This DIY OxyClean is inexpensive, works well, and is simple. It is definitely something that, once you know it, you'll want to continue using it for the rest of your life. It is especially perfect for whitening without bleach when you need to whiten a delicate fabric that you wouldn't dare to bleach with any kind of harsh chemicals. It is a very gentle cleaner for stains, too. There are two ways to use it and only two ingredients.*Hydrogen peroxide
*Baking soda
For spot cleaning, mix hydrogen peroxide and baking soda together until they have a paste-like consistency and then apply it to the area you want cleaned/whitened. Scrub it into the fabric with a sponge or cloth, then rinse with water once it's cleaned.
For INTENSIVE cleaning action, mix 1 baking soda with 3 parts hydrogen peroxide (enough to cover the article of clothing you want to clean/whiten) in a pan on the stove over medium high heat.
Boil the clothing in this mixture, stirring often to prevent the bubbles from boiling over. Continue to stir until the fabric is white/stains are gone, etc. Then, wash the clothing as normal.
For my example, I used the boiling method on a piece of antique lace that had yellowed. In the picture (kinda hard to tell), I put it next to another piece of antique lace that was the same color it had been, so that you could get kind of a before-after view of it. I was very, VERY pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. Honestly, I'd say this DIY is better than Oxy Clean. I already have a big batch of un-cleanable stained clothes ready to go for round of boiling clean!
UPDATE! I have been accumlating clean but stained clothes for about a month, then mixed up a batch of DIY OxyClean to use on them. This time around, I added the paste, then squirted a bait of additional hydrogen peroxide on them (since the moment the paste hits your clothes, they suck up the liquid) and then rubbed it in thoroughly. I let the entire pile sit like this for about eight hours, then washed them. BOOM! Goodbye stains- blood, milk, spit-up, grass, pit stains (gross!) and, of course, mystery stains. Folding my laundry was like Christmas because I was so excited to see which stains came out. Aside from one mystery stain on a white shirt that only faded 90%, everything else cameout perfect! SO sweet.
Enjoy the before and afters!
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| Dirt on the back of my shirt from playing in the grass outside |
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| Raspberries on my baby's onesie (and yes, this is the DIY baby onesie bikini- I have to say, it washes really well and looks awesome even after months of use!) DIY Baby Onesie Bikini |
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| Sorry for the weird angle- these two spots were in my shirt for months- you can see one is gone completely, while the other one is smaller and faded. I think if I do it again but let it sit a few hours longer, it will take out the second one. I hope, at least! |
Just have to say... I used this in the paste form today on a variety of stains- set in sweat in armpit stains, watermelon, and, of course, poop (thanks, baby girl)- I applied the paste, let it sit for maybe 30 minutes and washed like normal. It got ALL of the stains out! Man, this stuff rocks. I was excited about it, so I thought I'd post my updated results. :)
ReplyDeleteDoes this only work on white clothes or can it be used on colored fabric as well?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely works great on colors!!!
ReplyDeletedang it! i'm allergic to peroxide!
ReplyDeleteAre you sure this works for colors? Peroxide is a "bleaching" agent, think hair color, teeth whiteners, etc.
ReplyDeleteI've used it on green, navy blue, turquoise, and red clothes without any problems. As always, if you are worried about colorfastness, make sure to first test a hidden part of the fabric.
DeleteLove the extra info! Thanks!
DeleteIf you use peroxide, do not set out in the sun to dry. It turns yellow on some fabrics. I have a nice white top with a yellow spot. It did remove the stain though.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get the stain out that was made from using peroxide?
DeleteWhat was the % strength of the peroxide that you used? Many different strengths from 4% upwards! I currently have 38% which I dilute for household or use as is for the pool.
ReplyDeleteTee Kaycee, I just used your basic 3% H2O2 (the cheapest stuff they have....)
ReplyDeleteWorked on Baby Vitamin stains that had been set in for several washes. I used the paste and added a little bit of blue Dawn soap and left on overnight.
ReplyDeleteDO NOT do this!!! It put holes in my shirt and ripped it!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm sorry to hear that it damaged your shirt, but I'm not sure why it would have. I've used this on baby clothes, white dress shirts, linens, socks, and even antique wedding lace with no effects other than stain removal... sorry to hear about your bad luck!
ReplyDeleteI have used peroxide on 100% linen, and it did burn holes in it. Always check on a small piece first.
DeleteI don't think it wad the 100% peroxide i think it was that you put liquid soap on it&they might have a bad reaction.
DeleteI'm also curious - what strength was the peroxide? Did you use any other products in conjunction with it? What type of material was the fabric made out of, and how long did you let it sit on the clothing before washing? i'm really sorry to hear that it ate holes your clothing. It can be such a frustrating and disappointing experience, having clothing ruined. If you posted the circumstances under which this happened, I think that it may benefit everyone who is about to use it, so that they can know what to watch out for and be careful with while using this DIY OxiClean!
DeleteI use Biz to soak fragile heirloom items, laces and fabric. I place a scoop or two of Biz into a bucket or bin. Add hot to warm water to dissolve. I check to make sure the liquid covers the garments. Add water if needed. When cool I add clothes and soak for up to a week. If desired white or stain removal has been achieved I place in net zipper bag and wash with gentle cycle. If not I remix a fresh Biz batch and repeat. This is a gentle method for whitening old things that have yellowed and removes many stains.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip!
DeleteI just bought biz for my white sheets that are so gross. Bleach alone hasn't been doing the job.
DeleteI can't wait to try this. I will make sure I use 3% peroxide. Lol. There's so many shirts with pit stains. It would be nice to get them all clean.
Do you think this would work on a shirt I accidentally turned pink? I washed a white shirt with a new beach towel and it turned the shirt pink. I have tried to wash it repeatedly, but no luck. I was hoping that this might be strong enough to turn it back white without damaging the picture on the front of it
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else works on it, since it's just one shirt, I would put it in a pan on the stove and boil it in a solution of the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide until it gets all white again. Let us know how it works for you!!
DeleteIt worked! It got most of the pink out of the shirt and is now wearable for my little boy again :) thank you!
DeleteGreat news! Thanks for the update. So glad to hear that it worked for you !
DeleteThere's no water when you boil it? Just lots of peroxide?
ReplyDeleteYup. It's literally a solution of just peroxide and baking soda.
DeleteThanks! This worked super on some poop stained cloth diapers. I didn't have as much luck on one t-shirt, but you can't win them all. Also, my liquid turned brown after boiling for a bit?? I wonder if the shirt was just that dirty or if it was a chemical reaction to the pan or something? (I'm no chemist.) Love your blog!!
DeleteYeah, it isn't perfect for every stain, but it's the best stain remover I've found yet. I'm so glad to hear you like the blog! Makes my day. :)
DeleteInstead of boiling can you just let the paste sit in the stains and wash as normal?
ReplyDeleteI have the same question - I have several large items that I want cleaned that would not fit in a pot. Do I need to boil the solution and then poor it on the items or just poor it on the items uncooked and let it sit for several hours? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe solution works best heated up, so boil the solution and pour it over the area that needs to be cleaned. Allow it to sit for several hours and then wash them like normal. (As always,test for colorfastness! You can never be too careful.)
DeleteThank you!
DeleteJust my 2 cents - If you're going to do the "boil on the stove" or "put in a pot and let set" methods, do NOT do it in a METAL pot (especially aluminum!!) as you'll get a metallic reaction!!!!!
ReplyDeleteUse glass or Pyrex.
Great tip! You can also use the paste on stubborn grout stains.
Great ideas,thank you. Do you recommend a brand for the baking soda? Often manufacturers add special "New Additives" which can adversely react just enough not to work. I don't remember the chemical content of baking soda but likely the purest form will give consistent results.
ReplyDeleteThis I am going to try! Also, I found that Dawn dish washing liquid and baking soda made into a paste cleans the tub and shower. We had god knows what in our shower from the man bringing his work home. From paint to cement particles and dirt dirt dirt. I put a runner glove on at first to rub it on, I was going to let it sit. It started working while I rubbed it in. So I scrubbed while I rubbed. I didn't let it sit like was suggested, I just had to see the results that I knew were occurring. Paste that nasty tub up!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI'm very late for this post, but could you please tell me what % of hydrogen peroxide I should use for this?
I use 3%, the common one you can pick up at most supermarkets.
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