Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Wash a mustard stain from your clothes
• Method 2 of 3: Remove a mustard stain from a piece of furniture or carpeting
• Method 3 of 3: Remove stubborn stains
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

A mustard stain can be annoying because the mixture of turmeric and oil can create a brightly colored stain that is difficult to remove. There are many methods you can try at home, but depending on the composition of the mustard, you may have to try several methods. A mustard stain is easier to remove from a washable garment than upholstery and carpeting because the garment can be thoroughly washed in a washing machine or wash bowl.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Wash a mustard stain from your clothes

1. If new, blot the stain. Immediately press a clean, dry towel onto the stain and flip the towel over or pick up a new portion when the first portion has absorbed some of the mustard. Use an absorbent terry cloth towel or just a paper towel.
2. Scrape off any dried mustard. Use a butter knife or other tool to remove the excess mustard. Only scrape off the mustard when it has dried. If you scrape off wet mustard, the stain can get bigger. Then shake the garment to remove any pieces of dry mustard that could stain even more during washing.
3. Rinse the garment under a cold tap. Run cold water from the faucet over the stain to remove as much mustard as possible. Try to rinse the stain from the back of the fabric, instead of from the front. This will cause the excess mustard to fall out of the garment and not be pushed through the fabric.
4. Apply detergent or stain remover to the stain. Use a store-bought stain remover if you have one at home. Just make sure you have a means without ammonia. Liquid laundry detergent is a great alternative, or you can simply rub the stain with a bar of soap. Gently rub the stain to avoid making the stain bigger.
   • Ammonia reacts with turmeric, the ingredient that gives mustard its yellow color. This allows the color to penetrate even deeper into the fabric. First, check which ingredients contain commercially available cleaning products so that you do not use ammonia-based products.
   • If you are unsure whether the garment in question can be washed, apply the detergent to an inconspicuous corner first and rinse it from the fabric. It is better to use a different method if it affects the color or texture of the fabric.
5. Put bleach in your detergent or wash bowl. If the garment is white, use a chlorine bleach. This remedy should be able to remove the stain fairly well. If the garment is a different color, use colourfast bleach to prevent the color from fading or creating white spots in the fabric. Colorfast bleach is a less powerful stain remover, but it can still work.
   • You usually pour bleach into a different detergent container than your detergent. Pour the detergent into the washing machine as you normally do. If you have a top loader without a detergent dispenser or if you wash the garment by hand, pour it into the washing machine or tub itself. Use 1 part of bleach to 30 parts of water, or about 120 ml of bleach for a medium load of wash.
6. Wash white cotton in hot water and delicate fabrics in warm or cold water. The hotter the water, the better the stains will be removed. However, hot water can damage delicate fabrics and fade light-colored garments so that they stain other garments in the washing machine. Check the care label to find out the highest temperature at which the garment can be washed. When in doubt, wash delicate fabrics with cold water.
   • Wash the garment as soon as possible after applying detergent or stain remover. If you let the stain remover soak in the stain for too long, the stain may be more difficult to remove.
7. Examine the stain before proceeding. Do not put the garment in the dryer or hang it to dry until you are sure that the stain is completely removed. Drying the garment allows the stain to penetrate deeper into the fabric. If you can still see the stain, please follow the steps in the stubborn stains section below. Then you can let the garment dry. Once the stain is completely removed, you can let the garment dry as you normally would.

Method 2 of 3: Remove a mustard stain from a piece of furniture or carpeting

1. Scrape off the excess mustard. Using a spoon or other tool, scrape the excess mustard off the upholstery or carpet. Be careful to pick up and remove the damp mustard from the stained surface, instead of making the stain even bigger. You can use a butter knife to scrape off dried mustard stains.
2. Mix a little mild detergent with water. Stir a teaspoon (5 ml) of mild dish soap into 250 ml of lukewarm water. Do not use harsh cleaning agents such as bleach, baking soda and soda.
3. Allow the mixture to soak into the stain for 5 to 10 minutes. Apply the mixture to the mustard stain with a sponge or towel. Let the mixture sit on the stain for 5 to 10 minutes so that the mixture soaks into the fabric.
4. Blot the stain. Using a paper towel or dry absorbent towel, press against the stain and wet area. If the mustard does not come out of the fabric, gently rub the stain. Just be careful not to make the stain bigger. A mustard stain is one of the most difficult food stains to remove, so you may not be able to get the stain out of the fabric.
5. Repeat the steps above or try a different method. If you can only partially remove the yellow stain, you may succeed if you repeat this method one or more times. Don't forget to let the detergent and water mixture sit for at least 5 minutes before dabbing the stain.
   • If the stain does not visibly shrink on the first try with detergent, go to the section below on removing stubborn stains.

Method 3 of 3: Remove stubborn stains

1. First test the steps below on an inconspicuous corner of the fabric. These methods are more powerful than the simple ones outlined above and can damage the fabric or floor covering while removing the stain. If you are concerned that the products below will affect the color and texture of the stained fabric, test them on an inconspicuous corner of the fabric first. Wait 10 minutes, then blot the fabric with a towel and see if the fabric is damaged.
2. Use a mixture of rubbing alcohol and dish soap. Mix three parts liquid dish soap with one part rubbing alcohol. Allow the mixture to soak into the fabric for 10 minutes before rinsing the fabric with hot water or dabbing with a wet towel. Wash the garment in the washing machine with a normal wash cycle. Alcohol is a powerful solvent, which means that the oil in the mustard stain can be dissolved by this alcohol-based mixture.
   • Liquid glycerine, also called glycerol, has similar properties and can therefore be used instead of the above mixture.
   • Pay attention: If using this product on a garment, place the garment on a towel or other absorbent fabric first. The alcohol mixture is likely to leak through the garment.
3. Cover the stain with the same type of mustard and repeat the cleaning method. This doesn't always work, but sometimes you can remove a dry stain more easily by rewetting it with the same type of mustard. Wait 5 minutes after applying mustard on the stain. Then blot the stain thoroughly with a towel and treat the area as described in the above methods for clothing and furniture.
   • Only use the same type and brand of mustard as the mustard that caused the stain. The oil and turmeric that caused the stain will dissolve with that particular combination of ingredients.
   • Pay attention: apply the mustard only to the original stain and do not rub the mustard into other parts of the fabric when dabbing the stain. Do not test this method with fresh mustard on a clean area of ​​the fabric.
4. Try a mixture of white vinegar and water. Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water and apply the mixture to the stain with a spray bottle or sponge. Leave the mixture on for 10 minutes, then blot the stain with a wet towel. Wash the garment in the washing machine. Vinegar is a less powerful stain remover than alcohol and detergent, but sometimes you can use it to remove stains that cannot be removed with the aforementioned agents. That's because vinegar has a different chemical composition.
5. Bleach the stain with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can fade and discolor fabrics, but it is sometimes used to treat carpet stains. Apply 3% strength hydrogen peroxide to the stain and leave it on for an hour. Blot the stain with a dry towel and repeat the process if necessary. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down when exposed to light, leaving only water left. You do not have to rinse the area.

Tips

• If there is no way to remove a stain from a delicate fabric, try the cleaning method again and use warm or hot water. It can damage your garment and change its texture, but if you can't wear it anyway because of the stain, it might be worth the risk.

Warnings

• Never use bleach on fabrics that are not white unless they are colourfast bleach.

Necessities

• A butter knife or spoon
• Stain remover or soap
• Laundry detergent
• Paper towels or absorbent towel

Plus one or more of the following for stubborn stains:

• Rubbing alcohol
• Liquid glycerine
• Dishwashing liquid
• Mustard
• White vinegar
• Water
• Hydrogen peroxide with a strength of 3%