Homemade Stain Remover – Success Story #3

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This isn’t the first time I’ve written a follow up story about my favorite homemade stain remover recipe.

Or the second time.

It is in fact the third time.  I just can’t help myself.

And that’s because once again I have a pretty impressive story about this spot remover recipe – a story that someone who recently came across my blog shared with me and that he has graciously agreed to let me share with all of you too.

homemade stain remover recipe

Dawn Soap + Hydrogen Peroxide = Stain Remover

For those of you who may not have seen my previous writings about this stain remover, it’s an easy mixture of 1 part Dawn dish soap and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide.  I first wrote about this little recipe when I tried it on a white shirt with yellowing armpit stains.  The next time I wrote about it I was trying to remove a wine stain that had been sitting on a wool sweater – and it worked!  You can read more about those stories with the links below:

Homemade Stain Remover First Trial

Homemade Stain Remover Follow up Story #1

Then a friend sent me pictures of a coat that had some kind of an oily shaving cream stain that had sat awhile.  She gave this mixture a try and had great results too! Here’s the link to that story:

Homemade Stain Remover Follow Up Story #2

homemade stain remover recipe

Homemade Stain Remover Follow Up Story #3

And now I have another story.  I immediately had a soft spot for this story because it involved a cat (and I love cats).  Here is a portion of the email I received:

The item that I was attempting to remove blood stains from was a mattress cover that had many blood stains of various sizes because my cat had a wound that could not heal and he ended up staining several different areas.  He was dying so I didn’t have the heart to stop him from sleeping on the bed since he had been doing it all his life.  Honestly it was so icky that I crammed it away in the closet after he died with the intent of eventually throwing it out.  The stains were very set in the fabric by the time I got to them.
 
I figured all was lost but I was curious about the peroxide cleaner so figured I had nothing to lose and I expected it not to work. 
 
I fixed up a batch of the solution and applied it to the mattress cover with a paint brush.  It helped extract the liquid from the cup and provided a way to gently rub the solution into the fabric.  I left the cover overnight and washed it the next day (about 12 hours later).  Because there were so many stains and I used a LOT of the solution I was concerned about the dishwashing liquid creating a ‘foam-monster’ if I just threw it in the washer as is.
 
I lightly rinsed the mattress cover in cold water, wrung it out and washed it using  the Regular/Normal cycle (Warm Water) with the regular amount of laundry detergent.  The item came out spotless.  I can hardly believe it.  I just saved myself from having to purchase a brand new one.  I’m going to try this now with some white towels knowing that they’re going to come out just fine.

Pretty cool, huh?  Seriously, I don’t think I could make this stuff up if I tried.

homemade stain remover

A Few More Take-Away Thoughts

If you’ve been on the prowl trying to find the best clothes stain remover that you can, this mixture is definitely worth giving a try.  I can’t say that it will work each and every single time and on every single stain there might be, but it certainly is an easy and inexpensive way to give it a shot rather than immediately throwing an item out.

Here are a few more additional thoughts after reading this most recent success story.

  • It’s important to let this mixture sit on the stain for awhile.  I’ve said this before and this story illustrates it also.  Be very patient and let the mixture sit on the stain and do its work for many hours.
  • Hydrogen peroxide is known to be an excellent remedy for blood stains and that probably contributed to the success in this story too.
  • It’s good to know you can give the item a pre-rinse first before putting it in the washing machine and still get results.
  • This also illustrates how you can make a batch of this stain remover in any size you need as long as you follow the 1 part Dawn dish soap and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide formula.  I often do 1 tablespoon of Dawn with 2 tablespoons of peroxide and use a fingernail brush to scrub it in, but if you want to make a bigger batch and slather it on with a paint brush, you can!
  • I’ve been asked several times if you can make a batch of this stain remover ahead of time.  My usual answer is that hydrogen peroxide does break down in the light over time so if you make it ahead of time and keep it, make sure you keep your mixture in a dark bottle or store it in a dark place away from the light.  I usually just make up one small batch at a time as needed.

So I’m very pleased that I’m able to share this stain removal story with you today and that the person who sent it to me was kind enough to agree that “the more information the better” in the hopes that we can all keep learning together.

If any of you have a story to share as well, I’d love to hear it.   You can always leave me a comment below, or you can use the “Contact” option on the navigation bar up above to send me an email.

You guys certainly do brighten my days 🙂

 

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15 Comments

    1. Vinegar is usually said to be helpful in removing urine stains. You could try washing the item with a cup of vinegar added to the washing machine (with no soap), and then do a final wash with the soap added.

  1. Hi there! I found your blog about a year ago while searching for a stain remover. I love it! It does work almost every time. I am curious though, I let the remover set in, and on a couple of occasions, after I wash the item, the article of clothing has come out blotchy and took out the color of the shirt (almost like I bleached it). Any ideas why this might happen? Both times it was on a shirt that my toddler did a number on…so maybe I used too much? Any input would be great. I am a bit hesitant to use this solution now.

    1. Carrie – I have used this stain remover on colored items with no problems. The peroxide isn’t potent enough to take out the color, and yet it does help in reducing the stain.

          1. I would let it set for at least a half hour, and maybe even an hour. Then I would blot it up with wet towels to clean it away.

  2. I, like many people am on a tight budget. I’m wondering, will this combination (on a larger scale of course) work to clean the dirty grout on my kitchen floor? I’m thinking it might! If I let it sit and then brush with a stiff brush?

    1. Yes, it might work for that Angela. It might also be helpful to add some baking soda to the mixture for a little scrubbing power.

      1. Update: Houston, we have lift-off!!! Works like a charm! Even after only 5 minutes of soaking, I sprinkled a little baking soda, as you suggested, brushed it with a toothbrush, and the dirt and grime lifted right out! I’m so excited! Yay! =D

    1. I have used this stain remover on color and print fabrics with no problems. I think it would work on carpet too, but the challenge would be rinsing it out again because the usual method is to place the item in the washing machine for the final cleaning. But if you were able to rinse most of the mixture away from the carpet, it would be worth a shot.