How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (2024)

Spilled coffee on your favorite white shirt? Or that effort of gardening or mowing a lawn with kids is now showing up like a green monster drawn on your clothes? You can get stains from literally anything on your clothes.

And some of them easily wash off with water, some need a mild scrub, while others are so inexorable that even if you scrape them for ages with soap and water, they won’t fade a bit. In such a case, you will consider shunning the idea of removing that obstinate blemish and thinking of buying new attire. But does that solve the problem? Not at all!

Not only does pushing the clothes with rigid stains into the trash harm our planet🌎, but our pockets as well in these times of high inflation. So, what do you do? Well, as an aware human, you must scrounge for methods to remove the stains and increase the lifespan of the clothes. And one such remedy for accomplishing the same is a modest dash of vinegar.

Stain Treatment On Clothes Using Vinegar

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (1)

You must have come across your granny or someone recommending vinegar to remove the gum, coffee, or grass stain on your top or trousers. And you might have looked at them with amazement, thinking, “What? Remove the stain with vinegar? She must be joking!” and so on. But, buddy, whoever’s suggesting the remedy is perfectly right.

Distilled white vinegar is actually one of the best stain removers we have been given from nature. Found in invariably every household, it is mildly acidic, so acetic vinegar removes the tough spots and blotches without ruining the fabric of your clothes.

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (2)

This miracle worker is inexpensive and safer to use compared to fabric softeners and chlorine bleach. Always prefer white vinegar over other kinds of vinegar like apple cider as it is cheaper and will not stain the fabric.

Nothing can be more irksome than removing underarm perspiration and yellow stains on clothes or removing mildew stains. White vinegar helps you there! Simply adding a cup of distilled white vinegar when giving the final rinse to the clothes will leave the cloth clean, fresh, and soft.

How To Remove A Stain From White Clothes Using Vinegar?

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (3)

Vinegar is such a versatile liquid, indeed. Starting from food, it is used in many other ways, such as for cleansing the home and, yes, removing obstinate stains and odors from clothes. To remove a multitude of spots and stains on white clothes effectively, follow this guide:

  • Pour some white vinegar straight onto the blotch.

  • For deodorant marks or sweat stains, pour a tad white vinegar straight onto the spot.

  • Now, rub the white vinegar deep into the stain gently.

  • Make sure that vinegar completely seeps into the stain and covers it.

  • Now wash and rinse on a normal wash cycle while the vinegar covers the stain. How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (4)

So, this is how you clean stains on white clothes using white vinegar. But, do you know that white vinegar also helps in various other clothes treatments? Yeah, white vinegar is also used for brightening clothes, bleaching and reducing stains, losing soap buildup, deodorizing, preventing colors from fading, cleaning washing machines, and softening fabrics. Indeed, a lot it does! What else do you need? Just pour some vinegar, rinse, and wash off the clothing, and voila!

Why Is Vinegar A Good Alternative?

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (5)

Vinegar has many benefits, not only as a food but as a great cleaning aid as well. Vinegar removes stains by losing aluminum chloride or zinc salts, which implies that it won’t allow dirt to stick to your attire. Furthermore, vinegar is also rich in antibacterial properties.

You would be thinking that soaking and washing the clothes in vinegar would make them smell like vinegar. But, that’s not the case. Here are some cool reasons that prove vinegar is a far better alternative to laundry detergents. Read on!

  • Vinegar is earth-friendly, unlike the harsh chemicals and detergents used to do the laundry. Using environment-friendly detergents and vinegar will prevent any harm to plants, wildlife, and our planet, in general.

  • Vinegar is a great agent that neutralizes odors, thus, making your clothes smell fresh and clean. Simply add half to one cup of vinegar to the laundry and see the magic!

  • Cleans clothes without relying on harsh chemicals

  • It is hypoallergenic

  • Take a half cup of lemon juice, half cup of vinegar, and 1 tbsp of borax and add it to the washing machine. You can also consider soaking the clothes in a gallon of water and this solution to brighten your attire.

  • Instead of using fabric softener, use vinegar which also prevents static. Thus, you get all set to bid bye-bye to pet hair and lint on your clothes.

  • Vinegar can be utilized to clean the washing machine and other household appliances. Running your washing machine with vinegar in it will remove soap and lint buildup in it.

So, Does It Really Work?

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (6)

Well, it does work. In fact, it becomes an excellent substitute for harsh detergents we use in laundry. It is earth-friendly, effective, and inexpensive. You can use it as a deodorizer, fabric softener, bleach, and for various other things in the laundry.

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? (2024)

FAQs

How to Get Rid of Stains with Vinegar? Does it work for REAL? ›

Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns.

Is vinegar a good stain remover? ›

Removes Stains

Vinegar is a great solution. "Especially on white fabrics, vinegar can tackle stubborn stains by being added directly to your laundry or used as part of a pre-treating soaking solution," says Morgan LaLonde, laundry brand manager for Whirlpool.

Does cleaning with vinegar work? ›

Vinegar is frequently recommended as a household cleanser, and can be effective on some stains and surfaces. Vinegar is inexpensive, easy to obtain and environmentally friendly. Cleaning vinegar or white vinegar – not apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar – is most commonly chosen for cleaning.

Does vinegar really clean clothes? ›

Vinegar is an excellent substitute for laundry detergent — it's inexpensive, effective, and earth-friendly. It can be used for a range of detergent needs, including as a bleach, deodorizer, and a fabric softener.

Is vinegar or baking soda better for stains? ›

Which natural detergent comes out on top? Well, that would depend on its intended use. For instance, vinegar is potent at fighting mold while baking soda is great at fighting wine and coffee stains. The former is a better disinfectant but the latter is a phenomenal deodorizer.

How long should I leave vinegar on a stain? ›

If the stain is old and the odor is strong, mix a solution of cool water and add two cups white distilled vinegar. Completely submerge the fabric and allow it to soak overnight,” she says. Wash as recommended above.

How long should vinegar sit to remove stains? ›

Soak the Stain in Vinegar

Pour enough white vinegar into a small bowl to submerge the stain area of the clothes. Allow the stain to sit and soak for 30 minutes.

When not to use cleaning vinegar? ›

10 Things You Should Never Clean with Vinegar
  1. Anything That Contains Chlorine Bleach. ...
  2. Marble, Granite, and Other Natural Stone Surfaces. ...
  3. Grout. ...
  4. Stainless Steel. ...
  5. Waxed or Unfinished Wood. ...
  6. Cast Iron. ...
  7. Electronics. ...
  8. Rubber Gaskets and Hoses.
Nov 15, 2023

How to use vinegar to remove stains? ›

A basic mixture of half water and half vinegar as a laundry pretreatment can do the trick with many common stains on clothing. Keep a spray bottle of this in your laundry room. Spray mixture on the stains before washing to give an extra boost. As you've seen, vinegar can be of great help when it's time to do laundry.

What should you not mix with vinegar cleaning? ›

First and foremost you definitely do not want to mix Bleach and Vinegar, this creates a Toxic Chlorine Gas. You can get a nasty chemical burn, especially on your eyes and lungs. Another pair that is dangerous is, Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar, this creates Peracetic Acid.

Can I mix vinegar and laundry detergent? ›

Pro tip: Make sure to avoid mixing vinegar and laundry detergent as well since vinegar's pH level, when combined with laundry detergent, renders them neutral.

Does vinegar turn clothes white? ›

Vinegar whitens, freshens, and softens fabrics. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of distilled white vinegar along with your regular laundry detergent. Don't worry about the vinegar scent- it will dissipate after drying. Vinegar may also be sprayed on spot stains and collar and underarm stains.

Is distilled vinegar the same as white vinegar? ›

White and distilled are types of vinegar. They differ fundamentally in their acetic acid content. White, also known as spirit vinegar, has 5% to 20% acetic acid. This is generally higher as compared to distilled vinegar's 5%-8%.

Can vinegar alone remove stains? ›

Yeah, white vinegar is also used for brightening clothes, bleaching and reducing stains, losing soap buildup, deodorizing, preventing colors from fading, cleaning washing machines, and softening fabrics. Indeed, a lot it does! What else do you need? Just pour some vinegar, rinse, and wash off the clothing, and voila!

Should I use straight vinegar or distilled vinegar to remove stains? ›

Distilled white vinegar is one of the best natural stain removers that can be found in almost every household. The acetic acid in the vinegar is mild, so it does just enough to remove stains without ruining your clothing.

What is the best homemade stain remover for clothes? ›

A mixture of dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide is an effective homemade laundry stain remover. The dishwashing liquid contains ingredients to tackle greasy stains and the hydrogen peroxide helps remove discoloration.

What is the most powerful stain remover? ›

OxiClean Stain Remover Powder

The brand stresses that OxiClean powder is most effective at removing tough stains when clothes are pre-soaked in warm water before putting them through the washing machine. It's a fragrance-free option, appropriate for many people who have allergies to some cleaners.

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