Free Stain Removers

Forget about commercial stain removal sprays; you can treat your clothing stains just as effectively with items that you have at home – and at a fraction of the price. Here are several to consider:
1. Laundry Detergent

Detergent is the must-have item for clean clothes, but it can also be your must-have item for stain removal. Apply a bit of liquid laundry detergent to your stain, and rub it in with a brush. Then, toss the soiled garment into the wash with the rest of your clothing, and forget about it.

Like the convenience of commercial sprays? Just fill a bottle with laundry detergent, and you have the perfect replacement.

2. Baking Soda
No time to devote to scrubbing? No problem. Just add 1/2 cup of baking soda in with your detergent, and your clothes will come out cleaner.

3. Vinegar
Rescue that bottle of vinegar from your pantry, and put it to work in your laundry room. When mixed with equal parts water, vinegar is the perfect solution for soaking stained clothing.

4. Dish Soap
For tough food stains, give liquid dish soap a try. Squirt a bit on the spot you wish to treat, or soak the entire garment in soapy water for a few hours. Then, rinse out the soap, and wash as usual.

5. Water
With all of the cleaning products on the market, it's easy to overlook the simplest choice--water. Rinse or scrub out a stain with cool water as soon as it happens, and you're likely to find that's all the treatment you need.