# How to clean carpet, furniture, and laundry stains

Most stains:

- Pour vinegar onto the stain, then rub baking soda into it.
- Coconut oil or almond oil can remove most oils.
- Rub with apple peels.
- Overnight treatment:
  - Soak overnight in hot water with lemon juice and vinegar.
  - Wash with dishwashing liquid, then microwave to disinfect.

Bathtub rings:

- Sprinkle salt over a half-grapefruit that you can scrub into the rings.

Carpet stains:

- Apply a mixture of equal parts salt, borax, and vinegar.
- Apply cornmeal and salt, then vacuum it off.
- Mix a cup of Epsom salt in 1/2 gallon water, spot-clean with a rag.
- Pour baking soda onto the stain, then vacuum it out.
- Vinegar/water solution:
  1. Clean up any excess with a rag.
  2. Spray with a mixture of half vinegar and water.
  3. Let stand for two minutes, then blot with a towel or sponge.
  4. Repeat as needed.
- Heavier vinegar/water solution:
  1. Apply a mixture of a teaspoon of vinegar, a teaspoon of liquid dish soap, and a cup of warm water.
  2. Let stand for two minutes, then blot with a towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.
  3. Dry with a hairdryer set on low.

Oven stains:

- Pour a little baking soda over the stains, add vinegar to the area, and wipe clean with a paper towel after the foam is gone.

Tile stains:

- Spray with hydrogen peroxide.
- Apply tile cleaner to the tiles, then attach a scrubber to a power drill and press into it.

Toilet bowl stains:

- Pour 20 ounces of Coca-Cola into the bowl and let it sit for an hour.
- Spray with vinegar.
- Mix lemon juice and Kool-Aid and scrub it in.
- Drop in two antacid tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush them, and flush.

Toilet clogs:

- Squirt dish soap into it several times, then pour boiling water into the bowl.
- Free it up with an unraveled wire coat hanger.
- Pour in baking soda, then vinegar, then boiling water, then let sit overnight.
- Use a wet-dry vacuum to suck out water, then make a seal with old towels and suck it out or blow it out.

Wall stains:

- Rub baking soda into it with a damp sponge.

## Other stains

Baby formula stains:

- Mix four ground-up digestive enzyme tablets with a tablespoon of water, spread onto the stain with a soft cloth, and rinse off.

Barbecue sauce stains:

- Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into it.

Battery acid:

- Scrub with a toothbrush soaked in lemon juice or white vinegar, then wash off after the bubbling stops.

Bloodstains:

- Never use hot water.
- Soak and rub the stain in cold water before washing.
- Apply cold water and gentle carpet shampoo.
- Rub Coca-Cola into it.
- Soak or run one part hydrogen peroxide mixed with three parts water.
- If fresh, repeatedly blot with cold water or club soda.
- If dried, rub a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution into it.

Chocolate stains:

- Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into it.
- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.
- Soak fabric in club soda before washing.
- Apply gentle carpet shampoo: a solution of an ounce of ammonia and a cup of water.
- Apply one part white vinegar and two parts water.

Coffee/tea stains:

- Mix equal parts water and vinegar on it, blot with a damp cloth, then spray with a mix of equal parts water and ammonia, and blot again.
- Mix an egg yolk with a small amount of alcohol and two spoonfuls of warm water.
- Pour beer on top of it and rub lightly into the stain.
- Rub with baby wipes.
- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.
- Apply cold water, gentle carpet shampoo, and dry cleaning solvent.
- For china, clean with a mixture of vinegar and salt.

Crayon marks:

- Brush toothpaste or baking soda into the marks.
- Spray WD-40 on it.

Deodorant stains:

- Rub dryer sheets or nylon tights over it.

Egg stains:

- Scrape away as much as possible, then sponge with lukewarm water.
- Make a paste of cream of tartar and water, then add crushed aspirin to the paste, spread it onto the stain, leave for 20-30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Fruit juices/berries:

- Apply a mix of half wood alcohol and ammonia, then rinse well.
- Use cold water and gentle carpet shampoo.

Stuck gum:

- Boil vinegar and pour it on the gum, then use a brush to scrub it off.
- Submerge in boiling water, let it soak, then scrape it off carefully with a knife.
- Freeze or apply ice to the affected area, then scrape it off carefully with a knife.
- Dip into a bowl of Coca-Cola for a few minutes, then wipe off.
- Spray with WD-40.

Ink stains:

- Apply alcohol-based hairspray for 30 seconds, then rub off with a damp cloth.
- Splash with a dash of milk, then rub with a piece of lemon or a sponge dipped in vinegar.
- Rub toothpaste into the stain and let it dry before washing it.
- Rub WD-40 into it.
- Soak in milk overnight, then wash.
- Rub hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol into it
- For ball-point ink, apply gentle carpet shampoo with either dry cleaning solvent, mineral turpentine, or methylated spirits.
- For felt-tip ink, apply warm water and gentle carpet shampoo.
- On polyester, soak with hairspray and pat dry with a clean, dry cloth.

Jam/jelly stains:

- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.

Ketchup stains:

- Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent or vinegar into it, then wash.

Lipstick stains:

- Apply hairspray to the area, wait ten minutes, dab with a damp washcloth, then wash like normal.
- Blot with a baby wipe.
- Rub with rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth.
- Rub acetone into it, but be careful it doesn't discolor the rest of the garment.
- Apply gentle carpet shampoo and dry cleaning solvent.

Lime deposits:

- Scrub with a cut half of a lemon.
- Spray vinegar, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe away.
- Clean a shower head by tying a plastic bag full of vinegar around it and letting it soak for 1 hour.

Marker marks:

- Spray hairspray on it.

Melted plastic:

- Dampen a cloth, then rub baking soda into it.

Mildew stains:

- Keep shower curtains opened to prevent pink mildew from building up.
- Spray with vinegar to clean and prevent future mildew.
- Rub them with a rag soaked in alcohol.
- Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water and apply.
- Moisten a fabric stain with lemon juice and salt, then put under the sun.
- Sponge a fabric stain with a mixture of 1-2 tablespoons sodium perborate with a pint of hot water (if the garment can withstand it) or warm water, then let sit for 30 minutes.
- Soak fabric for 5-15 minutes with a mixture of two tablespoons chlorine bleach in a quart of water, then soak in a mixture of two tablespoons vinegar for every cup of water to avoid any further bleaching.
- For shower curtains, wash them with salt when first buying them and they will never mold.
- For shower curtains, soak in baking soda mixed into water.

Nail polish stains:

- Rub rubbing alcohol into it with a towel.

Oil/grease stains:

- Rub vinegar into it.
- Pour eucalyptus oil on the stain.
- For concrete stains, apply cat litter to the stain, then let it sit for a day.
- Sprinkle baking soda on the stain, let it sit, scrub with a wet towel, and rinse.
- Rub Dawn dish soap into it.
- Rub chalk into the stain and wash like normal.
- Apply dry cleaning solvent and gentle carpet shampoo.
- For fabric, rub flour into the stain, shake off the excess, and wash like normal.
- For fabric, soak in hot water and baking soda.

Ointment stains:

- Scrape the excess off with a knife.
- Rub cornstarch or talcum powder into it.
- Leave the powder on until the grease is fully absorbed.
- Brush the powder off with a soft brush or clean washcloth.
- Wash in cold water.

Paint stains:

- Apply cold water, gentle carpet shampoo, and dry cleaning solvent.
- For oil paint, apply dry cleaning solvent, gentle carpet shampoo, and mineral turpentine or methylated spirits.

Permanent marker stains:

- Rub white vinegar or hand sanitizer into it.
- On wall stains, rub toothpaste or hairspray into it.
- On wood stains, rub rubbing alcohol into it.

Red wine stains:

- Apply shaving cream and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Soak with club soda, then rinse with water.
- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.
- Rub white wine into it.
- Soak it up with an absorbent powder, then apply cold water and gentle carpet shampoo.

Salt stains:

- Pour Coca-Cola on it, let it soak, then wash like normal.

Soap residue:

- Rub with a damp dryer sheet.
- Cover the area with a thin layer of baking soda, let it sit, then rinse it off.
- Apply a mixture of one part salt to four parts vinegar.
- Rub vinegar into it.

Soda pop stains:

- Put clear shampoo and salt on the stain and let it soak before washing.
- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.
- Use cold water and gentle carpet shampoo.

Sticker and glue residue:

- Spray with a liquid containing alcohol, such as perfume.
- Moisten it with vinegar, let it sit for ten minutes and remove.
- Spray with WD-40 and leave for several minutes, then rub it off.
- Rub rubbing alcohol into it.
- Heat with a hair dryer for 1-2 minutes, then peel off.

Sweat stains:

- Spray the stains with lemon juice or undiluted vinegar before washing.
- Rub in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda before washing, and include Dawn dish soap for more effect.
- Pour vinegar over the stain, then rub any salt into the stain, place in the sun to dry, and wash out with shampoo.

Tomato stains:

- On plastic, spray with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces.

Tree sap:

- Apply nail polish remover.
- Rub rubbing alcohol into the sap.

Urine stain:

- Wash by adding 1/4 cup baking soda to the laundry detergent, then fill up the fabric softener cup with vinegar.
- Rub vinegar into it, then wash.
- For fresh stains, apply cold water and a gentle carpet shampoo.
- For old stains, apply a solution of gentle carpet shampoo, an ounce of ammonia, and a cup of water.
- For old stains, apply a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water.

Vomit:

- Pour vodka on it to remove the odor, then clean it up.
- Add water to make it moist again, add baking soda, then vacuum or put in the laundry.
- Mix warm water and baking soda into a paste, spread it onto the vomit, and let it sit and dry overnight.
- Pour coffee grounds onto the spill before cleaning it up to dehydrate it and remove odors.
- Apply cold water and gentle carpet shampoo.
- For fabric, rub baking soda into the stain before washing.

Water stains and water rings:

- Rub toothpaste or mayonnaise into it.

## Further Reading

[Removing Fabric Stains from Clothing](https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/stain-removal/removing-stains-from-fabrics/)