Tips for Removing 10 of the Worst Stains

You’ve heard the old adage, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.”

Well, I’d like to add laundry to that list.

If you’ve got a washer and dryer in your apartment (like the lucky residents at The Palms on University in Riverside, California) or laundry facilities on site (hello, 70 Clarkson in Denver), this chore is a little easier. But throw a stain into the mix and suddenly a routine task becomes a game of wait-and-see.

Will ____ come out in the wash?

To take the guesswork out of stain removal, we’ve rounded up tips for getting rid of the 10 worst offenders.

Ballpoint Ink
Dab rubbing alcohol on stain, blot with a clean cloth until ink is gone, rinse, apply laundry detergent to stain and let it sit for three to five minutes, launder on hottest water possible for the fabric

Barbecue Sauce
Soak in warm water and dish detergent, then pour vinegar on stain and scrub with a kitchen sponge

Berries
Sponge with cool water, then sponge with lemon juice or rub a lemon slice over stain, rinse again with cold water

Blood
Rinse with cold water, treat with hydrogen peroxide, wash in cold water

Chocolate
Treat with prewash stain remover, launder in hottest water possible for fabric with chlorine bleach or color safe bleach

Deodorant
Dab stain with a mixture of ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of ammonia, let the solution sit for one hour

Grass
Treat with hot water, then scrub with mixture of 1 part dish soap and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide

Nail Polish
Blot with acetone (unless that fabric contains acetate or triacetate, which will melt) rinse and repeat until blotting no longer transfers polish to your cloth or paper towel, apply prewash stain remover

Oil & Grease
Rub a small amount of dish detergent into stain, rinse, treat stain with prewash stain remover, launder in hottest water possible for fabric

Red Wine
Blot the stain with a clean and dry cloth, pour cool water on stain, saturate the stain with salt and allow it to sit until the salt begins to absorb the stain, pour boiling water on stain from a height of six to eight inches, let sit until stain lifts

Got any other stain removal tips? We’d love to hear them!