How To Easily Get Ketchup Out Of Clothes

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Even if you don't consider yourself a messy eater, chances are ketchup has dripped off your burger or fries and landed on your shirt at least a time or two. Because ketchup is tomato-based, it contains tannins, which can absorb into fabric and result in a stain. Ketchup stains are also brightly colored, making them hard to miss, but not impossible to remove. In fact, a common pantry staple, white distilled vinegar, may be the key to lifting ketchup stains from your clothing. But don't worry, if you don't keep vinegar on hand, there are also some other practical methods for removing messy sauce stains from your clothing, like oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

Like with most stains, acting fast is vital. The ketchup stain needs to be fresh for this hack to work. If your stained clothing item has already been through the washer and dryer, the dryer's high heat has likely set the stain, making it much more difficult to remove. Similarly, avoid heat while treating ketchup stains; while some stains respond well to heat, ketchup doesn't. Using hot water or heat from the dryer is a laundry mistake that can make the stain worse, so don't dry the garment until the stain is completely removed. And as always, spot test the stain removal treatment in an inconspicuous location to ensure it doesn't damage the item.

No matter the stain removal method you try, the first step in banishing a ketchup splatter is to immediately scrape the excess ketchup from your garment. You can do this with any blunt object, such as a spoon or butter knife, just like you would if you were trying to get a ketchup stain out of the carpet. Then, use a napkin or paper towel to gently blot the stain and absorb as much extra ketchup as possible. After that, rinse with cold water, running the water on the backside of the garment to try to force some of the stain out.

With your clothing item still damp, mix a solution of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar. Apply the solution to your stained item via a spray bottle or eyedropper. The ketchup should start to fade. You can repeat this step until the stain is gone. Then launder your clothing item as usual. Check to make sure the stain is completely gone before placing the item in the dryer. If it isn't, you can repeat this process, skipping the dryer until the ketchup is removed.

If you don't have vinegar, oxygen bleach (such as the popular brand OxiClean) can also lift ketchup stains, although you will need to soak your garment for several hours. As with the previous method, start by scraping the ketchup off your piece of clothing, blotting the stain, and then running it under cold water. Then fill a sink or bucket with water and add the recommended amount of oxygen bleach per the manufacturer's instructions. Allow the garment to soak for one to six hours, then launder as usual.

Another ketchup-removing hack comes in the form of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Because hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabric, reserve this method for your white clothing. Combine equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make the stain-fighting paste. Place the paste on the stain (make sure your shirt is still damp from rinsing) and let it sit for up to 20 minutes. Then, wash as you normally would.