Perfume stains can be tricky to remove from clothing. The oil and alcohol content can really set into fabric. But don’t worry – with some household products and elbow grease, you can get those stubborn stains out.
What You’ll Need
- Dish soap
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Laundry detergent
- Washcloth
- Toothbrush
Pretreat the Stain
Start by pretreating the perfume stain as soon as possible. This will help lift it from the fabric before it has a chance to set in.
Mix together a solution of:
- 1 teaspoon dish soap
- 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
Use a clean toothbrush or washcloth to gently scrub this solution into the stain. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing.
Launder as Usual
After pretreating, launder the clothing as usual with detergent and the warmest water safe for the fabric. Check the clothing care label if you aren’t sure.
The heat from the water and agitation of the washing machine will help further lift and dissolve the stain.
Vinegar Soak
If traces of the stain still remain after washing, it’s time to soak it in vinegar. Vinegar helps break down residue left behind by perfumes.
Fill a bucket or sink with very warm water and 1 cup white vinegar. Submerge the clothing and let it soak for at least an hour. Gently agitate the clothing every so often.
Re-wash and Air Dry
After vinegar soaking, run the clothing through the wash one more time with detergent. Then air dry in sunlight, if possible, to naturally bleach any last remnants of the stain.
And that’s it! With a few household products and some determination, you can conquer those pesky perfume stains.
Tips to Avoid Future Stains
- Allow perfume to fully dry before dressing
- Spritz perfume away from clothing
- Store perfumes properly to prevent spills & leaks
- Act quickly when stains happen
References:
Good Housekeeping – How to Remove Perfume Stains from Clothes Martha Stewart – Removing Perfume Stains Tide – How to Get Perfume Out of Clothes
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.