Absolutely the Best Homemade Laundry Stain Remover!

I’m excited to tell you how to make a fabulous, if not magical, do-it-yourself homemade laundry stain remover. Compare this to SHOUT or any other pricey commercial product. This stain remover recipe is so easy and cheap to make. And wow, does it perform! Just let me be clear at the get-go: While this stain remover works super well on fabric, upholstery, even carpet in the house and car, that item must be laundred OR rinsed well once that stain disappears. Got it? OK, let’s get to it.

Homemade Laundry Stain Remover

You will need:

• fresh hydrogen peroxide
• Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
• spray bottle  (any size, preferably amber*)
• funnel (optional)

Into a small bottle, using a funnel if desired, pour:

• 1 part Blue Dawn
• 2 parts fresh hydrogen peroxide

Example: 1 cup Blue Dawn and 2 cups hydrogen peroxide OR 1/4 cup Blue Dawn and 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide. You can use any size bottle to make up any amount of laundry stain remover you need or want

• MORE: How to Measure by Parts

How to Use Homemade Stain Remover

1. Shake the bottle to mix. Apply to stain.

2. Wait a few minutes. Don’t be surprised when that stain disappears all by itself! If it doesn’t, rub the stain with a brush or clean white cloth (you don’t want to transfer color from a cleaning cloth to the stained item). You want to see visual evidence that the stain is moving, lessening, or in some way reacting.

3. Launder the item as usual. If treating carpet or upholstery, rinse and blot with clear water, keeping in mind that you’ve just sprayed full-strength dishwashing detergent on that sofa, chair or carpet. It needs to be completely removed.

More than Just Laundry Stains

This DIY laundry stain remover is a miracle worker all around the house. I use it on kitchen and bath linens, clothes, carpet, rugs, white sofas and dining room chairs. It tackles red wine stains, organic stains such as blood and grass, pet stains and baby stains. You can use this on colored items as well as whites (although test it first in an inconspicuous place).

FAQ

Do I have to use Blue Dawn, or can I substitute something else?

You can substitute any kind of liquid dishwashing soap, although I wouldn’t unless it’s an emergency. That’s because Blue Dawn contains specific surfactants that are far more effective on grease and oil than any other product in its class.

What is Blue Dawn Ultra Version?

There are a few different types of blue Dawn:

• Dawn Ultra
• Regular Dawn (non-concentrated)
• Dawn Platinum

I prefer blue Dawn Ultra because it’s highly concentrated. The regular Dawn is a non-concentrated version (also called Simply Clean), so more diluted. Platinum Dawn is almost identical to Ultra, but it contains more surfactants.

If you use Blue Dawn Ultra, your results will be even more spectacular because the Ultra version contains enzymes. That makes it really effective on proteins, which most household stains contain.

Why do you specify “fresh” hydrogen peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide dissipates and loses its effectiveness in the presence of light—both sunlight and household light. If you use an old bottle of hydrogen peroxide in this recipe that you’ve had sitting on the shelf for years, you might as well just use water. It’s worn out and lost its spunk.

*Storing your homemade stain remover in an amber bottle will help to protect it from light. Keeping it in a dark cupboard will protect it even further. The rule of thumb is this: Once opened, keep hydrogen peroxide tightly sealed in a dark place and use it within six months.

 

 

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