How to Remove Almost Any Stain Using Alcohol

There are countless methods and cleaners for eliminating stubborn stains from clothing, carpets, and furniture. But completely removing every last trace of a stain doesn't require an arsenal of chemical cleaners or repeated cycles in the washing machine. Most stains can disappear in a matter of minutes with a dose of alcohol.

What you can use instead of regular cleaning products

Before you resort to ready-made chemical cleansers, consider reaching for some hair spray, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, rubbing alcohol, or even isopropyl alcohol. When applied to tricky stains like ink and grass, these can be considerably more effective than standard laundry detergent.

These products make effective laundry boosters thanks to their high alcohol content. Why? Because alcohol is a degreasing agent. The toughest stains — especially those that detergent can't handle — are often greasy or oily, and alcohol can more efficiently break down those components.

Even straight, plain vodka (which also helps combat smelly jeans) can help tackle stains, as long as it contains a high enough alcohol percentage. Just make sure whatever product you're using contains enough alcohol to be effective — many modern hair sprays, for example, contain less than 10% alcohol, which is not enough.

What kind of stains can you get out

As One Good Thing by Jillee shows, alcohol-based hair spray and hand sanitizer can work wonders on ink stains. Even permanent marker stains can disappear after a single wash with minimal scrubbing.

Simply apply the alcohol of your choice to the stain, wait around 10 minutes (as Jillee recommends), then toss the item into the wash. When finished, your clothing may come out perfectly stain-free.

Other stains that alcohol can help remove, according to The Maids and Rachael Ray Magazine, include:

• Grass (on both clothing and carpet)

• Grease (on carpet and rugs)

• Lipstick, foundation, and other makeup

• Permanent marker

• Mustard

• Gravy

The tougher the stain, the more useful alcohol can be for breaking it down.

Alcohol isn't always the best solution

While alcohol is a strong cleaner, it is not always safe for every type of fabric. It can cause fading or damage to some materials, especially delicate synthetics.

Avoid using alcohol on these fabric types:

• Acetate

• Triacetate

• Modacrylic

• Acrylic

Also, stick to colorless products. Blue hand sanitizer or darker alcohols like whiskey can leave a different kind of stain. Your best bet is a clear, unscented isopropyl alcohol or ethanol-based product.

If the fabric is too delicate — or the stain is not grease-based — consider trying a homemade stain remover or one of these DIY alternatives.