Barbeque sauce stains are tough to eliminate because of their composition; they have grease, sugar, spice, and tomato. This combination of ingredients makes barbeque sauce very delicious. Unfortunately, they also make the stains hard to remove.
Luckily, the stain removal process – while lengthy – is straightforward and similar no matter the stain removal item involved.
How to Remove Barbeque Sauce from Clothes
There are two things to consider before the stain treatment; the age of the stain and the durability of the stained fabric.
Fresh stains are easier to remove before they set into the fabric. Barbeque sauce stains are oily, and oil repels water, but the correct stain removal item will remove them. There is a less than probable chance of removing dry stains.
The treatment and item involved in removing the stains from the clothes may be harsh to clothes. Use less intense agitation when treating delicate fabrics in contrast to durable ones. Perform a patch test on an innocuous part of the stained clothes to see if it has adverse reactions to the stain remover.
Dish Soap
Dish soap effortlessly removes barbeque sauce from plates and utensils; it will remove barbeque sauce from clothes, even long after it dries.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour dish soap on the stains and sprinkle water on the area.
- Gently scrub with a soft brush in a circular motion to avoid expanding the circumference of the stains.
- Wait for 20 minutes for the treatment to penetrate the fabric.
- After 20 minutes, rinse the stains with cold running water.
- Wash the clothes but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Oxygen Bleach
The active agents in oxygen bleach are powerful enough to remove stains from clothes while preserving the color, unlike chlorine bleach which can’t tell the difference between stain and cloth color.
Oxygen bleach also removes set stains, but you should perform a patch test beforehand.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Fill a sizable bowl or bucket with enough cold water to contain the number of stained clothes.
- Pour the recommended amount of oxygen bleach powder into the water and stir till it mixes.
- Submerge the clothes in the water and soak for a few hours.
- Wash the clothes but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is one of the active ingredients in oxygen bleach, but the ones sold in stores are in a diluted form. Mixing hydrogen peroxide with water during the stain treatment releases oxygen that helps lift stains from the clothes.
Always perform a patch test to see how the stained clothes will react to the treatment.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stains, saturating the entire area.
- Allow the treatment to soak for ten minutes.
- Rinse the clothes thoroughly with cold water.
- Wash the clothes but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Tide Ultra Stain Release
Tide Ultra Stain Release, as the name suggests, caters to stubborn stains, like set barbeque sauce stains. Follow the stain treatment by washing with the same item or a different tide detergent.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible. Soak the stained clothes in a bowl of cold water to loosen dry stains.
- Mix one tablespoon of Tide Ultra Stain Release with two cups of warm water.
- Pour the mixture on the stains and gently blot with a clean cloth.
- Leave the mixture to soak for five to ten minutes.
- Rinse the clothes thoroughly with cold water.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is an all-around cleaning agent. It is a degreaser, stain remover, disinfectant, brightener, deodorizer, etc. It is a non-toxic and inexpensive way of cleaning items and removing stains from clothes.
Perform a patch test on the clothes to avoid damage.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Mix equal parts of white vinegar and cold water and pour the mixture on the stains.
- Allow the treatment to soak for ten minutes and gently blot with a cotton cloth.
- Rinse the clothes with cold water.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate wash instructions.
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a stain remover and disinfectant. It should take precedence when trying to remove dried barbecue sauce stains.
Rubbing alcohol is too intense for delicate fabrics and can cause discoloration to some clothes; that’s why you should perform a patch test.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour rubbing alcohol on the stained area and leave the treatment for ten minutes.
- Rinse the clothes with cold water.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is an abrasive and absorbent cleaning agent that can absorb excess stains and scrub the stained areas. It can effectively remove barbeque sauce stains from clothes.
Method One:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour baking soda on the clothes till it covers all the stains.
- Let the baking soda absorb the sauce for 30 minutes, then brush it away.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Method Two:
- Mix equal parts of baking soda and cold water to make a paste.
- Pour the paste on the stains and let it soak for an hour.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is also an abrasive and absorbent capable of removing stains. Although it doesn’t have a powerful cleaning ability, cornstarch can remove enough of the barbeque sauce stain, making it easier to wash away in the washer.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour cornstarch on the clothes till it covers all the stains.
- Let the cornstarch absorb the sauce for an hour, then brush it away.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Shout Advanced Action Gel
Shout Advanced Action Gel is a powerful, concentrated stain remover that will remove barbeque sauce stains from clothes without damaging the fabric. However, you should still perform a patch test on the stained clothes.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Pour the stain remover on the stains and gently scrub with a soft brush.
- Leave the treatment to soak for five minutes and an extended time for set stains.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.
Zout Stain Remover
Zout stain remover utilizes enzyme technology to eliminate stains. However, tougher stains might need multiple treatment sessions.
Procedure:
- Gently remove the barbeque sauce from the clothes with a spoon or a blunt knife.
- Arrange the clothes on a flat surface to make the stains visible.
- Saturate the stains with the stain remover and leave the treatment to soak for five to ten minutes.
- Wash the clothes, but read the care label of the clothes for the appropriate washing instructions.