Remove tough stains with this easy homemade stain remover using just 3 ingredients from your cabinets. Costs 89% LESS than store-bought stain remover and it works great! Also, try my eco-friendly homemade laundry detergent to save even more money!
Stains are a fact of life. My clothes, the kids clothes, hubby’s clothes. Mystery stains frequently show up on anything and everything.
I’ve slowly changed my laundry room supplies to natural products like laundry salts, homemade bleach alternative, and Thieves laundry soap. But one of the first DIY recipes I ever tried was homemade stain remover.
This stain remover works on practically every stain imaginable (even tough ones) like grass, grease stains, food, even blood stains! Plus, it contains only 3 ingredients that I keep on hand.
I am ALL ABOUT some cheap easy cleaning.
My “Old” Laundry Routine (That Didn’t Work)
I don’t know about you guys, but catching a stain BEFORE the clothes are washed is practically unheard of. It’s not until they’ve been washed, dried, and hung up on a hanger that I see the ugly stain. Gah!
Throwing the dirty shirt back into the hamper doesn’t work either. I inevitably forget and bury the clothes. Which means the same clothes will get washed repeatedly before the stain is ever dealt with.
Seeing as this “system” is a bust, I came up with a new one.
My “New” Laundry Routine (That Works Every Time)
- Separate stained clothes. When I notice a stain, I still hang up the clothes. But instead of putting them away in my closet, I hang them on my bedroom door. Then, when it’s time to wash a load of laundry, I take the stained clothes with me too.
- Treat the stains. While a regular load is washing, I go to work on removing the stains. I apply the stain remover and let it rest until it’s time to switch loads and start another. It’s just enough “sitting” time for the stain remover to do its job.
- Wash the treated clothes in hot water. I used to use homemade laundry detergent, but I switched to Thieves Laundry Soap by Young Living. You can read why I made the switch here!
- Dry. Depending on the clothing, I either line dry or dry them in my dryer. I’m a huge advocate for line drying, though, because of its many health benefits (read more here)! It is gentler on your clothes and saves on electricity. Win-win!
Note: I’m known to forget about treated clothes and let them sit overnight. I haven’t had any problems with it or cause any issues to leave for over an hour.
Why Use DIY Stain Remover
Shortly after I started my real food journey, I started paying attention to the products I use in my home. MANY of the typical household cleaning and beauty products we used were full of chemicals I couldn’t pronounce. How was I to know which were the worst?
The more I researched, the more I wanted to toss everything at once and start over. But the frugal side of me knew that wasn’t a possibility. So I started with the most chemical filled products.
Using the Think Dirty App, I found which products in my home were the worst offenders. Laundry products often rate really bad! For example, Shout stain remover rates at an 8! (Ten being the worst for toxins.)
Bottle by bottle, I switched over my products to natural options. I love using DIY recipes because:
- It’s usually quite a bit cheaper
- I can buy my ingredients from trusted sources
- The ingredients can be mixed and matched to make multiple recipes (like these six ingredients to make TEN beauty products!)
- I can customize to make it fit my needs
If you’re overwhelmed by cleaning up your household products, use this FREE 5 Days to DIY Natural Living Challenge. It gives you practical, easy to complete baby steps towards a cleaner home!
DIY Homemade Stain Remover
You only need three simple ingredients to make DIY Stain Remover.
- Baking Soda. Baking soda can be found cheap at any grocery store. Or you can buy it in bulk on Amazon.
- Thieves Dish Soap. I buy my dish soap from Young Living. There are a lot of essential oil companies out there, but after testing several brands, I committed to Young Living oils and their natural products. You can read more about their oils and my decision HERE. If you don’t have Thieves Dish Soap, use the Think Dirty App to see how your soap ranks. You want to aim for a 3 or better! (Tip: Dawn dish soap is NOT your best option!)
- Hydrogen Peroxide. This ingredient can also be found cheap at a grocery store or Walmart. This is what I buy from Amazon.
Once you have all your ingredients, simply combine all ingredients in a small jar and stir gently to combine well.
Your mixture should be thick, which is why I recommend a glass jar and not a spray bottle. If you prefer a smaller container, one with a flip-top and a spout would be best!
Store in a dark container or place. Peroxide can lose its effectiveness when stored in the light. Using a dark container or storing in a dark cabinet will prevent the peroxide to go bad.
How to Use Homemade Stain Remover
- Apply a small amount directly to the stain.
- Rub gently with your finger, a piece of fabric or an old toothbrush.
- Allow the stain remover to sit for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour. Wash normally.
Tips for Using Homemade Stain Remover
- Do not shake the stain remover. Some readers have experienced “explosions” when shaking this stain remover. This has not happened to me, but I assume it is because of hydrogen peroxide bubbling up. I suggest stirring and swirling gently to mix.
- Alternatively, don’t pre-mix the stain remover. One reader suggests putting the baking soda on the stain directly then adding the soap/peroxide mixture on top. Let it foam, then rub with a toothbrush.
- Use caution on dark colored clothing. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are natural whitening agents. If you’re using on dark clothing, you might want to test a small area first.
- Double the recipe for larger families. This recipe is easy to double up if you get a lot of stains. I have a neighbor with five boys and I’m SURE they need a double batch!
- Use with white vinegar on armpit stains. The build up from your deodorant can easily make a shirt look stained. Using white vinegar will help loosen up the build-up and freshen your underarms. (Or you can switch to a natural deodorant like this one OR detox your armpits to avoid the need for deodorant!)
- Use with homemade bleach alternative. If you have some extra stubborn stains, try using this recipe and also wash with homemade bleach alternative.
Cost Breakdown
- baking soda – $.01
- dish soap – $0.11
- hydrogen peroxide – $.05
The total cost of homemade laundry stain remover is 17¢. Compare to the cost of Shout at $1.55 for the same amount. Making it yourself saves 89%!
Are You Looking For A Cleaner Laundry Soap?
Making your own laundry detergent is a great option for non-toxic laundry. But I get that DIY isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
There are a few brands of laundry detergent out there that have non-toxic ingredients. One that I like is Truly Free. They have a variety of household cleaners, laundry soap, kitchen cleansers, and related products. All are made in America, free from toxins, and sold in reusable packaging!
You can use the coupon code CRUMBS30 to get 30% off anything in their shop. This is a HUGE discount! No subscription is required. Simply order through this link.
More Homemade Cleaning Supplies
There are even more ways to save by making your own supplies. Here are a few other DIY laundry supplies you can make, as well as tutorials for great smelling laundry!
Real Food Reboot
Sign up to join the 30-day Real Food Reboot Challenge! It will help you and your family eat healthier food for the long-haul. In less than 15 minutes a day, you can change habits, feel better, AND bring your family along too!DIY Homemade Stain Remover
Remove tough stains with this easy homemade stain remover using just 3 ingredients from your pantry. Costs 89% LESS than store-bought stain remover and it works great!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Category: DIY Household
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Instructions
- Mix ingredients in a small glass jar or plastic bottle with a flip top.
- Swirl gently to combine.
Keywords: Homemade Stain Remover
Has anyone tried this on carpet?
Does the peroxide take color out of dark clothes?
It may Jenn.
This is the perfect list for a mum with school kids! My youngest is in primary school and white school shirts and 7 year old boys just somehow don’t mix. He always has a stain of either food/mud/pen/paint on his uniform. I think i’ll print this and put it on the laundry room wall!
Thanks again for your help towards reducing stain issues in my business, but can it remove mucor stain from clothes, can it work 4 both coloured clothes.
Without a dark container, or at least a dark storage space, that peroxide is soon nothing but water. Any light triggers its rapid breakdown. However, since peroxide + vinegar = toxic paracetic acid that’s a nasty form of bleach, it’s a good thing that it doesn’t last. Please revise your recipe into something safer.
My apologies for conflating a reader comment about adding vinegar with your actual recipe. There’s only the light breakdown issue and the random stuff readers might add, such as vinegar, that should be warned against. Thanks, and I am sorry.
I LOVE THIS STAIN REMOVER I have sent it 1/2 dz times at least
many people have asked questions I can answer, most not all intentional
you can leave the product on for multiple days (like in weeks) i have used used it on rayon with no problems, nice surprice
I have no silk presently.
the mixture will not disintegrate overtime, i have only kept it 2 months at a time, also it does not need to be in a dark container.
I am now making a gallon at a time. we have dogs and horses. i hate finding the grease spots showing up out of nowhere. this really does work on old stains, which have been washed and driedi
i am struggling with one thing though. someone had mentioned they used cleaning soda instead of baking soda. i am wondering if the person had problems with it expanding way to much. i had made my gallon, when the remover had settled after the expansion, it was about 30% gone less, of a gallon.
i have, discovered a litre shampoo bottle with a pump is finetastic. i seemed to regularly use way too much at a time. using the flip top on the peroxide was just difficult for me to get some instead of heaps.
TRULY SO HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND THIS ON YOUR WEBSITE ALSO YOUR OTHER SUGGESTIONS ARE GREAT
MY NEXT PROJECT IS LAUNDRY SOAP will update on my progress
powder is very limited availabity, now i do not want to ‘upgrade’ to liquid. for many reasons, the biggest one is sensitive skin. the liquid is not as good of a value, a few months ago i learned liquid has only a shelf life of 1 yr
thanks again Dori
MY NEXT
Yay! I’m so glad this worked for you Jen!
I have used this on the past without baking soda. It worked but i noticed it wore the clothing out…holes in those areas. Have you noticed this?
Hi Courtney! Are you asking if I’ve used this in the past w/o baking soda and noticed THAT version wearing holes? If so, I haven’t. I’ve only used this version w/baking soda. And with this version, I haven’t noticed holes!
Please get an edit button . What spell check does to my posts is sinful.
I made the mixture in a small jar,after I’d treated my shirts and blouses I found one more item.I took Doon the jar and carefully openot the lid because I could do see the mixture’so appearance had changed and assumed mostly it had turned to bubbles. When I opened the lid a plume of gas escaped, nothing too dramatic. But it put the bottle in the shed with the lid back on and now I’m worried that it might explode if I touch it.
Grease stains are the worst for me… I found using some Murphy’s oil and a little scrubbing does wonder
Thanks for this! Was trying to remove some stains on my school blazer and most of the instructions from my local laundry folks recommend a stain remover. Gonna try to save money and make my own stain remover instead.
I can’t believe how miraculous this stain remover is. My husband got chocolate on his new shorts. I pretreated them, washed, and dried them without checking to see if the stain had come out. It hadn’t. I thought they were headed to the garbage until I used this stain remover. There is not a trace of the stain. Thank you so much.
What a great review – thanks for sharing Sandy!
umm…… imma little confused here? I get it, it turns out a thick paste, but a thick paste is not what I want. What I need is a thinner spray that I can leave in the spray bottle and spray wider areas as I see the need, not stand around scrubbing little spots by hand. Has this mixture been tried with clear vinegar or clear water? Any suggestions? Thanks!.
Hi Anne – this recipe is a thick paste, not a thin mixture that can work in a spray bottle. I also don’t think this will work diluted w/vinegar or water as you’re hoping. To be honest, the scrubbing action is what really makes stain removers work, especially the ones w/o harsh chemicals.
All I can say is wow! I had a tough stain on my ABU(Air Force uniform) and I could not get the stain out. I tried a colorox pen and shout. I also used alcohol but nothing could get it out. I just happened to stumble upon this page and thought to myself why not try this and it worked the stain is gone!
Thank you so much!!!!
You’re so welcome Jordan! Glad it worked for you!!
I just made this mixture tonight to remove a mysterious stain on a dress I bought today– 25% off ;). Anyways, since my roommate keeps her baking soda in the fridge, I thought I’d just keep the whole mixture in the fridge. What do y’all think about this? I made it in a mason jar, estimated the proportions per usual, and put in it a fabric beer coozie to keep it extra dark. Will see how this works…
Worth a shot Grace! It won’t hurt it any, although it might be a bit thicker. Let us know how it goes!
Assembled all the ingredients in a spray bottle yesturday…exploded in my laundry room this morning. UUUGGGG!!!
Great advice, thanks
Can’t wait to try this out. My nephew had a jacket that means alot to him come out of the washer stained. ( my husband can’t wash anything, i swear.) He was very upset so i told him if do my best. So wish me luck.
ive just made the spray and its pretty thick and goupy. i highly doubt i will be able to spray it. did i do something wrong?
Hi Emma – yes, this stain remover is thick, which is why I recommend to make it in a glass jar and not a spray bottle. If you prefer a smaller container, one with a flip top and a spout would be best!