This Is the Secret to Getting Detergent Stains Out of Clothes, and It’s Actually a Lot Easier than You’d Think

For the longest time, I’ve run all my laundry through the wash with an extra rinse at the end of the cycle. I do this because I always — and I mean always — have leftover detergent spots on my clothes after a single wash-and-rinse cycle. To figure out how to get detergent stains out of clothes and why it keeps happening, I reached out to Sherry Berkley, a cleaning expert and founder of Proofed laundry detergent sheets.

I assumed it was because of my previously owned washing machine, but it turns out that I’m actually the problem. Apparently, my clothes have detergent stains because I overload the washing machine, according to Berkley. Additionally, powdered, concentrated liquid, and pod detergent can get caught in the folds of clothes and not completely dissolve in the wash — which is why it’s so important to never overload it. Now I know how to avoid this problem in the future. Read on to learn how to get detergent stains out of clothes in the present.

To get detergent stains out of clothes, you only really need two ingredients: one of the first three cleaning agent options on the list below and water. Each cleaning agent works in a different way to release stains. Baking soda absorbs as much as it can, vinegar’s acidity breaks down detergent stains, and dish soap has grease-removing properties.

• Baking soda, dish soap, or distilled white vinegar
• Water
• Spray bottle
• Clean cloth

Berkley shared three methods for removing detergent stains from clothes, depending on what cleaner you’re using. 

1. Fill a spray bottle with warm water and spray the laundry residue.
2. Sprinkle enough baking soda directly on the stain to cover it lightly. 
3. With a clean cloth, gently rub the baking soda into the laundry residue. 
4. Let clothing sit for 10 minutes.
5. Send it through another wash cycle.

1. Mix one part warm water and one part vinegar in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the entire surface of the stain.
3. Gently rub with a clean cloth.
4. Re-wash the clothing.

1. Apply a tablespoon of dish soap directly to the stain.
2. Lightly rub the soap in with your fingers.
3. Let it sit for three to five minutes.
4. Rinse the soap out under cold water.
5. Rewash the garment.