The Natural Laundry Ingredient To Clean (And Remove) Tough Stains

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Stains on clothes are one of those common occurrences that will affect everyone in their lifetime. And if you have children, it will almost certainly affect you every day. Everything from pasta sauce splatter, grease spots, and drops of blood to coffee stains and ink blots can leave you scrambling for ways to get tough laundry stains out, and fast. But the problem with some stains is that their chemical makeupmakes them especially difficult to remove from fabrics, which are porous. 

This list includes common stains such as blood, ink, or grease. This is also why immediate removal is so important, as stains that are allowed to linger can penetrate and bond to fabrics. However, you don't always need a fancy store-bought chemical cocktail to get rid of that Shiraz on your favorite blouse. One natural ingredient can also work: it's glycerin. That's right. The odorless form of sugar alcohol, often used for common household tasks, such as keeping leather furniture soft and bringing the shine back to floors, can also be quite an effective fabric stain remover.

Glycerin is particularly effective at removing oil-based stains (which explains why it works wonders on food stains) or those with tannins, such as wine. It can be used as a standalone spot treatment or along with other natural or store-bought cleaning products. In fact, it's often combined with products including dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar for a two- or three-punch combo of effective stain removal. Glycerin is also an affordable stain-fighting solution, as you can buy a 16-ounce bottle of Now Foods Vegetable Glycerin for less than $10.

Sometimes, all you need is a simple spot treatment, and this is where glycerin shines. Note that spot-treating certain fabrics isn't a good idea, and it's best to take them to a dry cleaner if recommended by the garment's manufacturer. If the care label gives spot-treating a thumbs up, start by doing a patch test on a small, inconspicuous area of the garment to be on the safe side. Next, grab your bottle of glycerin and a fine-bristled toothbrush. 

Rub a generous amount of glycerin directly onto the stain, gently massaging it in with the toothbrush. Let it sit on the fabric for 15 minutes. Then rinse the garment to remove it. Glycerin is water-soluble, so this step should be easy. However, you can also use soapy water to help with this. After rinsing the garment, toss it in the washer on its normal setting. 

For super stubborn stains, you can also create a stain-exterminating solution with glycerin by combining the following ingredients in an easy applicator container like this Sally's Organics Spray Bottle: ¼ cup of glycerin, ¼ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, 40 drops of lemon essential oil (or juice from 1-2 lemons), and ¼ cup of liquid dish detergent. Next, shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. After blotting the stain, apply the solution and let it sit on the fabric for about 5 minutes. Next, use the toothbrush to gently scrub the stain until it lifts away. Then run the stain under hot water (ensure the garment allows for hot water application), or throw it in the washing machine to wash as normal.