Avoid Harsh Chemicals With 7 Natural Laundry Stain Removers (2024)

01 of 07

Baking Soda

That same box of baking sodathat you have in your kitchen cabinet is one of nature's best gifts for the laundry—and it's very inexpensive. It is a perfectgreen odor removerto keep your laundry smelling fresh and is safe to use on all fabrics, including children's sleepwear.

Baking soda also aids in boosting detergent performance, softening fabrics, and reducing suds for quicker loads in front-load washers.

To use, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to each load along with your detergent. For heavy smells on clothes, use baking soda and water as a presoaking mixture for the garments, letting them soak overnight in a washer tub or large sink.

02 of 07

Lemon or Lime Juice

Fresh or bottled 100 percent lemon or lime juice naturally bleaches fabrics due to the acetic acid. However, if you spill some on colored clothing, you'll want toremove the juicebefore it causes permanent discoloration.

Use either type of juice on white fabrics to helpremove yellow underarm stainsorrust stains. Add 1 cup of lemon juice to the wash when washing your white clothes. Use a paste of equal parts lemon juice, baking soda, and water for tough stains on whites. Scrub the paste on whites with yellow underarm or color stains, let sit for 30 minutes, then wash normally to remove the tinge.

03 of 07

Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegaris a miracle worker in the laundry room. It is inexpensive, gentle on fabrics, and safer to use thanchlorine bleachand fabric softeners. Always choose white vinegar over apple cider or other types because it won't stain fabrics (and it's cheaper).

White vinegar is key toremoving yellow underarm perspiration stains and odor, removingmildew stains, and whitening and brightening your clothes. Just adding 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse will leave clothes feeling soft and smelling fresh. You can even use vinegar toclean your washer and help control musty washer odors.

04 of 07

Hydrogen Peroxide

Head to the medicine cabinet for hydrogen peroxide as agood alternative to the much harsher chlorine bleach when you need to whiten clothes. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an oxidizing agent that can be used as a bleach. The 3 percent solution sold in drug stores as a first-aid disinfectant is the best choice for laundry as well. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen and is a more environmentally safe alternative to chlorine bleach.

Hydrogen peroxide works well in removing underarm yellowing and the dye fromnail polish,curry, andred winestains on whites and light colors. Add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to the washer drum or in the automatic bleach dispenser before adding the water to brighten clothes. Or, pour undiluted hydrogen peroxide on a stain and let it sit for 10 minutes before washing normally. Always test an inconspicuous part of a non-white item before using it on a stain to see if there is any discoloration.

Not sure if using hydrogen peroxide is the right choice for your fabrics? The Spot Check makes stain removal simple.

Continue to 5 of 7 below

05 of 07

Borax

Borax is anaturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen, and water. It has no toxic fumes and is safe for the environment. However, borax can irritate skin and should not be ingested.

Boraxboosts the performance of any type of detergent in cleaning clothes and removing stains (especially on cloth diapers), softens hard water, and helps control odor. Almost all DIY laundry detergentrecipes contain borax.

To eliminate a stain, mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 2 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Spread it on the stain and leave it on for 30 minutes before washing as usual.

06 of 07

Talc, Cornstarch, or Chalk

Talcum powder, baby powder, kitchen cornstarch, or plain white chalk are wonderful natural treatments for helping to absorb oily stains. These items can even remove stains if you promptly catch the oil or grease drip on fabric.

Simply sprinkle the oily stain liberally with baby powder, talcum powder, or cornstarch; you can also rub the area with white chalk. Allow it to sit on the stain for at least 10 minutes to absorb the oil; then simply brush away. Later, washor dry clean the garment following the instructions on the item's care label.

07 of 07

Table Salt

Simple table salt works in the laundry as a mild abrasive element for stain removal ofrustandred wine stains and to absorb liquid stains before they are set. If you have a red wine spill, sprinkle it liberally with table salt. Use the cheapest salt you can find. Let it absorb the liquid, and then brush away before you wash the item.Remember, if you don't wash it out, salt can leave white stains on your fabric.

If you have stains or residue on the bottom of your iron, salt works well as a gentle abrasive. Simply dampen a handful of salt very slightly, and scrub the faceplate of the iron. When the iron is clean, wipe it with a clean damp cloth.