How to get detergent stains out of clothes

Nothing is more annoying than washing a load of laundry only to find that they are covered in white stains. This post discusses how to get detergent stains out of clothes using household items you already have in your home. 

What do detergent stains look like?

Detergent stains may look like blue or white patches, waxy or rough in texture. Different detergents sometimes leave different types of stains, and the process of removing the stains will depend on the type of detergent you use. These stains are more than likely detergent from your powder pod or liquid that hasn’t dissolved properly during the washing cycle. 

What causes detergent stains in clothes?

•  Using too much detergent. will cause the water in the washing machine to become a saturated solution and is difficult to rinse away. This then stays on your garment, making those annoying stains. Read this post to find out how much detergent you should use in each load. 
• Too many clothes in the machine. Overstuffing clothes in the washing machine means the detergent or powder gets stuck between the clothes. If the detergent doesn’t dissolve properly and the water cannot get to the powder to rinse it, the detergent dries and stains the clothes. Read this post to see if you are overloading your machine. You should be able to fit a full hand above your clothes in a front-loading washing machine. 

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How to prevent laundry detergent stains

Prevention is always better than cure. It is easy to take a few steps to prevent rather than remove stains.  

Please note: Spot check in a discrete area of the clothing first to ensure any method you use doesn’t cause issues with dye.

How to remove different detergent stains from your laundry

Powder detergent stains 

Sometimes powder detergent residue may be left on white clothes such as shirts and sheets. While you may not be able to see the residue, you will be able to feel it as your clothes will feel stiff and almost waxy.

To prevent powder stains, you could :

1. Alternate between powdered and liquid laundry detergent, which will help stop the build-up of detergent.
2. Add an extra rinse to your laundry load if you prefer not to swap to a liquid detergent. An extra rinse will help to get rid of any excess powder.
3. Use the correct amount of detergent in each wash. 
4. Do not overload the machine to allow your clothes to agitate and get clean properly. Add the right amount of clothes to your washing machine.
5. Wash your clothes at the correct temperature for the detergent.
6. Add a cup of vinegar instead of softener to the detergent drawer to help to prevent any build of detergent.

Liquid laundry detergent stains

1. Soak the stained garment in warm or hot water, depending on the care label instructions. To read what those little symbols on your laundry mean check out this post.
2. Use an oxygen-based pre-treatment. Such as Vanish Oxyaction or Astonish Oxyaction
3. Wash as usual. This method may also be used to remove detergent stains from white garments. 

How to get blue detergent stains out of clothes 

Some detergents may leave a blue-colored stain behind. Luckily these blue stains are not permanent and are easily removed by following these steps:

1. Dampen the stain with warm water 
2. Apply a pre-treatment directly to the stain.
3. Allow the pre-treatment work for at least 10-15 minutes
4. Rinse with warm water.
5. Repeat the steps above if the stain is still there.
6. Do not dry your garment until removing all the detergent stains, as a tumble dryer can set the stain.

5 other ways to get detergent stains out of clothes

 To remove laundry detergent stains from clothes, you can also use items you already have in the house: 

• Rubbing alcohol
• Baking soda
• Washing soda crystals
• Vinegar 
• Bar soap
• Castille soap 
• Dish soap
• Laundry bleach 
• Soft small brush

Bar soap or Castille Soap

If you prefer using something gentler to remove detergent stains from clothes, you can use a bar of odorless soap. I like castile soap as I find it a very effective stain removal. 

1. Dampen the stained area of clothing.
2. Gently rub the bar soap or Castille soap on the stained area. 
3. Gently agitate the stain with a soft brush or by rubbing the cloth together, ensuring you do not spread the stain onto other areas of the garment.
4. Rinse the area and wash with cold water to remove the soap residue. 

Rubbing alcohol

1. Dampen the stain with warm water 
2. Gently rub the stain with a small soft brush to agitate the stain and open the fibers of the garment.
3. Apply rubbing alcohol to the stain. 
4. Allow the rubbing alcohol to sit for about approximately 15 minutes. 
5. Rinse the garment to check for laundry detergent residue removal and launder without detergent. 
6. Check before drying to ensure the detergent residue is gone. If it persists, repeat the procedure.

Vinegar

1. Fill a bowl with warm water.
2. Add half a cup of white vinegar and stir well. 
3. Soak the garment in the solution for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer if you can 
4. Put the garment in the washing machine. 
5. Add baking soda or soda crystals to the drum instead of your usual detergent.  
6. Wash the clothing in a normal setting
7. Check the stain, and if it has not gone, repeat the above.

Dish soap 

1. Always choose a good quality dish soap, like Fairy Platinum or Dawn.  (Or Castille soap if you prefer)
2. Dampen the stain with warm water 
3. Pour a few drops of dish soap over the stain.
4. Work the dish soap into the stain using a soft bristle brush to agitate the stain and allow the garment’s fibers to open. 
5. Fill a bowl with warm water and add a couple more drops of dish soap to create a lather. 
6. Soak the garment for about 20 minutes or longer if you can. 
7. If the stain is still noticeable, repeat the process 
8. Then wash as normal to finish. 

Baking soda 

Baking soda absorbs and removes stains, deodorizes, and helps eliminate the buildup of powdered laundry detergent. Baking soda also helps remove any detergent buildup in your washing machine.

1. Put the stained clothing back in the machine.
2. Do not add laundry detergent to the cycle. 
3. Add a cup of baking soda directly into the drum with the garment
4. Add 1 cup of vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser for an extra boost to the rinse.
5. Wash as normal 
6. Repeat the process if necessary. 
7. You can replace the baking soda with washing soda crystals if you prefer  

How to remove fabric softener stains from clothes.

  We’ve covered detergent stains but what about fabric softener stains? Fabric softener makes clothing soft, but because it may contain sheep, pig, or cow fat, it can leave greasy stains behind. Fortunately, in most cases, you can remove the stains with soap and water, so they’re seldom permanent.

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