🚨 Stain Emergency — What Did You Spill?

Don't panic. Tap your stain type below, then follow the universal first-aid steps. Speed is everything — a stain treated within 5 minutes has a 90%+ removal rate.

🍷 Red Wine 🩸 Blood 🥤 Juice / Berries 🖊️ Ink / Marker 🍝 Food / Sauce 🌿 Grass / Mud 🛢️ Oil / Grease

Universal Stain First Aid

These 5 steps work for ANY fresh stain. Follow them immediately — before you even identify the stain type.

DON'T RUB — blot gently. Press a clean white cloth onto the stain. Lift and repeat. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into fiber structure.
COLD WATER immediately. Flush from the back of the fabric with cold water. NEVER hot — heat sets most stains permanently.
Work from OUTSIDE IN. Treat edges first, then move toward the center. Working outward spreads the stain into clean fabric.
Check the fabric care label. Some fabrics (silk, wool) need special care. When in doubt, stick to cold water only.
Apply appropriate treatment. Use the guide for your specific stain type above. Keep the stain wet until treated — a dry stain is a set stain.

⏱️ Timing Matters

Every minute counts. Here's what you're working with:

0–30 min Best chance. Most stains are fully removable with cold water and basic treatment. Act now.

30 min–2 hr Still treatable. Stain is setting but hasn't bonded fully. Soak in cold water with stain remover.

2–24 hours Getting difficult. Stain may be oxidizing and setting. Extended soaking with enzyme-based remover needed.

After washing Much harder but not impossible. Heat from washing/drying may have set the stain. Needs specialized treatment.

Quick Guide by Stain Type

🍷 Red Wine

Do: Cold water immediately. Blot with white cloth. Soak in stain remover (Sil or similar) for 30–60 minutes.

Don't: Use salt (myth — it can set the stain). Don't use hot water.

Full wine stain guide →

☕ Coffee / Tea

Do: Cold water flush immediately. Apply stain remover. Soak 30 minutes. Wash at maximum care-label temperature.

Don't: Let it dry. Tannin stains bond with fibers as they oxidize.

🩸 Blood

Do: COLD water only. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Use enzyme-based stain remover.

Don't: Use warm or hot water — this permanently bonds blood proteins (hemoglobin) to fibers.

🥤 Juice / Berries

Do: Cold water flush immediately. Oxygen bleach stain remover works well on fruit stains.

Don't: Use soap first — some soaps can set fruit tannins.

Full berry stain guide →

🖊️ Ink / Marker

Do: Blot with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Place fabric stain-side down on paper towel. Dab from behind.

Don't: Use water first on ballpoint ink — it can spread. Test alcohol on hidden area first.

Full ink stain guide →

🍝 Food / Sauce

Do: Scrape off excess. Cold water flush. For curry/turmeric: soak with oxygen bleach. Sunlight helps fade curcumin.

Don't: Use hot water. Don't rub — turmeric pigment spreads easily.

Full food stain guide →

🌿 Grass / Mud

Do: Let mud dry completely, then brush off. Treat remaining stain with enzyme-based remover. Grass: soak in oxygen bleach.

Don't: Rub wet mud — it pushes deeper into fibers. Don't use hot water on grass (chlorophyll sets).

Browse all stain guides →

🛢️ Oil / Grease

Do: Apply dish soap directly on the stain. Work in gently. Wait 10 minutes. Wash with warm water.

Don't: Use cold water first (exception to the rule — grease needs warmth to dissolve).

Full grease stain guide →

The 4 Things That Make Stains Permanent

Heat — Hot water, dryers, and irons bond stain molecules to fibers
Time — Every hour gives the stain more time to oxidize and set
Rubbing — Pushes stain deeper into fiber structure
Wrong treatment — Hot water on blood, soap on fruit, salt on wine

Avoid all four and most fresh stains are completely removable.

Don't Have Stain Remover?

Use what you have:

Cold water — always the first step and surprisingly effective alone
Dish soap — great for grease, decent on other stains
White vinegar — helps with coffee, tea, and deodorant stains
Baking soda paste — mild cleaner for fresh stains on light fabrics
Rubbing alcohol — effective on ink and marker stains

Find Your Specific Guide

We have 108+ detailed guides for specific stain-fabric combinations:

Browse All 108+ Stain Guides →

Last verified: February 2026