If you are anything like me, the one thing you dread about laundry day is those darn, pesky stains. Grass stains, dirt stains, grease stains, wine stains, ketchup stains, the list goes on and on! And then that list doubles if you have littles running around – they always seem to be adorable little hot mess expresses with their stained clothes! I would also take a gander that you have tried all sorts of stain removers trying to tackle those buggers. Some working great, others… not so great. But all of them likely containing some pretty harsh chemicals.
All the best stain removers always seemed to contain the most amount of toxins and harsh chemicals that I didn’t really love the idea of touching my skin all day! I wanted to find a way to still have stain free clothes but without having to use such toxic products to get those results. And guess what! I found it!
Why not use commercial stain removers?
There are oodles and oodles of options when it comes to walking into the store and grabbing a bottle of stain remover. And I’ll tell ya, some of those products work so great!! So why wouldn’t you want to use them? For me, the driving factor was the ingredients. It was a surprisingly long list of ingredients and fragrance. Did you know that FDA does not regulate fragrances in our products? Companies just use the blanket term “fragrance” on their ingredients list to cover all compounds and chemicals that make up their “fragrance”. Which often is dozens of ingredients that we have no way of knowing what they are. Unless a company discloses what their fragrance is made up of, I tend to avoid their products. Fragrance often contains synthetic chemicals that are classified as hormone disruptors, carcinogens, and neurotoxins. But since we have no way of knowing for sure, I find it best practice to avoid products that list “fragrance” in their ingredients unless they disclose what those chemicals are. Another reason I don’t like using commercial stain removers is how awful they are for our environment! I’m not about that!
What to use instead?
I have been using an awesome DIY stain remover spray that works just as good as those store-bought brands. But even better, because we know for certain what all our ingredients are and that it is safe and non-toxic! It also is so easy to make! Here are some things you will want to have before we get started.
- Glass spray bottle
- Measuring cups
- Funnel
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Dr. Bronners Pure Castile Unscented Soap
- Lemon or Citrus essential oil (optional, though may help with lifting out the stains!)
DIY Non-Toxic Stain Remover Spray Recipe
- 1/2 Cup Dr. Bronners Pure Castile Soap
- 1 Cup Hydrogen Peroxide
- 1-2 drops Lemon or Citrus essential oil – optional
Using a funnel, pour your peroxide and castile soap into a glass spray bottle. Add 1-2 drops of your essential oil if you are using. Gently shake the bottle to mix. Spray or pour directly onto the stain. Let sit for a few minutes, tougher stains may need to soak longer. Gently rub the fabric together or scrub with a soft bristle brush. Rinse under cool water and repeat as needed. Then toss in the wash.
*Note – test a small area first before applying to entire garment, upholstery, carpet, etc. Hydrogen peroxide can cause discoloration on some fabrics.
Let me know if you try this out or if you have any questions or other natural stain-removing tips and tricks! I’d love to hear from you!