How to Remove Tomato Sauce Stains From Fabrics

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With so many courses made with tomatoes, a splat or drip of tomato sauce on your clothes, upholstery, or carpet could be, at times, annoying, yet inevitable. Don’t worry! Most fabric stains, like tomato sauce, can be treated with household cleaners such as dish soap and laundry detergent.

In this guide, we’ll educate you on removing tomato sauce stains from fabrics so they’ll appear as good as new!

How to Remove Tomato Sauce Stains From Washable Fabrics

It’s essential to avoid dry cleaning of stained clothes since this can set the stain and make it more challenging to remove.

It would be best if you instead hand-washed the garments to treat the strain thoroughly. However, be mindful if your fabric is colorfast or not. With that in mind, let’s see how to properly remove tomato sauce from washable fabrics.

If Your Fabric Is White or Colorfast

If you’re out to dinner wearing plain white or colorfast, the good news is you can quickly remove fresh tomato sauce stains and still be on the go.

What You Need

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Dish/laundry detergent
• Container
• Spoon or anything available for stirring

What to Do

1. Gently scrape off any solid parts of the stain.
2. Stir half a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with a tablespoon of liquid detergent.
3. Spray or pour the mixture on the stained surface and leave it for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
4. Repeat as necessary, depending on the size and visibility of the stain.
5. Let it dry. (You may now wear it again!)
6. Launder the fabric and dry it under the sun once you get the chance.

If Your Fabric Is Non-Colorfast

If you’re wearing non-colorfast clothes, you have to be more gentle in removing the stains, as your fabric may start to bleed. This solution is also applicable to white and colorfast fabrics.

What You Need

• Cold water
• Dish/laundry detergent
• Color-safe bleach
• Alternative to bleach: ice and vinegar

What to Do

1. Gently scrape off as much excess stain as possible from the fabric.
2. Run cold water through the back of the stain and soak for 5 minutes.
3. Rub liquid laundry or dish detergent to pre-treat the stain.
4. Hand wash softly.
5. Rinse and check to see if the stain is still there.
6. If the stain is still visible, apply color-safe bleach.
7. Allow it to sit for 30 seconds to 2 minutes or until the stain is gone.
8. Launder as usual.
9. Rinse with water, then dry under the sun.

Here’s an alternative solution if bleach is unavailable:

After applying detergent, rub an ice cube into the stain. If the stain doesn’t completely disappear, blot it with vinegar and clean cloth before washing it as usual.

How to Remove Tomato Sauce Stains From Upholstery Fabrics

We recommend you get a professional cleaning service for your vintage upholstery fabrics. But here’s the remedy if you’re willing to handle things yourself:

What You Need

• Cold water
• Dish/laundry detergent
• Clean cloth and towel

What to Do

1. Gently scrape any excess stain off of the fabric’s surface.
2. Blot up as much of the remaining sauce as possible using a clean cloth.
3. Mix 2 cups of cold water with a tablespoon liquid dish/laundry detergent.
4. Dab the solution to the spot from the outer edge inward with another cloth.
5. Using a dry cloth, blot the spot to absorb the liquid.
6. Repeat the method as needed until the spot is gone.
7. Blot the area with another cloth washed in cold water to remove any residual cleaning solution left.
8. Using a dry towel, remove any moisture left.
9. Allow the fabric to dry.

How to Remove Tomato Sauce Stains From Carpet Fabrics

To ensure that the dyes in the fibers won’t fade when you clean the stain, we suggest you test the stain remover you’ll be using on a hidden part of the fabric first.

What You Need

• Cold water
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Dish/laundry detergent
• Clean cloth and towel

What to Do

1. Gently remove as much sauce excess as possible from the carpet.
2. Don’t rub. Blot up as much of the sauce as possible with a clean cloth to absorb the stain.
3. Mix a cup of cold water with a tablespoon liquid dish/laundry detergent.
4. Apply the solution to the spot with a clean cloth, working from the outer edge inward.
5. Rinse the area by dabbing it with water.
6. Blot the spot with a dry cloth until it absorbs all the water.
7. If the stain remains, apply half a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, but test it first in a discrete carpet area.
8. Rinse the treated spot again by dabbing it with water.
9. Blot the area using a dry cloth to absorb the water.
10. If signs of the stain remain, you may need to clean the entire carpet professionally.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to remove tomato sauce stains from fabrics—be it your clothes, upholstery, or carpet, you don’t have to worry anymore about the mess. This knowledge will save you money and time in the future and save you from getting upset, too. After all, a tomato sauce stain shouldn’t stop you from enjoying pasta or beef stew!