How to Remove Red Stains From Laundry

Red stains can wreak havoc on laundry if not properly treated.

There are many varieties of red stains that occur on laundry. Everything from red wine and gelatin to berry stains or dyes that fade in the wash can create a bright red stain on your clothing or linens. Thankfully, there are ways to remove those stains from the affected fabrics. Regular household products can remove red stains from your laundry.

Things You'll Need

• Scrub brush
• Water (hot and cold)
• Enzyme presoak product
• Detergent (mild and heavy-duty)
• Bleach (regular or color-safe, depending on the stain)

Instructions

Blood, Gelatin or other Protein-based Stains

1. Brush or scrape off any of the stain that you can if the stain is dried.

2. Soak a freshly stained item overnight in cold water with an enzyme presoak product.

3. Wash the affected item in warm water with mild detergent. Inspect the item. Repeat if the stain remains.

Wine, Berry, Juice or Ink Stains

1. Wash the stained item immediately in hot water using a detergent, not soap.

2. Line dry or hang the item to dry thoroughly.

3. Inspect the item. If the stain remains, repeat the process.

Red Drinks, Dyes, Cherries/Blueberries

1. Pretreat the stain by covering it in heavy-duty liquid detergent and allowing to sit for an hour. Rinse thoroughly.

2. Soak the stained item for 15 minutes in a solution of color-safe bleach and cold water.

3. Wash the item in cold water using mild detergent. Inspect the item after washing, If the stain remains, wash the item again..

Tips & Warnings

• Consider using bleach or color-safe bleach on any red protein-based stain. Bleach may also be required for any dried or old stains.

• If the bleach doesn't remove a stain on the first try, do not repeat any bleaching steps. Further bleaching is unlikely to help the stain and may weaken your fabric.

References

• Ohio State University: Family and Consumer Sciences: Quick 'n Easy Stain Removal