How to Get Laundry Detergent Stains Out of Clothes

If your laundry came out of the washer looking worse for wear, you’re not alone. It’s paradoxical, but many laundry detergents can leave a stain on your clothes. Full of added dyes, optical brighteners, and other fillers, subpar detergents can leave lots of residues behind. The sudden appearance of discolored splotches might make you panic. How are you supposed to remove stains caused by the stain-remover? Don’t stress. We designed Charlie’s Soap to leave your clothes completely stain-free, so we’re experts on clean. Here’s what you need to know about removing laundry detergent stains.

Why Do Some Laundry Detergents Leave Stains?

Though there are a few reasons that your laundry products are staining your clothes, it’s usually caused by one of these three issues.

Non-Dissolving

When it comes down to it, the build-up is largely responsible for laundry detergent stains. Ideally, the product that you put in the washer should dissolve in the wash cycle, but, chances are, your detergent is designed to do the exact opposite. The added perfumes, dyes, and chemicals of regular detergents are meant to stick to your clothes. Particularly in cold water, regular liquid and powder detergents don’t completely dissolve. Instead, they pack into the fibers of the fabric, occasionally causing laundry stains.

Over time, this build-up snowballs. Non-dissolving detergents attack the integrity of your laundry, altering the textures and reducing the lifespan of your clothes. It’s not just your detergent. Your fabric softeners could also be responsible for leaving waxy residue behind—one of the many reasons you don’t really need to use fabric softener . To prevent this build-up, it might be time to invest in laundry products that clean your clothes and disappear during the rinse cycle.

Too Much Product

It can be easy to toss too much product into the washer. If you have a detergent or fabric softener that’s already predisposed to build-up, adding extra product could make the problem much worse. If the machine is overloaded, the product won’t dissolve. Then, it ends up on your clothes as detergent and fabric softener stains. For regular products, you may want to try as little as half the recommended detergent.

Hard Water 

Hard water can also lead to laundry detergent stains. Due to the high mineral content in hard water, ordinary detergents are even less likely to dissolve. One solution to hard water—add a water softener to your next load of laundry. As little as one half tablespoon of Charlie’s Soap Hard Water Booster can soften your wash water, prevent build-up, and limit damage to your clothes. Alongside a powerful laundry detergent, it’s even better.

Removing Laundry Detergent Stains

1. Soak

To remove laundry detergent stains, begin by checking the care label of the stained garment. You’ll want to make sure that you follow recommendations for water temperature. If possible, it’s best to soak the garment in a sink or bucket of hot water. You can also add a cup of vinegar. White vinegar is a mild cleanser, so it may not be able to strip away greasy residue. For real stain-fighting power, switch the vinegar for a few tablespoons of Charlie’s Soap powdered laundry detergent to the soak. Charlie’s stain-fighting power will help break through the residue detergent. Then, simply allow the detergent-stained clothes to soak in the warm water solution for an hour.

2. Pre-Treat

After soaking, it’s time to pretreat the stained area. The pretreatment should bind to the detergent stains and wash completely away. White vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and rubbing alcohol are all at-home hacks for stains, but they might not be up to the task. In the interest of avoiding more laundry stains, cleaners like chlorine bleach are also out.

For laundry solutions that are gentle on clothes and tough on stains, try Charlie’s Soap. Our Biodegradable Laundry Pre-Spray Stain Remover is perfect for laundry detergent stains. For extra-stubborn stains, you can try our chlorine-free oxygen bleach. It has the cleaning power of regular bleach without the harsh chemicals and optical brighteners—which means it’s color-safe.

3. Wash and Dry 

Once you’ve pretreated, you can wash the garment according to care instructions. Remember that the type of detergent you use matters. At Charlie’s Soap, we believe that you shouldn’t have to rewash a load of laundry. It should come out of the washing machine clean, the first time. For best results, switch to a laundry soap that washes away with the dirt and grime, like Charlie’s Soap. Our liquid and powdered laundry detergent are guaranteed to do the job right the first time. No residue or stains—just long-lasting clean.

Say Goodbye to Detergent Stains

Laundry day shouldn’t be a game of Russian Roulette. Charlie’s Soap offers all the laundry products you need—whether it’s liquid laundry detergent or detergent packets—with no stains left behind. Each of our products is designed to wash away completely, leaving you with a long-lasting clean, for life. Shop Charlie’s Soap now.