12 Simple, One-Ingredient Fixes For Common Stains

Prone to stains but can’t seem to remember how best to treat each type? This handy chart below from Tech Insider details some of the toughest and most common stains, and the household items that best help to remove them.

Try these 12 tips and tricks to save time and money the next time you face a tough stain.

Oil

According to Apartment Therapy, white chalk may be just as good at removing oily stains as any pre-treat product. Simply rub white chalk on the stain and pop in the laundry. The chalk absorbs the oil, and lets your detergent do the work.

Grease

I’m not sure if I’m impressed or horrified by this tip from Lifehacker. Next time you have a nasty grease stain and don’t have time to whip up a batch of Super Laundry Sauce, try dumping a can of Coca-Cola directly into your washer with that grease-stained laundry. The carbonic and phosphoric acid in soda help break up the grease.

Blood

According to Reader’s Digest, hydrogen peroxide works best on fresh blood stains. Simply pour the hydrogen peroxide on the stain, rinse with water and launder as usual.

Deodorant

We’ve all been there. Ready for a night out on the town, dressed to perfection, and then you notice it: the dreaded deodorant mark. According to Youbeauty there are countless ways to tackle this menace from baby wipes to pantyhose, but one easy solution is in your laundry room—a dryer sheet. Simply rub the mark and watch it disappear.

Sweat

An easy and affordable solution for cleaning yucky yellow stains from undershirts is lemon juice. Simply mix with water and rub on the stain prior to washing.

Grass

More natural than store-bought stain remover, white vinegar seems to be just as effective at removing grass stains. Give the stain a good soak (rub with a toothbrush for those tougher stains) and watch the green disappear.

Coffee

Create a paste with baking soda and water to remove old coffee stains from mugs. Rinse and watch those mugs return to their former glory.

Ink

Ink stains are some of the nastiest stains in my laundry universe. Can the answer really be as simple as milk?  Yes, according to Reader’s Digest, soaking an ink-stained garment in milk overnight does the trick.

Makeup

You can take care of stains your foundation leaves behind with shaving cream. If the stain is really tough add a booster of rubbing alcohol.

Lipstick

We all have that aunt who hugs a little too tightly and leaves a trail of her favorite lipstick behind. Get rid of Aunt Suzy’s kisses with rubbing alcohol. Apply to terry cloth and blot.

Red Wine

Pouring salt on the wound in this case is a good thing. For freshly-spilled red wine, pour salt on the stain to help absorb the liquid. This will make it easier to get the wet stain out.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries: all delicious, all powerful little stain bombs. Fear not, removing berry stains is as easy as boiling water.