How to Remove Fabric Softener Stains

Kristin asked, “Anyone know how to get a fabric softner stain out of clothes?”

You Will Need:

• Bar soap
• Dish liquid
• Shampoo

Steps to Remove the Stain:

1. Soak the stain with water, then rub a bar of soap onto the stain. Any bar of bath soap should be sufficient. Relaunder the garment without adding fabric softener to the wash.²
2. Apply a bit of dish liquid to each stain and rub it in with your fingers. Relaunder the garment without adding fabric softener to the wash.³
3. Dampen the area, then put a drop of shampoo on the stain and rub the shampoo into the fabric with your fingers. Relaunder the garment without adding fabric softener to the wash.³

• If your washing machine has an automatic softener dispenser, pour in the fabric softener as usual, then add the same amount of water. This will allow the softener disperse more easily and prevent stains.³
• If your washing machine does not have a fabric softener dispenser, you may be able to buy one. Contact your local appliance dealer to find out if one is made to fit your model.⁴
• Do not pour fabric softener directly onto the clothes. If you add the liquid to the water manually, be sure to dilute it first.⁵
• Do not mix the dryer sheet into the clothes when loading the dryer. Instead, put the clothes in the dryer first, then set the dryer sheet on top and immediately turn on the dryer. This will help to prevent stains.³
• Fabric softener residue can build up on laundry, which makes clothes look dingy¹ and decreases the absorbency of towels. Liquid fabric softener⁶ and dryer sheets that contain softener should only be used every other or every third wash to prevent buildup.³
• You can use white vinegar instead of a commercial fabric softener to prevent stains. Just add a cup of vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or manually to the rinse cycle as you would commercial fabric softener. You can mix in a drop or two of an essential oil that you like the smell of to the vinegar for scent.⁷

1. How To Clean Practically Anything by Consumer Reports
2. Stain Rescue! by Anne Marie Soto
3. Talking Dirty Laundry with the Queen of Clean by Linda Cobb
4. The Cleaning Encyclopedia by Don Aslett
5. Cleaning Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin
6. The Complete Household Handbook by Good Housekeeping
7. The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Mayer