7 stain removal mistakes you might be making

Stains are an inevitable part of life, but it can feel particularly upsetting when you drop makeup on a delicate blouse or spill red wine on your new cream-colored carpet. And while there is a proper stain removal method for just about every surface, the panic will set in faster than the stain itself if you’re not sure how to best treat it in the moment.

To help prepare you for the unavoidable, we turned to the experts. Wendy Saladyga, stain expert and senior manager of technical performance for Henkel with Persil, is sharing the stain-removal mistakes she sees most often in her line of work—and how to avoid them.

1. Letting stains sit

One of the most crucial errors you can make is waiting to treat stains. “Letting stains sit for too long can make them more difficult to remove, as the stain soaks into and dries in the fabric,” Saladyga says. Immediately blot excess liquid and then, as she recommends, apply a small amount of clear hand or dish soap if you can’t wash or clean the stain right away. This is especially vital if you spill something on yourself when you’re out and don’t have access to a washing machine right away.

Once you’re able to run the garment through a load (or after using a cleaner on furniture or rugs), Saladyga says to check if the stain is gone before the item is dry. If it isn’t yet, “repeat stain removal and washing steps prior to drying, as the heat from the dryer will further set in any remaining stain making it harder to remove,” she says. Essentially, time is of the essence when it comes to removing stains — so don’t wait to act. If you’re chronically clumsy, you might want to consider carrying a stain removal pen or individual wipes in your bag so you always have something on hand.

2. Skipping the pretreatment

If you are home when you drop something on yourself or your upholstery, you might be tempted to toss the item in the laundry or go in with a cleaner right away. However, you’re missing a potentially crucial step in the stain removal process. Pretreating stains, especially tough ones like turmeric, tomato, or chocolate, will help them break down better and make washing or cleaning easier.

And while you most likely have a stain remover sitting in your laundry room, Saladyga says it’s actually not necessary to use one. “Many think you have to purchase a pretreatment solution separate from detergent, but you can use a heavy-duty detergent,” she says. “Simply pour a small amount of the detergent on the stain, rub it in, and let sit for 5 minutes or so before washing with the same detergent.”

3. Using too much detergent

Yet another common faux pas Saladyga sees frequently is overdoing the laundry detergent. In general, regularly using more than the recommended amount per load can lead to more maintenance on your washing machine. Lingering soap residue creates a breeding ground for bacteria which means you’ll have to clean the washer more often to eliminate mold, mildew, and unpleasant odors.

“When fighting against tough stains, the first instinct may be to pile on the detergent," Saladyga says. "However, using too much laundry detergent isn’t good as it may actually result in dingy-looking clothes.” Instead, use pre-measured discs, laundry pods, or stick to the cap measurements to ensure the proper amount is used.

4. Ignoring care instructions

“It’s important to check the instructions on the stained garment’s care tag to determine the best approach to stain removal as different materials can tolerate different techniques,” Saladyga says. This is an area, however, that can confuse even the most attentive among us. It’s easy to get laundry symbols mixed up because, although they’re universal (and international), there’s a lot of them to remember.

Most articles of clothing and linens list their materials and care instructions on their tags. But, if you remove them and forget, you could be out of luck.

When in doubt, Saladyga recommends following this guide to popular materials and how well (or not) they hold up during the stain removal process:

5. Reaching for the bleach

It’s fairly common knowledge that bleach should never be used on colored fabrics. However, you should proceed with caution when dealing with stains on stark white items. That’s because depending on their material or care instructions, some aren’t safe to bleach. Rather, stick to an oxygen-based bleach or optical brightening solution.

6. Using heat or hot water.

As Saladyga points out, running something through the dryer (or using an iron on it) before a stain is fully removed will cause it to set in. Likewise, using hot water to rinse or wash protein-based stains (like blood and sweat) has the same effect, so always use cold water when tackling stains.

7. Trying overcomplicated hacks

The internet is full of cleaning tips but not every TikTok hack is a helpful one. “Some home remedies, like rubbing alcohol or bleach, may damage different types of fabrics. Others, like too much vinegar, may damage plastic and rubber parts in your washing machine over time,” she says.

(Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com.)