How do I Choose the Best Natural Stain Remover?

A natural stain remover is generally just as close as your medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard. Some of the most popular and effective natural stain removers consist of items you use every day, and perhaps never imagined would take out that irritating coffee, wine, or bloodstain. A handful of products in particular have been used as natural stain removers for centuries.

Salt, vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda all serve as natural stain removers. For instance, moist salt is reputed to remove coffee stains, while regular white vinegar can clean the stains inside your coffee pot. One cup (110 grams) of vinegar mixed with two gallons (7.6 liters) of water is an excellent cleaner for tile or linoleum floors, and a baking soda paste will even take stains out of fiberglass. A mixture of lemon juice, salt, and sunlight is generally effective in removing rust stains that have been transferred to clothing.

If you wish to find a natural stain remover, your search should be easy. Hydrogen peroxide and borax are both popular. A general, natural stain remover consists of 1 ounce (28 grams) of borax mixed with a pint (473 milliliters) of cold water. This mix is best on protein stains, such as eggs or blood. Just spray or blot the solution onto the stain, let it dry, and then launder as usual.

Though you might more frequently think of hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant for cuts and scrapes, it has amazing properties as a natural stain remover, not to mention as a weapon against mold, mildew, and fungus. Hydrogen peroxide, followed by an application of vinegar, is often used to clean bathtubs and remove shower scum. It is inexpensive, and will also clean stains found on toilets and windows. That said, if attempting to clean any sort of fabric with hydrogen peroxide or vinegar, it is best to first test it on a small area. This will assure you that your carpet or clothing will not fade, bleach out, or be otherwise discolored.

The sky is the limit if you seek to move from chemical cleaners to a natural stain remover. Eucalyptus oil has many uses, and is capable of removing both lipstick stains and grass stains from clothing. Better yet, unless the stain is too severe, eucalyptus oil will even remove oil and tar stains. Even simpler, should your iron leave a scorch mark in your favorite white shirt, rubbing a grated onion over the scorch should make the scorch mark fade away.