Table of Contents:
Juice
stains are a common problem, especially when there are small children in the house. Fortunately with the right cleaning solution you can remove the stains and save your clothes. As with any cleaner, you will want to try a test application on a small, hidden spot to be sure it does not damage the color or fibers of your garment.
How to Clean Juice Stains
When juice spills, be quick to act on the stain right away. Cleaning the stain before it has time to set into the fabric will make your job much easier. The seemingly impossible stains such as grape, cranberry, tomato and orange can be removed without having the expense of a professional cleaner. Use the following steps along with the chosen cleaning solution.
You Will Need:
- Cleaning solutions (choose one)
- 1 teaspoon neutral detergent with 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 quart cold water
- 1/4 c. baking soda and 2 cups cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon mild, non-bleach detergent with 1 liter cool water
- 1 part white vinegar with three parts water
- Clean white cloths
- Spray bottle (for cleaning solution)
- Water in spray bottle
- Hydrogen peroxide (for cranberry juice)
- Lemon juice
How to Remove the Stain
- Begin by blotting with a clean cloth to remove as much of the juice as possible. It’s very important to BLOT throughout this entire process DO NOT SCRUB. Working from the outside of the stain towards the center will keep the stain from spreading.
- Moisten cloth well with cleaning solution and blot it onto the stain.
- Repeat as necessary with a clean piece of cloth each time until no more stain appears on the cloth.
- For cranberry juice: apply 3% hydrogen peroxide then ammonia (do not apply ammonia to wool garments – it will damage the fibers) and blot to remove.
- When the stain is removed, wash the clothing in cold water following detergent recommendations on the care tag.
- You may want to air-dry the clothing to be sure the stain is not noticeable when it’s dry. If you place it in the dryer and it’s not completely gone, it will be set from the heat and impossible to remove.
Boiling Water Method
You Will Need:
- Boiling Water
- Large Bowl
- Rubberband or string
How to Remove the Stain:
- Keep the boiling water in a tea kettle or pitcher, you will need something that you can easily pour it from.
- Lay the stained garment over the large bowl so the stain is centered on the bowl. To keep the garment taunt over the bowl, hold it in place with a rubber band or by tieing a string tightly around the bowl, or have another person hold it in place.
- Carefully pour the boiling water over the stained area and into the bowl. BE CAREFUL not to splash yourself with the hot water. Pour the water from at least a few inches above the shirt or even higher for the best effect; the higher pour will increase the pressure of the water and help to remove the stain.
- As the water travels through the fabric, it will take the stain with it.
- Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.
- You may need to treat the stain with vinegar and water if it remains in the fabric.
- When the stain is removed, wash the clothing in cold water following detergent recommendations on the care tag.
- You may want to air-dry the clothing to be sure the stain is not noticeable when it’s dry. If you place it in the dryer and it’s not completely gone, it will be set from the heat and impossible to remove.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- If you couldn’t treat the stain right away and it has dried, rub glycerin on it before starting to treat the stain to make it easier to remove.
- If the stain is on a garment that is dry-clean only, do not pre-treat or attempt to remove the stain. Take the item to a professional cleaner as soon as possible to have the stain treated. For help finding reputable cleaners in your area, contact your local Chamber of Commerce, or visit the Yellow Pages.
Thanks so much! Tried it, results: AMAZING!
Who on earth has hydrogen peroxide? Oh yeah, I do. Thanks for the amazing tips, but be liberal with the peroxide.
Hi,
Great idea, but I have a different problem: how do I remove juice stains from my LCD TV screen?
Some kids of the neighbors went in my house and stained my entire TV screen. They had orange juice and food all over their hands. I’ve tried cleaning the LCD screen with a wet cloth, with a special product for TV screens; nothing works.
Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Jenna,
Try using a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar:water. White vinegar is recommended for removing juice stains, grease build-up and also for general LCD cleaning. Follow the instructions in the How to Clean an LCD Screen article.
Another option is to use an enzyme cleaner, such as a pet accident cleaner. There are enzyme cleaners specifically made for TV screens, such as Purosol Plasma LCD Cleaner. If you would prefer to use something from a nearby store, you could try something like Nature’s Miracle Cage Cleaner. Cage plastic is different from LCD plastic of course, but you can test a cleaning solution on a small corner or edge first to be sure that it’s safe.
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How To Clean Kitchen Cabinets
Do these methods work for items that have already been washed? I didn’t notice the juice stain on my new down-filled blanket until I had already washed it; it was washed in a cold water wash with mild detergent. HELP!
Thank you.
A container of orange juice exploded in my car over 3 years ago. As a result there are some very old, extensive and stubborn stains on the roof lining of the car. The lining is fabric bonded to a plastic back. Any ideas, folks, on how I can remove the worst, if not all, of these stains, which are now grey with age. Tough one! Thanks all.
Francis,
Try using an enzyme digester, such as a pet stain and odor remover that contains enzymes. The enzymes will eat almost anything that is organic, regardless of age. One made for upholstery should be safe for a car roof, but test it on a hidden spot first to be sure. Follow the directions on the label of the product you choose. You may need to reapply the cleaner several times. Also, keep in mind that when spraying something onto the ceiling, it will drip down onto you (which is important to note because some enzyme digesters are not supposed to touch the skin – again, read the label of your selected product), so wear a rain coat or use a glove and umbrella combo to shield your skin from the mist.
I got a juice stain on my best friends NEW couch! How do I fix it without her noticing??? HELLLLPPPPPP?!!!!!
Check it out! We’ve answered your question! Yay!
I have a plastic container that I put fresh-cut lemonade in. At the end of event, there are stains on my container. How do I clean it? I used Clorox and Dawn, but it still looks unclean.
Pat,
This is the article that you need: How to Clean Plastic Food Containers.
Hi, I have spilt some lemon juice on my blue lino; it’s left white marks. I tried just washing with water, but once it dries, it goes back to blue. Is there anyway to get rid of these marks? TIA.
I spilled cranberry juice on a white lacy blouse. It dried. I treated it with a stain remover; it did not come out. Then I use the peroxide; it did not to come out. Then I used Clorox; it did not come out. I washed after each application in cold water. Help help!
Charlene,
Try using a stain remover that is specifically made for red stains, such as a red wine stain remover. I’ve had great success with very old (years old) stains using Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover, though I’ve never tried it on a cranberry stain. You could also try OxiClean, which is extremely effective on stains that other cleaners can’t budge. If those don’t help, I’d suggest trying the peroxide or Clorox again as those are meant to bleach the fabric.
Sounds like it would do wonders for fabric, thanks!
Question though, how would we approach this for removing cranbrerry stains from a plastic water bottle (the clear hard plastic)? I went through a binge stage of drinking cranberry juice and had kept a water bottle full in my fridge. Now that I have gotten over the stage I noticed that it left this brown colored stain on the inside after cleaning it.
Maybe just my OCD but it…irritates me.
AW,
Don’t use the boiling water method in this article as that could alter or even melt the plastic bottle. If you want to try one of the other methods, you can just fill the bottle with the solution, let it soak for about 15 minutes, then wash the bottle with a soft scrub brush. You can also try the methods in the guide How to Clean Food Dyes from Plastic as any of those could work on juice stains as well. In particular, the denture tablet method is easy and can do the trick on most food stains. Good luck!