How to remove strawberry stains, orange juice stains and other fruit stains on clothes

Nothing says summer like a plate of bright, delicious, juicy fruit. While eating fruit is the perfect way to indulge in a healthy snack, it can easily lead to fruit stains on clothing. This article will show you how to remove fruit stains from clothes, whether you need to remove cherry stain marks, fruit juice stains, or even marks from sorbets.

How to remove strawberry stains and stains from other berries

1. Scrape off any big bits of berry

   Begin by using a blunt knife or the edge of a spoon to carefully remove large pieces of fruit.

   

2. Flush the stain with running water.

   Run very cold water over the stain, allowing the water to pass fully through the fabric. Cold is best if you’re looking for how to get out blueberry stain spots. If you want to know how to get blackberry stains out, you can slowly and carefully pour hot water from your kettle over the stained garment while it’s resting over a bowl in the sink – then flush with cold water. Make sure you turn your garment inside out first, so that the stain is pushed out of the fibres of your clothing. If you’re quick enough, you might see some of the stain loosen and dissolve – this is a good sign.

   

3. Pre-treat the stain with a small amount of liquid detergent.

   Apply a small about of liquid detergent, like Persil Bio, to the stain. Use the dosage ball to gently work the detergent into the fibres and leave it to get to work for a few minutes. Be sure to test the liquid detergent on the corner of your garment first to check that it doesn’t damage the fabric.

   

4. Put the garment in your washing machine.

   Always remember to look at the care label on your clothing to ensure you wash it on the appropriate cycle to avoid any unnecessary damage. Wash the garment at an appropriate temperature – hot washes are not suitable, as they can set fruit stains.

5. Use a biological detergent and add an extra cleaning agent for white clothes.

   Consider using a laundry detergent specially designed for stain removal, like Persil Bio. Biological laundry detergents containing enzymes may be best, as they find it easier to break up sugars. Read our article to find out more about how bio and non-bio laundry detergents work. If your garment is white, consider using a small amount of bleach in the wash – lemon juice or white vinegar are good natural alternatives.

6. If the stain hasn’t disappeared, soak it overnight and wash again.

   If the stain is still there after the wash, plunge the item of clothing straight into a bucket of detergent and water, and leave to soak overnight. Avoid drying the garment before the stain is removed as this could set the stain for good. In the morning, wash the garment for a second time and it should disappear.

7. Leave to air-dry.

   Avoid putting your clothes straight in the tumble dryer, as the high temperature will make any residual stain permanent. If the stain has gone, hang the clothing out to dry in direct sunlight (especially if it’s white clothing), as the UV works as a natural stain remover to complete the process.

   Top tip: Fruits can also make powerful cleaners. Learn how to clean with lemon.

How to get orange juice out of clothes and other fruits

So, now you know how to get blackberry stains out, but what about if you’re looking for solutions to how to get orange juice out of clothes, or other, non-berry fruit stains? The steps are similar to removing berry stains, but there are a few additional steps to take:

1.     Remove large chunks of fruit if applicable.

2.     Blot at the stain with a paper towel. This will help to absorb as much moisture as possible. Remember to blot, not rub, as that could further work the stain into the fibres of your clothes.    

3.     Work a small amount of liquid detergent, like Persil Bio, into the stain. You might want to use a soft-bristle brush to do this, or the dosage ball. Whatever you use, go gently.

4.     Leave the pre-treatment to work its magic for 15-30 minutes. By allowing this extra time, the detergent will really start to break down the stain.

5.     Wash the garment in your washing machine.

6.     Leave to air-dry. Once the stain has disappeared, let the garment dry naturally in the air. Hanging it on a line outside in the sunshine will help complete the stain removal process.

With these step-by-step guides you can feel confident you know how to deal with all types of fruit stains – even how to get orange juice out of clothes.