Stain Remover & Care Label Decoder
Pick the stain and the fabric for step-by-step treatment, or look up what the symbols on your clothing label mean.
What's the stain?
Act fast, work cold unless told otherwise, and never put it in the dryer until the stain is gone.
Red wine
- Blot straight away — don't rub.
- Flush cold water through from the back of the fabric.
- Work in a little dish soap, leave 5 minutes, rinse cold.
- Wash as usual and check before drying.
Coffee or tea
- Flush with cold running water until it runs clear.
- Work a drop of dish soap into the wet stain; leave 3–5 minutes.
- Rinse cold and repeat if colour remains.
- Wash as usual and check before drying.
Blood
- Rinse under cold running water from the back — never hot.
- Soak in cold water with detergent (enzyme detergent on synthetics).
- Rinse and repeat until gone.
- Wash cold and check before drying.
Formula, milk or vomit
- Scrape off what you can.
- Rinse cold from the back of the fabric.
- Soak in cold water with an enzyme detergent (not on wool or silk).
- Wash as usual and check before drying.
Pet urine or accidents
- Blot up as much as you can.
- Rinse with cold water.
- Use an enzyme cleaner made for pet stains — skip ammonia, which smells like urine to pets.
- Wash as hot as the label allows and air-dry.
Grease or cooking oil
- Blot off excess.
- Cover with dish soap, add baking soda and work in with a soft brush.
- Leave 15–30 minutes.
- Rinse with warm water, then wash as warm as the label allows.
Makeup or foundation
- Scrape off excess.
- Wet with a little cool water.
- Rub in dish soap gently; leave 10–15 minutes.
- Rinse cold, check, then wash.
Tomato sauce or curry
- Scrape off excess.
- Flush cold water through from the back.
- Work in dish soap for the oil part; rinse cold.
- Wash with a good detergent; sunlight helps fade leftover turmeric colour.
Grass
- Brush off loose dirt.
- Rinse cold from the back.
- Dab rubbing alcohol (or 1:1 white vinegar and water) on the stain; leave a few minutes.
- Wash with detergent and check before drying.
Ink or biro
- Lay it face-down on paper towel.
- Dab rubbing alcohol from the outside in — don't wipe.
- Keep moving to clean paper towel until no more ink transfers.
- Rinse, then wash.
Yellow sweat or deodorant marks
- Make a paste of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and colourless dish soap.
- Work it in with an old toothbrush.
- Leave 30–60 minutes.
- Wash as warm as the label allows.
Care label symbols explained
Most labels use the same five families of symbols: the tub (washing), the triangle (bleach), the square (drying), the iron and the circle (professional cleaning). Dots mean heat — more dots, more heat. A cross means don't.
Five rules for any stain
- Move fast — fresh stains come out far more easily.
- Blot, don't rub.
- Cold water first for anything with protein (blood, milk, vomit) — heat sets it.
- Test any product on a hidden seam first.
- Check before drying. Dryer heat can make a stain permanent.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get a stain out of clothes?
Blot it, rinse from the back with cold water, treat with dish soap or the right product for the stain, rinse, wash as usual and check before drying. Heat sets most stains.
Should I use hot or cold water on stains?
Cold for most stains, especially blood, milk, vomit and other protein stains. Grease and oil come out better with warm water once pre-treated.
What do the dots on a care label mean?
Dots show heat. On the iron: one dot is low (about 110°C), two medium (150°C), three hot (200°C). On the tumble-dry symbol: one dot low heat, two normal.
What does a triangle on a clothing label mean?
Bleach. An empty triangle allows any bleach, a triangle with two diagonal lines means oxygen (non-chlorine) bleach only, and a crossed triangle means no bleach.
Can I wash dry clean only clothes?
It's safest not to. Blot any stain and take it to a dry cleaner rather than treating it yourself.