How to Use Alcohol to Remove Stains on Clothes

Stains no longer spell the end of your favorite clothes. Most stains can be treated with a homemade stain remover—the very same rubbing alcohol that you probably keep around the house for cuts and scrapes. To remove stains with alcohol, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper towels
• Rubbing alcohol
• Sponge
• Liquid laundry detergent

1. Place a paper towel, folded twice, inside the article of clothing and behind the stain.

2. Put some rubbing alcohol on a sponge and blot the stain.

3. Turn the fabric over so that the stain is face down, and put it on top of a fresh twice-folded paper towel. Make sure you can get to the stain and use the alcohol-soaked sponge to blot more. After you are done, replace the paper towel with a fresh one.

4. Add liquid laundry detergent to a fresh area of the sponge and gently rub the stain. You will probably need to replace the paper towel another time while doing this. Continue to rub the laundry detergent in with the sponge until most of the stain is gone.

5. Wash the garment with detergent in the hottest temperature the garment tag says it will allow. The stain should come out by the end of the cycle. Dry as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Stains that are set are more difficult to get out than fresh stains. If you're in a position to get your clothes to a washing machine, do so as quickly as possible.
• Alcohol tends to work best as a stain remover on ink and baby formula, but it can be useful on all stains on clothes.
• Make sure you use fresh paper towels to keep the stain from bleeding onto other parts of the garment.
• If you have a stain on a garment that is meant for dry cleaning, take it to the cleaners and point out the stain.

Resources

• Get tips for cleaning all around the house.
• Find out more about stain removers for clothes.