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diy homemade Stain remover

​Remove tough stains with this easy homemade stain remover using just 3 ingredients from your cabinets. Costs 89% LESS than store-bought stain remover and it works great!

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Stains are a fact of life. My clothes, the kids clothes, hubby’s clothes. Mystery stains frequently show up on anything and everything. 

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Using the Think Dirty App, I found which products in my home were the worst offenders. Laundry products often rate really bad! For example, Shout stain remover rates at an 8! (Ten being the worst for toxins.)  

Think Dirty App

You can enter the name of the product or scan the barcode and it'll give you a rating of 0 – 10, with 10 being the most toxic and 0 being toxin free. You'll get the product info, list of ingredients, and even a suggestion of safe and cleaner alternatives.

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3 Simple Ingredients

You only need three simple ingredients to make DIY Stain Remover.

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  1. Baking Soda. Baking soda can be found cheap at any grocery store. Or you can buy it in bulk on Amazon. 

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  1. Thieves Dish Soap. I buy my dish soap from Young Living. There are a lot of essential oil companies out there, but after testing several brands, I committed to Young Living oils and their natural products. You can read more about their oils and my decision HERE. If you don’t have Thieves Dish Soap, use the Think Dirty App to see how your soap ranks. You want to aim for a 3 or better! (Tip: Dawn dish soap is NOT your best option!)

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  1. Hydrogen Peroxide. This ingredient can also be found cheap at a grocery store or Walmart. This is what I buy from Amazon. 

Once you have all your ingredients, simply combine all ingredients in a small jar and stir gently to combine well.

Your mixture should be thick, which is why I recommend a glass jar and not a spray bottle. If you prefer a smaller container, one with a flip-top and a spout would be best!

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Store in a dark container or place. Peroxide can lose its effectiveness when stored in the light. Using a dark container or storing in a dark cabinet will prevent the peroxide to go bad. 

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HOW TO USE HOMEMADE STAIN REMOVER

  1. Apply a small amount directly to the stain.

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  3. Rub gently with your finger, a piece of fabric or an old toothbrush. 

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  5. Allow the stain remover to sit for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour. Wash normally.

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TIPS FOR USING HOMEMADE STAIN REMOVER

  • Do not shake the stain remover. Some readers have experienced “explosions” when shaking this stain remover. This has not happened to me, but I assume it is because of hydrogen peroxide bubbling up. I suggest to stir or swirl gently to mix. 

  • Alternatively, don’t pre-mix the stain remover. One reader suggests putting the baking soda on the stain directly then adding the soap/peroxide mixture on top. Let it foam, then rub with a toothbrush.

  • Use caution on dark colored clothing. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are natural whitening agents. If you’re using on dark clothing, you might want to test a small area first. 

  • Double the recipe for larger families. This recipe is easy to double up if you get a lot of stains. I have a neighbor with five boys and I’m SURE they need a double batch! 

  • Use with white vinegar on armpit stains. The build up from your deodorant can easily make a shirt looked stained. Using white vinegar will help loosen up the build-up and freshen your underarms. (Or you can switch to a natural deodorant like this one OR detox your armpits to avoid the need for deodorant!)

  • Use with homemade bleach alternative. If you have some extra stubborn stains, try using this recipe and also wash with homemade bleach alternative.

COST BREAKDOWN

  • baking soda – $.01

  • dish soap – $0.11

  • hydrogen peroxide – $.05

The total cost of homemade laundry stain remover is 17¢. Compare to the cost of Shout at $1.55 for the same amount. Making it yourself saves 89%!

MORE HOMEMADE CLEANING SUPPLIES

There are even more ways to save by making your own supplies. Here are a few other DIY laundry supplies you can make, as well as tutorials for great smelling laundry!

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