8.2.2010 3:00 PM

6 Natural Stain Removers for the Toughest Stains

Knock out stains with all natural cleaners instead of harsh chemicals.

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red wine spilled from a glass on white carpet

Photo: Dan Bellyk / Istock

By Carol Thompson

Unfortunately, spills and stains are a part of life. But if you're dealing with a tough stain, don't turn to harsh chemicals. Instead, try using simple home ingredients to get rid of stains the natural way.

To get started, you'll need a few basic ingredients:

baking soda
lemon juice
club soda
egg yolks

There are three important rules for fixing any stain: act fast, because the less time a stain has to set into fibers, the better; blot, because rubbing a stain will cause it to spread deeper into fabric; and keep it cool, because heat will set most stains. For specific stain remedies, look below.

Grass stains:
Before treating a grass stain, brush away as much dirt, grass and mud as possible. When the fabric is free of debris, rub molasses into the stain. Let the fabric and molasses sit for 8 to 10 hours, and launder as usual.

Coffee stains:
For fresh coffee stains, blot up as much liquid as possible before treating. Then, beat an egg yolk in cold water and spread over the stain. Rinse fabric with cold water, repeat if necessary, and let dry. Baking soda and white vinegar are good alternatives if eggs aren't available.

Food stains on plastic:
To get food stains -- like from sauces and soups -- out of reusable plastic containers, you can use the most basic ingredient: the sun! Pre-wash plastic, and then apply lemon juice or baking soda to the stain. Place the container outside in direct sunlight and let sit until the stain has faded. Rinse with cold water and repeat if necessary.

Oily food stains from cloth:
The best way to remove an oily food stain is to soak up the grease from the fabric. Sprinkle chalk dust or corn starch on a fresh stain, then soak the fabric in a mixture of baking soda and water. For tougher stains, dab rubbing alcohol on the fabric before washing.

Color stains:
To remove colored stains, like those from wine, juice or berries, first blot up as much liquid as possible. Then, soak stained area in lemon juice or white vinegar to lift the stain from fibers. For red wine, soak stain in club soda, milk or white wine to remove the color.

Gum:
Getting gum out of clothes is easier than you thought! Just put the fabric in the freezer, wait until the gum is frozen and then pull it off of the cloth.