Like many of you, I have children that get into everything they possibly can and thoroughly enjoy making messes. My little girl can find one single M&M and somehow I find her covered head to toe in chocolate.
They come home daily from school with food stains, grass stains, who knows what stains… And all those wonderful stains make it into the laundry hamper for me to find days later.
I have tried about every product on the market for stain removal and so far I haven’t found anything that works as well as this simple homemade recipe. I get frustrated with stain removal charts as well- they can be helpful to some but how am I supposed to know if that blue-ish brown spot is mud, chocolate or blueberries?
Even if I catch the stain on the clothes as the kids get home, they can’t remember what it is they got all over themselves. So short of finding green stains on knees- I usually have no idea what the heck the stain is to identify on a chart anyway.
So I have experimented over the years with various products and various homemade recipes trying to find an all-in-one, simple stain remover that actually works and I thought I’d share my very favorite one with you! This is cheap and easy to make and I have used it on all sorts of stains and had great luck with getting things clean. I have used it on various fabrics, colors, whites…. all with great results. 
In fact, here is a little peek at my Sunday afternoon laundry session. I had 8 items that had stains on them – everything from set in paint stains to blueberry juice, to mystery yellow something or other and mud. I had lots of cotton items, denim, a sweater– and this stain remover worked on almost everything. Here is the easy recipe- simply make as much as you need! Mix equal parts:
- Blue Dawn Dish Soap
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Baking Soda
I usually mix 1 tablespoon of each and that will be enough for several items- I had enough for all the items pictured above. I add one tablespoon of each to a bowl and then I just use a spoon to scoop a bit of stain remover onto the stain. I use the backside of the spoon to sort of rub it in and then let it sit for up to an hour. You can also get a little squeezy bottle and make a larger amount to have on hand- mine bottle is from the Dollar Store. I don’t like to let this sit for a really long time (say days on end) because there is a chance the blue in the Dawn dish soap will discolor your fabric. A few hours is just fine- even on whites. And after letting this stuff sit- most of the items were perfectly clean. Blueberry juice gone, mystery yellow stain gone, chocolate stain gone, grass stains gone, unknown dark brown spots gone…. For the items it didn’t get back to brand new condition, I just repeated the process and there was a dramatic difference. The items I haven’t found this to work as well on are set in paint stains. And remember how I mentioned my kid’s really, really love to do a number on their clothing?
Yeah… this was halfway into a hike in Maui. My little girl was absolutely covered in mud by the end of the day :). Those shorts got rinsed in the hotel sink and then stuffed in a bag for 2 days until we could get home and launder them. In the back those shorts were completely covered in a thick mud. Here they are after one round of stain remover– if you look super carefully there is a tiny bit of a stain on the seams but overall these look fantastic and they are totally wearable again.
And I have used these on shoes too– my littles have a lot of canvas shoes like these: 
I have washed them in the past and found not much of the dirt comes off. I did try the DIY stain remover just quickly rubbing it all over the shoe and letting it sit for about 40 minutes. I tossed in the wash and you can see a huge difference. Use high quality chemical cleaning supplies, and save with IGA products and prices in the catalogues. They still weren’t perfectly clean so I just repeated the process and second time and actually used an old toothbrush to scrub in the stain remover and now these little shoes look really great. So give it a shot and see how it works for you!
***As with any homemade cleaner it is best to test this first in an inconspicuous spot to be sure it is safe for your fabric.
And if you like this post, here are a few other things you might enjoy: 
How to Perfectly Clean Makeup Brushes 
How to Clean Sunglasses 
Free Printable Chore Charts for Kids
Homemade Spot Carpet Cleaner– this works beautifully on car interiors!
So thrilled to hear that Sharon!
I am not sure about spray paint, but for accidental acrylic drips, I use Murphy’s Oil Soap. I let it sit for a while then use a plastic spoon as a scraper. Your thumb fits perfectly in the bowl. I use the spoon for scrubbing other set in stains as well. It doesn’t leave little “pills” like using a toothbrush.
Thank you for the tip Vinita 🙂
I have used hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in household cleaning recipes. Do you have to use blue dawn dish soap?
Rebekah- it works best but any dish soap you have on hand is fine.
Have you tried this with the other colors of Dawn? Just wondering why iy has to be blue Dawn. I was thinking another color might be less likely to stain if left on.
Hi Carmen- I have used all sorts of brands and colors over the years and had no issues. Feel free to use what you have 🙂
-Charlene
Have you tried this method on coffee stains? I spilled coffee on my preteens new sweater. ♀️ Looking to redeem myself.
Um… I’m sure I’ve had coffee stains. Worth a shot to try Bridget.
I have used this same “recipe ” for years but for an extra boost I also add about a tablespoon of grated fels naptha bar laundry soap. You can find this in the laundry detergent isle for about $1.00. Its been around forever! It works miracles on stains!
I love this stain remover, thank you for sharing for many to see. I just want to add when using hydrogen peroxide, it’s important to keep it in a dark bottle. Light weakens the peroxide. I’ve been using this solution for years, I use the peroxide bottle, and add a sprayer. It’s come to my rescue many times.
For Rebecca – someone said to use hand sanitizer on a coffee stain, when in a pinch. I can attest to it being the best remedy and it dries with a spot. I use plain sanitizer, wouldn’t want any sparkle sanitizer.
This works fantastic on old stains and oily, greasy stains.
So glad to hear that Regina!
Thanks for the tip Pam!
Good day i just want to know what strengh must the Hydrogen Peroxide be
Alecia- whatever you have should work! I think the one I have is 70%.
How long will this last in the bottle without losing its potency? AKA, how often do I need to make a fresh batch?
Does the hydrogen loose its power went mixed and left set for awhile?
I have found out the hard way that the peroxide will bleach colors. I just leave the peroxide out for colored clothes. The Dawn and baking soda do the a great job. But for whites your mixture is the best!
My husband is on blood thinners, and bleeds easily. I have found that hydrogen peroxide really helps remove many blood stains. Spray it on , wait a minute or two, and rinse.
I’ve never had any issues with the peroxide fading any of my colors. I apply to the stains as I’m sorting a load of laundry and I spray it in the stain…then rub it in and toss it in the washer. I occasionally have to retreat the stain if it’s real bad or an old stain. I use 2 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part blue dawn. I’ve never added baking soda to mine
Question how do you think it would work for a stained bed mattress?
Definitely give it a shot Beatrice- I’d let it sit a bit and then try to clean with hot water and a rag.
Ok I know this is an old post but I came across it yesterday desperate to get horrible stains out of a dress my daughter wore ONCE. I am in shock. I am in awe. It looks brand new today. So I pulled out a baby seat that was headed for the trash because of the food stains on it that are TWO YEARS OLD and again it looks completely refreshed and I save $$$ on a new one. BLESS YOU! Literally bottling this as a gift for two moms this week haha.
yay!! So happy to hear that Sara!
It may be a stupid question, but I will still ask: can 6% or 9% be used instead of 3% hydrogen peroxide but with an increased water content to reduce the percentage? (I have 6% or 9% hydrogen peroxide to color my hair!)
Urg I have no idea Tatjana. Sorry but I think I got a C in high school Chemistry. I am going to bet it would be totally fine but maybe you can try a corner of the clothing first just to be sure.
WOW!!!! Thank you Soo very much for sharing this!!! Ring-around-the-collar…..gone, sweat stains (underarm area)…..gone and we farm, veggies and numerous fruits which I can, and this recipe is just what I needed. Thank you again!!!!
So happy to hear that 🙂