After a particularly lively night, you might find your favorite shirt covered in splashes of wine, coffee or mustard – or if you’re really unlucky, all three. These can all be stubborn stains, and their chemical makeup is different. Is there a single stain remover that can combat them all?
To find out, I tested more than a dozen popular stain removers on all those messes plus several more, including grass, lipstick and ink. They aren’t all recommended, but I tried many home options, like OxiClean, Zout, Shout and Seventh Generation, along with Tide pens and Miss Mouth’s wipes that are easy to take on the go. Since we’re not always at home when a laundry disaster strikes, I also tried pens and wipes that are easy to stow in a bag or purse.
Check out our guides to the best laundry baskets, best bath towels, our top laundry essentials, tips for getting stains out of white clothes and whether dryer balls actually work.
This guide was updated for fall 2026. We now explain why OxiClean and some popular stain removers we tested didn’t make the cut (see: other stain removers we reviewed). We also added a few new FAQ answers. We are testing new stain removers for future updates!
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At a glance
The best all-around stain remover
Zout No Scent Laundry Stain Remover Liquid
Read more
$7
Runner up (and best for turmeric stains)
Spray ’n Wash Max Pre-Treatment Stain Remover
Read more
$4
Best for stain emergencies
Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Pen
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$3
Best for kids to use (and eco-friendly)
Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater Wipes
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$5
Another eco-friendly option
Dr Bronner’s Pure-Castile Magic Soap
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$17
Great for stubborn old stains
Amodex Ink & Stain Remover
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$8
The best stain removers, in detail
Below are reviews for our top stain remover picks and added retail options.
The best all-around stain remover:
Zout
No Scent Laundry Stain Remover Liquid
from $7
Zout is a jack of all stains for your laundry room. Many food stains seemed to all but evaporate after washing and it was among the leaders of the pack for some of the trickier liquids.
It’s a great choice for an all-around stain remover that does well with everyday food messes, including chocolate, coffee and ketchup. For fresher stains that had only been sitting for a few hours, Zout did an even better job.
Zout is simple to use and only required between one and five minutes to tackle stains. Since a lot of us only remember to treat stains while we are in the process of doing laundry, it’s nice to have a product that you don’t need to sit and wait for when you’re at the Laundromat or trying to rush out the door.
It’s a shame that … it can’t do everything. It’s not the best product for removing ink by far, and it was only OK at getting rid of lipstick.
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Best for: chocolate, olive oil, grass, ketchup
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Struggled with: lipstick, turmeric, blue ink
Runner up (and best for turmeric stains):
Spray ’n Wash
Max Pre-Treatment Stain Remover
from $4
Turmeric gets its own category because it was among the most stubborn stains I tested. Nothing got it out completely, but Spray ’n Wash worked the best.
Like Zout, Spray ’n Wash was a standout in almost every category. It’s another versatile stain remover that thoroughly got rid of most of the same stains.
With lipstick and turmeric, Spray ’n Wash did particularly well. It still left quite a bit of both behind, but these stains were visibly more faded after treatment. The spray didn’t work quite as well on mustard as Zout did. Otherwise, these two were pretty evenly matched.
It’s a shame that … it requires more effort than Zout. The directions suggest letting it sit for 5 minutes before rubbing the product in. While it’s not a dealbreaker, it does mean you can’t just spray and toss it into the wash – which is ironic, considering the name.
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Best for: chocolate, olive oil, grass, ketchup, turmeric
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Struggled with: lipstick, blue ink
Best for stain emergencies:
Tide to Go
Instant Stain Remover Pen
from $3
The Tide pen works so well you might want to keep one in every bag. In my testing, the Tide pen left behind only faint reminders of the ketchup, chocolate, olive oil and coffee stains. It also worked surprisingly well on the ink stain.
To apply it to a stain, you push the tip in a few times to release a liquid, and then run the pen over the stain. It’s convenient for travel, but it did worry me that I was missing spots here and there, compared with a spray that easily saturates stains.
I didn’t notice an odor when using the pen, which is not ideal for a stain remover you might apply to something you’re still wearing.
It’s a shame that … you’ll never know when the pen is about to run out. There is no window or liquid sloshing around to alert you when it’s close to empty.
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Best for: ketchup, chocolate, coffee, olive oil, grass, blue ink
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Struggled with: lipstick, turmeric
Best for kids to use (and eco-friendly):
Miss Mouth’s
Messy Eater Stain Treater Wipes
from $5
For those looking for an environmentally friendly way to fight stains with fewer chemicals, Miss Mouth’s wipes make few sacrifices outside the individually wrapped packaging they come in.
Sometimes products that are gentler on the environment lack the oomph to blast through hardcore stains. But Miss Mouth’s wipes were some of the best at removing red wine stains and did well on many others. For one of my stress tests, I used a wipe to clean up marks on a dingy coat. The pocket hasn’t looked this bright since I bought it.
It’s also nice that you can use them on the go. The Tide pen outperformed Miss Mouth’s with ink and turmeric. Otherwise, the two had similar results for the rest of the stains. Compared with a laundry pen, wipes might be more convenient to carry in a pocket or tiny purse. They are also easier for kids to use.
It’s a shame that … the turmeric smeared into an even larger stain. There’s a slight odor that you may not want to wear around after treating your clothes. It’s also a pretty pricey option at about $1 a wipe and some wipe bundles include the spray, which isn’t as effective on some stains (though can be more convenient).
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Best for: red wine, chocolate, coffee, olive oil, grass
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Struggled with: lipstick, turmeric, blue ink
Another eco-friendly option:
Dr Bronner’s
Pure-Castile Magic Soap
from $17
Laundry is on the list of this Castile soap’s 18 different uses. It did an admirable job with the mustard and lipstick stains, which were some of the overall toughest to get out. Dr Bronner’s also makes Sal Suds ($15 for 32oz), an all-purpose cleaner that can fight stains.
It’s a shame that … it couldn’t clean up in more categories, including red wine, turmeric and ink.
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Best for removing: ketchup, chocolate, olive oil, grass
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Stains it struggled with: red wine, turmeric, lipstick, ink
Great for stubborn old stains:
Amodex
Ink & Stain Remover
from $8
In addition to the messy T-shirt tests, I tried a few of the top-performing products on random, older stains around the house. Amodex did well on the sleeve of a dirty coat that I’ve tried a zillion other stain removers on.
It’s a shame that … it didn’t work as well as some other cleaners on the list in the T-shirt and silk tests.
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Best for: stubborn stains
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Struggled with: olive oil, turmeric, lipstick, blue ink
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Other stain removers we tested
We also liked these:
We would avoid these:
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OxiClean basic Laundry Stain Remover Spray ($3 at Walmart, $4 at Home Depot): I haven’t yet tested the “Max” type, but standard OxiClean spray failed to totally eliminate any stain.
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DIY combo of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid ($2) and hydrogen peroxide ($5): I tested dish soap and hydrogen peroxide together to test a DIY stain elimination method. The combo held its own against ketchup, chocolate and coffee, but struggled with mustard, turmeric and others. I don’t recommend this DIY combo due to the risk of discoloring fabrics with hydrogen peroxide and the lack of cleaning powder.
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Seventh Generation Laundry Stain Remover ($4 at Amazon/Whole Foods, Walmart): An eco-friendly option may be better for the environment, but it isn’t great if it leaves visible stains.
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Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray ($8 at Amazon, Walmart): We liked Miss Mouth’s wipes, but the spray preformed worse, though it is more economical.
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Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover wipes ($3 at Amazon, $4 at Walmart): These wipes couldn’t compete with the Tide pen in almost any category.
How we tested (and our mission at the Filter US)
Why you should trust the Filter US
Our mission is to help you filter out junk products and buy fewer, better things.
At the Filter US, we test the products we recommend ourselves and never take your trust for granted. We also consider possible impacts on your health or the environment in our coverage and companies cannot purchase a spot in our product rankings because we are here to serve you, not corporations.
Our team is a part of the Guardian’s US editorial team and our journalists follow its strict ethical standards. Learn more about us here.
Who I am
As a somewhat messy eater (others may have compared me to a toddler once or twice), I am plenty familiar with mystery stains – and, out of necessity, the techniques to get them out of clothes. You might not want to invite me to dinner, but I can probably help you eliminate the spaghetti splatters and red wine drips covering your tablecloth.
I am also a science and tech journalist with more than eight years of experience testing and reviewing products. In addition to reviewing cleaning products, I have also put washers and dryers through the paces to find which ones are the best, no matter what laundry detergent you use.
How I tested stain removers
To test 14 stain removers, I put stains on 14 different shirts. I smeared 10 different staining substances on new white T-shirts. Then I made 2in circles and filled them with ketchup, red wine, mustard, red lipstick, turmeric, chocolate sauce, blue ink, coffee, olive oil and grass. Each shirt was dedicated to an assigned cleaner and had its own set of 10 stains.
After letting the stains set for 24 hours, I treated them according to each manufacturers’ instructions. Some needed to sit for 10 minutes, while others needed to be rubbed in. Next, I washed each shirt in my typical cold-water washer cycle with a small amount of detergent.
When the shirts were dry, I compared the remaining stain with the original to see how much the stain remover had eliminated. For the more stubborn stains, such as lipstick, I compared the shirts to each other to find which remover worked the best.
I conducted a few other tests, too, such as staining small pieces of silk with chocolate and mustard to see how well the products worked on a different material. I also treated red T-shirts with each stain remover to test for color fastness. In a final bonus round, I used the winning products to clean longstanding, stubborn stains on my winter coat and a dirty lunch bag.
More advice for removing clothing stains
How do you remove stains or spots from clothes?
Unfortunately, there is no one-method-fits-all for stain removal. Blood, oil and wine stains will not necessarily react to the same product in the same way, for example. Fabric type and color and the age of the stain will also dictate how you treat it.
How do you get old stains out of clothes?
It’s best to treat stains as soon as they happen, but that is not always possible. Once a item has gone through the dryer, it can be particularly difficult to get a stain out of it. Most methods for set-in stains recommend letting the product sit on the fabric for several minutes to as long as overnight.
What are the main types of clothing stain removers?
Unfortunately, there is not a universal stain remover. They target different types of stains.
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Enzymatic cleaners are good for protein stains, such as blood and eggs.
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Oxygen bleach works well on colorful stains, including berries and coffee.
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Soap is best for dirt and other particle stains.
What are enzyme cleaners?
Enzyme cleaners contain enzymes and microbes that combat urine, blood, grass and other organic stains. They can help remove some odors, such as sweat as well. Some of these products need a few minutes to work, and they’re usually not safe to use on certain fabrics, including silk and wool. I’ve found Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Laundry Booster to be extremely effective, despite its high price, and it’s one of my personal favorite laundry products.
What is this mysterious stain, and how do I get rid of it?
Without a time machine or a forensics lab, it may be difficult to determine how splotches of indeterminate origin ended up on your favorite sweater. If it’s a beloved garment, take it to a dry cleaner, which may be able to help find the culprit and have options to appropriately treat it.
Do I need a stain pretreated?
Stain remover sprays, sticks and wipes typically target specific categories of stains, including spots from many types of food or grass. They are particularly useful if you are not home (and have a Tide pen handy) or if you use powder or pod detergent. They may also contain ingredients your detergent doesn’t, which may break down a particular type of stain better.
Do Tide pens work on old stains?
One of the benefits of a Tide pen is that it’s portable, so it can start working on the coffee you dribbled on yourself at work right away. But in my testing, all the stains I treated using the pen were more than 24 hours old, and it still worked great. For set-in stains that had already been washed, the pen didn’t work as well as some of the other options, such as Zout or Spray ’n Wash.
What kinds of laundry detergents help most with stains?
For most stain types, powder detergent packs the ingredients needed to get your clothes spotless. Cold-water washers will want to look for a quick-dissolving powder, like Tide Ultra Oxi. However, powders can sometimes struggle with greasy stains and they are not really suitable for pretreating. Look for liquids with enzymes to combat stains and body odor.
Can I make my own stain remover?
Yes, but it may not perform as well as commercial products. I used a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap to test on grass, wine, ink and the rest of the stains. The homemade cleaner held its own with ketchup, chocolate and coffee, but it struggled when confronted with mustard, turmeric and other troublesome spots.
What are the hardest stains to remove?
Lipstick, turmeric, ink and mustard thwarted every stain remover I tested. Granted, I used a lot of each substance to make my 2in circles, so smaller, lighter spots will definitely be easier to get out. While no stain remover was perfect, Spray ’n Wash lightened turmeric stains and lipstick best, Amodex worked best for mustard, and Tide Pens did best on blue ink.
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
Jenny McGrath is a freelance tech and science journalist with eight years of experience testing tech and home products. She’s dusted her floors with cereal, dumped red wine on carpet samples and splattered dishes with egg yolk to evaluate vacuums, stain removers and dishwashers. She always has podcast recommendations.
