How to Get Old Stains Out of Clothes That Have Dried & Set In

If you find a stain on an item that has been through a hot dryer, it doesn’t have to be permanent. By using the right laundry products and the right technique, stains that have been dried do come out.

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By Mary Gagliardi

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Stains are so much harder to get out when they’ve been exposed to dryer heat, which is much hotter than many people realize. Fortunately, for many clothing stains that have been through the dryer, when you presoak or pretreat with the right products before rewashing you can get these hard-to-remove stains out. Read on for how-to guides on getting set-in stains out of whites or colors.

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Use the right product for the stain

Different clothes require different laundry products for best results

Always check the care label of your clothes for the fiber content to see what it’s made of. Wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex should never be washed with Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach. For colors or clothing with spandex, Clorox 2® for Colors is an excellent choice.

What you need

Steps to get set-in stains out of whites

  1. Add water to the plastic dishpan

    Use cold tap water and measure so you know you have 1 gallon (16 cups).

  2. Add ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach

    Measure the bleach and add it to the water in the plastic dishpan. Use the plastic spoon to stir the solution.

    Tip

    Wear gloves so you can easily handle the item while it soaks.

  3. Add your clothes to the dishpan

    Fully submerge the clothing in the bleach and water solution for 5 minutes. Use the spoon to swirl the clothes around in the bleach solution and make sure it goes in completely.

  4. Machine wash

    After 5 minutes, pour off the soaking solution before transferring the clothes to the clothes washer. Use the hottest water recommended, the heavy duty cycle, a good detergent and 1/3 cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.

    Tip

    If cold water is recommended, consider increasing the temperature to at least warm or even hot. Any risk of shrinkage or color loss from a hotter temperature is worth it to get a stain out of an item that would otherwise be unusable.

  5. Air dry

    Wet clothing can hide stains. Air drying helps you make sure stains are completely gone before tumble drying and making it even harder to get a tough stain all the way out.

Really tough stains that have been through a hot dryer may need multiple treatments to get the stain all the way out. This is better than using a longer soak time or a stronger bleach and water solution, which can yellow the white fabric.

Steps to get set-in stains out of colors or spandex

  1. Apply full strength Clorox 2® for Colors

    Use the cap to apply a small amount of Clorox 2® for Colors Stain Remover and Laundry Additive, then gently rub in.

  2. Wait 10 minutes

    Set a timer to maximize pretreating time without losing track of the time and leaving the product on too long. Don’t let the product dry out on the clothing.

  3. Machine wash

    After 10 minutes of pretreating, transfer the item to the clothes washer. Use the hottest water recommended, the heavy duty cycle, a good detergent and more Clorox 2® for Colors.

  4. Air dry

    When working on removing a stain, keep the item out of a hot dryer until you know the stain is gone.

    Tip

    Some items are heavier when wet and should be laid flat to dry on a clean towel to avoid stretching or tearing.

If the stains are out, great! If not, you can repeat the treatments, each time getting out a little more of the stain. You may also want to try increasing the wash temperature, which improves cleaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I treat a white item with spandex?

White items that include a little spandex should never be washed with Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach. Instead, they should be washed with Clorox 2® for Colors.

Can I spot treat instead of running a whole load of laundry?

Even if it’s just a little spot, fight the urge to apply bleach directly to the stain. Instead, use our guide for how to spot treat stains and hand wash clothes with bleach.