain removers might surprise you-you probably already own some of them!

First, there are a few things that help clothes to get cleaner in general and help with stain removal.

General Stain Remover Tips

Use the right amount of water. I have a top loader washing machine and I used to use more water than I needed. I realized that my laundry got cleaner when I used less water. I now set the load size on large instead of super.
Use the right amount of detergent. My frugal nature thought it was a good idea to save money on laundry by using a small amount of detergent. But, that did not work well for me, especially because I have hard water. So, now I use more and my clothes are cleaner and smell better. This is something that requires some experimentation because sometimes smaller amounts work just as well.
Some stains require soaking. Many of the stain removers that I am going to mention work even better if they are applied to the stain and than allowed to sit for a while before washing the item.

Natural Laundry Stain Removers

Here are my favorite stain removers. The first one, borax, has been used as a natural cleaner for a long time, but now has some controversy surrounding it.

Borax

I like to add borax to my wash as a laundry booster. I don’t use it every load but do use it on really dirty and/or stinky loads. Borax helps to soften water and helps my detergent to work better. Borax helps remove stains and odors.

Borax is also controversial. The EWG website had borax as a moderate concern and then changed their rating for borax to an F! I respect a lot of what EWG says, so naturally I was concerned when I heard that. Many people stopped using borax after hearing about the EWG rating. You can read some opinions on borax here, here, and here. I have decided for now that I feel ok using it. I just use caution-I don’t apply it directly to my skin and I am careful not to inhale the dust.

Peroxide

Peroxide works really well as a natural bleach. Of course, it may take the color out of some fabrics. Fruit stains, vegetable stains and blood stains can be scrubbed with a peroxide/baking soda paste. Just plain peroxide can also work well. Simply apply it to the stain and let soak. Repeat as needed.

Vinegar and Dish Soap

This combination is my go to for grease or oil based stains. I simply mix some vinegar and natural dish soap in a bottle and keep it in my laundry room. I do have to scrub at the stains a good amount after I apply the mixture. Grease stains are notorious for being hard to get rid of! Sometimes I first put a little baking soda on a grease based stain to absorb any loose grease. Than I apply the vinegar and dish soap mixture.

Oxo Brite

I really like this product! It is like a natural color safe bleach. It helps to make dingy whites whiter. It helps to remove a variety of stains like grass stains, fruit and vegetable stains, blood stains, oil stains and more. For tough stains I first add Oxo Brite to really hot water. I wait a few minutes and add my stained item and soak for as long as needed. Items can be even soaked overnight if they are especially bad.

If I am dealing with a stain that isn’t too bad, I will pour the Oxo Brite hot water mixture right onto the stain and scrub it. If I can tell that it is mostly gone, I will go ahead and wash the item.

I add Oxo Brite to loads of laundry when I want to help my clothes get even cleaner-like my loads of nicer clothes. (For things like towels, I use borax.) Before I add the Oxo Brite I put it in some hot water and leave it for a few minutes to activate it.

Rubbing Alcohol

I use rubbing alcohol to treat ink stains. I have found it works well for this purpose!

Those are all of my go to stain removers!

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Here are my favorite natural stain removers for laundry. Whether I am dealing with an oil stain, ink stain, or blood stain I have something that will work. Some of the stain removers are perfect for whites and others will work for any color! #HealthyandLovinIt #laundry #stainremover #clothes #diy

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Comments

Dee says

November 10, 2019 at 4:35 pm

I enjoyed your article but I the ratio when mixing two products. What is the ratio of vinegar and dish soap? And is there a chemical reaction?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

- Kristie says
  
  November 12, 2019 at 1:51 am
  
  I didn’t usually measure, but I would put about a cup of vinegar in a spray bottle and add about two squirts of dish soap (approximately 2 Tbsp). I knew I had enough dish soap if it was sudsy when I went to scrub the stain. Sorry it is not more scientific!
  
  I am not aware of any chemical reaction with dish soap and vinegar. There is a reaction between vinegar and peroxide and those two should not be mixed. Thank you for your kind comment!