Tackle pesky bleach stains with these tried and true methods
Bleach is a great product for cleaning bacteria and stains, but the effects of an accidental spill can be permanent. Because bleach removes dye and other materials from surfaces and fabrics, fixing a bleach stain is tricky and requires trying to counteract the dye loss as opposed to actually removing or cleaning the bleach.
While fixing bleach stains is difficult, it’s not impossible. These tips can help you fix bleach stains on common fabric types and surfaces, including clothes, carpets, and countertops.
Even a drop of bleach can ruin a favorite shirt or kill the aesthetic in a room. For small stains on fabric or carpet, rubbing alcohol or clear alcohol (like gin or vodka) can help.
When you first notice a bleach stain, follow these steps:
Soak a cotton ball with chosen alcohol.
Press the soaked cotton ball into the bleach stain until the area is wet.
Rub ball in the bleached area until the original color spreads across the area.
Rinse well in cold water.
This fabric or carpet cleaning method is best if you only have a small bleach stain, as it works by helping spread the original color of the fabric into the bleached area. If the spot is too big, there won’t be enough fabric color and dye to go around.
Some carpet materials may be harder than others to fix and may require professional carpet repair services near you instead.
Bleach removes dye, so try dying your fabric for extra-large stains. With this option, you can choose to either dye the entire garment or spot dye certain areas with a fabric marker pen, depending on your preference and the nature of the stain.
When applicable, go all in and just dye your stained fabric instead of treating it. The hardest part of this method is finding a dye that matches the color of your fabric as close as possible. You can usually find good-quality fabric dye at your local supermarket or craft store.
From there, follow the instructions on the bottle to dye your carpet or fabric.
You can also spot-dye your fabric with a fabric marker pen, which may be easier if you have fewer spots. Simply find a matching fabric marker and color in the bleached area.
For black fabrics, you can always use a permanent marker in a pinch. Just know that this won’t hold up in the wash like dye will.
Vinegar can help clean a wide variety of stains around your house, including bleach stains. But sometimes, instead of whitening clothes, bleach can actually leave an annoying yellow residue.
If your whites come out of the washer or dryer with yellow bleach stains, grab a bottle of white vinegar and follow these steps:
Fully rinse the bleach off fabric (vinegar and bleach should never mix).
Pour white vinegar on yellow stains.
Let vinegar sit for 5 minutes.
Rinse spot with cold water.
Repeat until yellow residue is gone.
Make the best of a bad situation by using bleach to your advantage. Incorporate the bleach stain into a fun pattern using tie-dye or stamps to create a new design on your damaged fabric.
Simply buy a rubber stamp from a craft store in whatever design suits you and get crafty with these steps:
Put a piece of cardboard between the layers of your garment.
Place paper towels on the bottom of your bucket.
Soak the paper towel in bleach.
Press stamp into the bleach-soaked towel.
Press the soaked stamp onto your garment and lift.
Repeat as desired.
When you’ve finished your pattern, neutralize the fabric with cold water and hydrogen peroxide.
While you can clean countertops with bleach, it may lead to staining. When used incorrectly, bleach can erode the protective surface of your laminate or Formica countertops, requiring a more in-depth repair.
To remove a bleach stain on your laminate countertop, you’ll need to sand the area using 150-grit sandpaper. Then, spread epoxy or acrylic adhesive onto the area to match the rest of your countertops. Seal the entire countertop with a laminate countertop polish to help prevent future bleach stains.
Although granite can handle immense pressure and heat, it’s no match for bleach stains.
You’ll need to make a poultice (a soft, moist material) to suck out the stain using these steps:
Mix talcum powder with hydrogen peroxide to create a thick paste.
Apply paste to the stain, creating a 1/4-inch-thick layer.
Tape plastic wrap over the stain to keep poultice moist and active.
Let sit overnight.
Remove plastic and allow area to dry completely.
Use a plastic scraper to take off the poultice.
Clean area with soap and water.
This can be a pretty complicated method and may be best left to a professional granite repair company near you.
If none of the methods above work to remove your bleach stain, consider simply covering the area instead. While this won’t fix the stain itself, it will solve the problem in the meantime until you can hire a local carpet cleaner or a countertop repair pro near you.
For fabric, you can use a pre-made fabric patch or any extra fabric you have lying around to create a patchwork effect on your clothing. For irreparable carpet, countertop, or other bleach stains, hide the spot with a rug or other decorative items.
As you can tell, bleach stains are frustrating and difficult to fix. The best plan of attack is to prevent them from happening in the first place.
When using bleach, follow these tips to prevent bleach stains:
Follow instructions: Make sure to follow all care labels to ensure that the surface or fabric can withstand the product.
Always dilute first: Never pour bleach directly onto fabric or surface. For cleaning, make sure to always dilute the bleach with water before using it.
Keep away from kids and animals: Not only does this keep your loved ones safe from the harsh chemical, but it can also help prevent accidental bleach stains and spills from happening.
