Remove Vomit Stains from Clothing

Treating stains is never a fun task, and it's even harder when it's a vomit stain. Still, if you want to rescue your clothing from the garbage can, you'll need to work quickly. Try one of these treatments to lift the stain and have your clothes ready to wear again in no time.

Steps

Dealing with the Stain Immediately

  1. Scrape any solids off the garment. As with any stain, the faster you move to treat the stain, the more success you will have removing it. This may be particularly difficult with vomit, since handling clothing covered with vomit is not very appealing, but it's in your best interest to work quickly.[1]
  2. Rinse the stain with warm water. If treated immediately, a strong blast of water may be enough to get the vomit out of your clothes. Organic stains can sometimes be removed with a little water and agitation.
  3. Soak the garment in a bucket of water if you can't treat it right away. Because the stain will be far more difficult to remove if it is allowed to dry and set, immersing the soiled clothing in water will prevent the stain from drying.

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

  1. Dampen the stain with warm water and cover it with baking soda. Apply a generous layer, enough to cover the stain to about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. The baking soda will absorb the smell and also help lift the stain from the fibers.
  2. Pour lemon juice or vinegar over the stain. The baking soda will begin to fizz. Rub the stain with your fingers or a toothbrush. Try to rub out as much of the stain as possible.
    • Rinse the baking soda/lemon juice mixture from the clothing with warm water.
  3. Squirt dish detergent on the stain and allow it to soak in a container of water. Before soaking, agitate the detergent by rubbing it with your fingers, scrubbing it with a toothbrush, or rubbing the fabric against itself.
    • Allow the garment to soak for at least an hour, maybe more if the stain is very stubborn.
    • Rinse the clothing with warm water after soaking. Treat the stain with dishwashing liquid once more, then wash as normal.

Using Pre-Spot Treatment

  1. Pretreat the stain. Use your preferred brand of pre-spot treatment, saturating the stain on the front and the back of the fabric.[2]
  2. Wash the garment in the hottest water recommended. Different types of fabric can handle different temperatures at water. Check the label on your clothing to see if it can be washed in warm or hot water.
    • Use a detergent that is formulated to remove stains.
    • If the stain still remains, repeat the process.

Using Ammonia

  1. Soak the stain in a mixture of 1 qt warm water, 1/2 TSP detergent, and 1 TBSP ammonia. Use a soft brush or your nails to lightly scrape and agitate the stain. [3]
    • Use a liquid detergent if possible.
  2. Rinse with water and launder as usual. It is important you remove all traces of the ammonia. Rinse thoroughly and wring the garment to make sure it is completely washed out.[3]

Tips

  • If you don't want to rub the stain with your fingers, use a pair of rubber gloves.

Warnings

  • Test your chosen method on a small, inconspicuous piece of the clothing for colorfastness before doing this. If your clothes react with the lemon juice, ammonia, etc. then you can switch to another method and your clothes won't be ruined.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://spotremoval.coit.com/vomit-stain-removal
  2. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a12467/stains-vomit-may07/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-vomit-stains.htm#page=2

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