Easy Hacks For Removing Stains Using Common Household Items—Simple Solutions For Everyday Messes

Kelsey Berish | November 6, 2024 1:00 am

Spilled coffee, pen marks, rust-- no matter what the stain is, they all have one thing in common: they can be very annoying to remove. Thankfully, there are stain-removing hacks using common household products that you probably already own, including baby powder and hairspray.

Keep reading, because these stain-removing hacks are total lifesavers.

Cooking Spray Removes Soap Scum And Hard Water Stains

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Whether it's a shower door or a sink basin, soap scum and hard water stains will ultimately make their way to the surface. The worst part is that both stains are difficult to remove.

That's where the cooking spray comes into play! Spray a generous amount on the stained surface and wipe it away with a towel.

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Baby Powder Soaks Up Oil Stains

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Oil stains tend to pop up out of nowhere, especially when cooking. They're also one of the more annoying stains to lift, with a load of laundry never doing the trick.

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Thankfully, baby powder can soak the oil up in a pinch. Pour a generous amount of powder on the stain and allow it to soak the oil up overnight!

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Pimple Cream Can Remove Ink From Plastic Toys

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Some little kids tend to grab pens and draw on their plastic toys. But those unsightly stains do not have to be a permanent fixture on a doll's face. Pimple cream, specifically those with benzoyl peroxide, is a great agent to help remove the ink.

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Place a generous amount of the cream on the toy, set it in the sun for a few hours, and then rinse the cream away with water. The toy will look good as new!

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Coca-Cola Lifts Blood And Grease From Clothing

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For many people, blood and grease stains are two of the most difficult to get out of clothing. Have no fear, though! Coca-Cola is here to save the day with this magnificent stain-removing hack.

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The carbonic and phosphoric acids found in Coca-Cola will fight blood and grease stains, leaving clothing good as new. Either soak the stained clothing in the drink or add it to a laundry cycle for the best results.

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Hairspray Is The Key To Removing Ink Stains

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Ink stains can be a gigantic hassle to remove from clothing. And if the stain is on expensive work clothes, it's a sad day when the ink won't come out. Thankfully, there is a nice hack that will lift that ink away!

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Spray alcohol-based hairspray directly onto the stain. While the ink won't disappear right away, it will be something of the past after a nice spin cycle in the washing machine.

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Orange Peels Get Rid Of Water Stains On Appliances

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Don't throw away those orange peels just yet! They can be very useful in removing water stains from various stainless steel appliances around the house, particularly in the kitchen.

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The citric acid and the oils found in orange peels makes for a streak-free shine, removing all of the water stains that build up on faucets and sink basins.

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Lipstick Stains Have Nothing On Rubbing Alcohol

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Pink, red, or any other color lipstick is tough to remove from clothing, especially if the article happens to be a light color. The lipstick tends to smudge and stay put. That is if rubbing alcohol isn't part of the equation.

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Apply some rubbing alcohol to a towel, avoid saturating the stained clothing, and blot the lipstick until it disappears.

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Throw A Yellowing Shower Curtain Liner In The Washing Machine

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Over time, shower curtain liners get mildew-laced and yellow, even though they are in the shower and getting soap and water on them daily. No one needs a yellowing liner, and there is a simple hack that will make it look good as new.

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Just throw the dirty curtain liner in the washing machine with a towel! The towel will help scrub the liner while it gets the bath it's been waiting for.

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Olive Oil Helps Remove Hair Dye From Skin

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At home, hair dying is a fast and cheaper way to color hair. The only thing is that the dye might make its way onto the person's skin, which is beyond annoying and difficult to remove.

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The color doesn't have to be an issue, though, as long as there is olive oil in the house! Pour a bit of olive oil on a cotton ball and dab it on the hair-dyed skin. The stain will lift.

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Lemon Juice To Remove Rust Stains On Kitchenware

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Placing dirty knives in a dishwasher is muscle memory for a lot of people. Unfortunately, leaving them in the dishwasher is doing them no favors, as rust is likely to form.

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By soaking the knives in lemon juice for a few minutes, that pesky rust will come right off!

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Cooking Spray Prevents Tupperware Stains

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Pasta sauce, chili, and even salsa tend to stain the side of plastic Tupperware containers, with no way to remove the stain. Thankfully, there is a way to prevent the stain from ever happening.

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Before putting the stain-causing food into the container, spray it down with a thin layer of cooking spray.

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Vinegar Demolishes Iron Scorch Marks

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Over time, irons tend to stain with heated scorch marks. No one wants those stains transferred to their clothing. And this hack is the perfect way to ensure that doesn't happen.

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Pour a bit of vinegar onto a towel and scrub away at the burn mark. If the scorch is extra bad, try lying the vinegar towel down and add some baking soda to act as an abrasive substance.

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Vodka Removes Mildew and Mold

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Bathtub caulking tends to buildup unsightly mildew and mold. Not only are the stains unforgiving when it comes to removing, but they're also downright annoying. Thankfully, there is a hack to remove mildew and mold.

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Grab some vodka and a spray bottle, spritzing the liquid directly on the mold and mildew. Let it sit for 15 minutes and scrub it away with a toothbrush.

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Milk And Vinegar Remove Ink Stains

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For those who are in a rush and need an ink stain out of their clothing as soon as possible, try this hack out for size. Soak the stained clothing in a bowl of one part distilled vinegar and two parts whole milk.

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Let the garment soak overnight, and in the morning, wake up to stain-free clothing! Of course, throwing it into the washing machine afterward is the best way to ensure the stain is completely gone.

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A Nail File Buffs Away Dirt-Stained Suede Shoes

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Suede is one of the more complicated materials to remove stains from; it's just tricky. When it comes to removing dirt from suede shoes, this simple hack makes life a bit easier.

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Using a nail file, gently buffing the dirt, it will slowly but surely be removed from the shoe.

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White Vinegar For Coffee And Tea Stains

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Sometimes, coffee or tea makes its way out of the mug and onto a shirt. The thing is, the unsightly brown stains take a bit of elbow grease to remove without this simple hack.

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Before placing the stained article of clothing in the washing machine, dab it with some white vinegar. The acidic nature of the vinegar will help lift the stain.

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Baking Soda & Peroxide Paste To Remove Baking Sheet Stains

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After being used over and over, baking sheets tend to produce a brown burn stain, one that isn't easily scrubbed away with soap and water. It takes some else entirely to get this stain removed.

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Measure about 1/4 cup of baking soda and pour it into a glass, adding just enough hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Using a very abrasive sponge, scrub the paste into the stains, allowing it to sit for 45 minutes. After, rinse the paste off with warm water.

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Nail Polish Remover Removes Stains From White Sneakers

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White sneakers are going to get dirty; it is inevitable. But people don't have to worry about trying to remove stains from their pristine shoes any longer, as long as there is some nail polisher remover nearby.

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Pour a bit of nail polish remover onto a towel or cotton ball and scrub the stains away! It's that simple.