Ditch Stain Removers And Use This Laundry Room Staple To Pretreat Fabric Instead

Stain removers are designed to help eliminate or reduce stains on clothing and other types of fabrics. They are used as a pre-treatment before the item goes into the wash by applying the product to the specific area and leaving it for some time so the stain can lift. Stain removers are separate products, but this TikTok suggests using your regular laundry detergent — it can be trusted to treat stains just like it does in the washing machine and you won't have to buy an additional product.

To be effective when removing stains, you need to first identify the type of stain it is so you can use the appropriate products and methods. The stains that occur in everyday life typically fall under the categories of water-based, oil-based, and protein-based stains. Oil-based stains are from oils and greasy foods, water-based stains are from drinks like coffee and wine, while protein-based or enzymatic stains are more natural substances like blood, sweat, and vomit. After categorizing the stain, you can find the best product for it. Dish soap is the perfect household item to pretreat grease stains and liquid detergent comes in handy for protein stains.

In the TikTok, user @jeeves_ny shares his expertise as a dry cleaner. He recommends applying a high-quality liquid detergent to stains, rubbing it in either with your fingers or with a toothbrush, and leaving it for as long as possible before washing. Another technique is to soak the whole item in a mix of detergent and water and leave it for about five minutes. The temperature of the water will vary on the exact type of stain, but it should only be warm or cold. Hot water or any other type of heat will bond a protein stain to the fabric so avoid that.

We recommend using an enzymatic detergent because they are designed to attack protein stains, like sweat on athletic clothes, for example. ECOS offers this type of product — plant-powered and hypoallergenic, this liquid detergent is eco-friendly and friendly to sensitive skin. A 2-pack costs $33 on Amazon. After pre-treatment, launder the garment like normal with the enzymatic detergent, and check the stain before moving it to the dryer. If it's still there, repeat the process before drying because, similar to using hot water, the heat of the dryer will set the stain.