10 Sept 2026
Stain removal cheat sheet
- Act fast. Fresh stains tend to be easier to remove.
- Check the care label before treating or washing.
- Remove excess first by scraping gently or blotting, rather than rubbing.
- Pre-treat marks before putting them in the wash.
- Check stains are gone before drying as heat can make them harder to shift.
Tomato sauce on your white T-shirt? Grass stains on your football kit? Foundation on your collar?
Here’s how to tackle some of the most common stains on clothes.
But first… the 5 smol rules of stain removal.
1. Check the care label.
Different fabrics need different treatment. Always follow the garment's washing instructions and take particular care with delicate or dry-clean-only items.
2. Act quickly.
The longer a stain sits, the harder it can become to remove. Deal with them as soon as you reasonably can.
3. Blot, don't scrub.
Remove solid excess gently with a spoon or blunt knife. For liquids, blot with a clean cloth rather than rubbing the stain further into the fibres.
4. Pre-treat.
For washable fabrics, wet the stain and apply smol Stain Gel directly to the mark. Leave it to work for a couple of minutes, then wash following the garment instructions. Don't let Stain Gel dry on the fabric.
5. Check before you dry.
If you can still see the stain after washing then treat it again before drying. Heat from a tumble dryer can make some remaining stains much harder to remove.
How to remove 10 common stains from clothes.
Stain | What to do |
Rinse from the back with cold water. Pre-treat, then wash on cool cycle. Avoid hot water, which can set protein-based blood stains. | |
Blot away as much grease as possible without rubbing. Pre-treat with Stain Gel, then wash according to the care label. | |
Rinse away any loose dirt, wet the stain and pre-treat before washing. Enzymes are particularly handy for breaking down stains like grass. | |
Blot with a clean cloth. Rinse with cool water, pre-treat and wash. Don't rub as this will just spread the wine. | |
Gently scrape away excess chocolate with a spoon, rinse with cool water and pre-treat before washing. | |
Tomato | Scrape off any excess, then flush cool water through the stain from the back. Pre-treat and wash as normal. |
Remove any excess. Pre-treat and wash according to the garment label. Oil-heavy makeup may need another round before drying | |
Fake Tan | Flush the back of the stain with cool water, without rubbing. Pre-treat, then wash according to the care label. |
Pre-treat the stain before washing. Older marks may need more than one treatment. | |
Remove excess, blot with cool water and pre-treat before washing. Deal with whitening toothpaste quickly as it may affect fabric colour. |
Why use an enzyme stain remover?
Different stains are made from different things.
Grease contains fats. Blood contains proteins. Pasta sauce can contain starches and fats.
Which is why enzymes are so handy.
Different enzymes break down different types of stain so they can be washed away more easily. smol Stain Gel uses powerful enzyme technology to tackle tough stains without bleach.
And when you use Stain Gel alongside smol Bio Laundry Capsules, stain removal gets an extra boost with 27% better overall stain removal and 35% better removal of greasy stains.¹
How to get smol Stain Gel.
Already a smol customer? You can add Stain Gel whenever you like from the smol Shop in your account.
New to smol? Start with one of our FREE TRIALS or starter kits. Once you’ve joined smol, you’ll have access to the smol Shop, where you can add Stain Gel and the rest of our cleaning range.
Make stains a smol problem.
smol Stain Gel is bleach-free and colour-safe, with powerful enzymes to target everyday stains. Use it directly on individual marks or add it to your washing machine drawer when the whole load needs a little extra help.
Removing stains FAQs.
Catherine Green, Cleaning Expert
Catherine has been on a mission to revolutionise the way we tackle chores since the dawn of smol and is an advocate for making more sustainable living accessible to all, with a strong focus in cleaning that’s heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet and gentle on the skin. Catherine has tested hundreds of hacks to make tackling chores easier, safer, and better for the planet and our homes.
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