natural choices for stain removal

[denaverbena]

Seems I can't keep anything stain free these days. I have little grease spots all over my clothes from baby hands and squished berry spots all over DD cloths. I usually use 7th generation detergent along with baking soda and/or vinegar if needed. How do you get stains out? What natural products do you like? Thanks so much!

[Denvergirlie]

Have you tried pre-treating your clothing with smal spots of dishwashing liquid?
I use Dawn personally, as 7th generation doesn't cut the grease in our water. I keep a bottle of Dawn dish soap in the laundry room and pre/spot treat food stains on our clothing.
If 7th genreation is doing the job for you in the sink, try it on your clothes as well.

good luck

[2xand2y]

For organic stains I use Bac-out; I love that stuff!

[artemis33]

Another vote for Dawn on the greasy stains. I, too, keep a bottle in the laundry room though I use something different for my dishes.

For other stains I soak in Oxyclean, then wash again - repeat without drying if needed.

I use Bac Out mostly for odor issues - I haven't paid attention to the stain aspect, but I love that stuff, too!

[sunnysandiegan]

For non-greasy, organic stains (berries in your example), I use cold water as soon as possible.

We don't have greasy stains very often and I just wash as usual and they seem to come clean with our regular detergent. I use a variety of detergents and it doesn't seem to matter. Right now, we're using homemade detergent.

If I were to catch a greasy stain, I would soak the garment in hot, soapy water before washing. Dish soap. I prefer BioKleen to Seventh Generation.

[ladymeag]

Copied from my response in another thread:

I bought some Rockin Green for my diapers, it worked so well, I've been trying it on other things. Stains Rockin Green has gotten out for me so far, with a soak: cat pee (color and smell), strawberries, blueberries, chocolate, blood, grease, unknown old stains that had persisted, grape juice (handmedown clothing).

[Eman'smom]

I have been having amazing luck with Ecover lately. I'm totally loving it.

[Beauchamp]

for individual stains I use Dr. Bronner's. My husband just got his pants leg caught on a trailer hitch ball thingy and left a huge grease stain, which Bronner's got out in seconds. I washed the pants fairly soon after and there is no stain at all.

[cristeen]

I also use Dr. Bronners for any grease-based stain. It doesn't do too well with colored stains, but for grease it's excellent.

[Norabella]

Originally Posted by cristeen

I also use Dr. Bronners for any grease-based stain. It doesn't do too well with colored stains, but for grease it's excellent.

Which type of Dr. Bronners? or does it matter. I use Bac-out for colored/organic stains and was using Zainz for grease, but we just moved and I can't get Zainz anymore.