St. Patrick’s Day is nearly here, which means a whole lot of fun is around the corner. Perhaps a bit too much fun, if your celebration includes a spill or two!
Ever wondered how to remove beer stains from clothes? In honor of everyone’s favorite drinking holiday, we’ve gathered a few laundry tips for removing beer, wine, and sugary drink stains from clothing.
Keep reading to get ahead of the stains and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with peace of mind!
How to Remove Beer Stains from Clothes
Tackling Tannin
Beer stains fall under the category of tannin stains, which also include wine, coffee, cola, and natural fruit juice. To tackle tannin stains, you’ll need cold tap water, white vinegar, a clean sponge, and dish soap or liquid laundry detergent (ideally enzymatic).
Once you’ve gathered your materials, follow these steps:
Rinse the stain under running water from the back, flushing the beer away from the unstained fabric.
Mix a splash of cold water and detergent or dish soap, then pour the solution on the beer stain.
Allow the soap to sit for at least five minutes, then rinse it from the back again with cold water.
Mix one part vinegar with two parts water, then sponge the stain with your mixture until it’s thoroughly wet.
Immediately rinse the vinegar solution out from the back again, this time with warm water.
Next, read the garment’s care label to wash it as you normally would.
For stubborn stains or particularly dark beers and stouts, prioritize using enzymatic detergent and allow it to soak for up to an hour before rinsing.
A Note on Fabric: When to See the Pros
Your beer stain removal success will depend on your garment’s material:
Cotton garments are usually fine to tackle at home, but sometimes respond better to warm washing machine water (but still soak with cold).
Synthetics can handle scrubbing, so if needed, use a brush or rub in your detergent.
Silk is extra sensitive to stains, so you’ll need to soak it for longer or take it to the dry cleaner.
Wool is quite sensitive to water temperature and detergent, so a dry cleaner is always recommended.
Learn more about what types of stains are best left to laundry pros.
How to Remove Wine and Cocktail Stains
Cleaning red wain stains is never fun, but with liquid detergent, cold water, stain remover, and a pinch of salt, your garment stands a chance.
As for cocktail spills, fruit juice and cola also have tannins, so follow the same steps as beer. For other types of drink spills, this article covers what types of household items can remove different stains.
If it’s time to visit a dry cleaner, skip the ‘laundry near me’ search and contact the WaveMAX laundromat in Thornton! If you’re in a pinch, our team also offers pick-up and drop-off dry cleaning services in the Denver metro area.
