How to Remove Common Stains From Clothing With Baking Soda

Removing Smelly Stains With Baking Soda

1. Sprinkle Baking Soda and Wait

   Sprinkle baking soda on a wet stain and allow it to sit overnight to help remove both the stain and the odor.

   The exception to the paste "rule" is odor by itself (no pigmentation), which can often be removed just as well with dry baking soda and patience.
   

2. Wash as Usual

   Brush the baking soda into the sink or the trash before washing your garment according to the care label instructions.

3. Check For Odors

   • Before tossing your garment in the dryer, where heat can set a stain, check for lingering traces of odor. If you smell anything unpleasant, apply a baking soda paste, allow the fabric and paste to air dry, and then launder it again.
   • Repeat this step until no smell remains, then proceed to machine washing and drying.
     

Removing Blood Stains With Baking Soda

Baking soda can help remove blood stains from fabric. Rub a paste of baking soda and water onto a damp blood stain with your fingers or an old toothbrush. Allow the paste to sit for up to an hour to help lift the stain from the fabric. Wash per the care label instructions.

Removing Sweat Stains With Baking Soda

Remove stains with a baking soda and water paste. Rub the paste onto the stained area with your fingers or a toothbrush and let it dry. Brush the dried baking soda into a sink or trashcan before washing the garment per the care label instructions. Check for lingering traces of discoloration or odor before drying the garment. If the stain remains, repeat the above steps until no trace remains, then dry.

Removing Fruit and Wine Stains With Baking Soda

Sprinkle dry baking soda on a fruit or wine stain immediately and let it sit for 15 minutes or until you can deal with the stain. The baking soda will soak up liquid and pigment as it dries. Dust off the excess baking soda, and then follow the steps for wine stain removal or juice stain removal.

Removing Vomit Stains With Baking Soda

Rub a baking soda paste onto the stain and let it sit until it dries. Dust away the excess baking soda and wash the garment per the care label instructions. After washing, check for remaining traces of the stain-including odors. If stains remain, follow the specific steps for tough vomit stain removal.

Additional Tips for Removing Stains With Baking Soda

• If you're too busy to prepare a paste and deal with the stain when it happens, don't worry. You can sprinkle dry baking soda on the stained area and then return to it later when you have the time to work on it. The baking soda will absorb liquid and odors as it sits on the wet stain.
• When you return to the job, dust off the loose baking soda and begin the stain-removal process, starting with a fresh paste.
• For stubborn stains and greasier (non-acidic) household stains, you can use white vinegar instead of water to create a baking soda paste. Because vinegar is acidic, it will cause the paste to bubble and fizz. This reaction helps break down oils and grime. Scrub the paste in, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, and rinse thoroughly with cool water.
• You can also mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda for pigmented stains on white fabrics. The peroxide will also trigger a bubbly reaction with the baking soda, and this mixture will help bleach away stains on colorfast clothing. Always try this mixture first on an inconspicuous area of the clothing in case it lightens the material.