How to Remove Tomato Stains From Clothes, According to Laundry Pros

The juiciness of a ripe tomato is one of life's simple pleasures—but the mess they leave behind is anything but. Tomato stains can be especially tough to remove. The combination of the vivid natural red pigments, acidity, and the grease often used in cooking them causes the mess to bond to fabric fibers tightly and easily.

President of Heritage Park Laundry Essentials Tom Ceconi attributes this to the lycopene tomatoes contain—it's a compound that gives them not only their bright red color but also the antioxidant properties that make them so healthy. “Tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, and ketchup frequently contain oils, fats, and, for commercial preparations, gums and stabilizers, which make the stains harder to remove,” he explains.

So how do you get these tenacious tomato stains out of your clothing? We went to cleaning and laundry professionals to find out.

Method 1: Cold Water and Dish Soap

Fresh stains are typically always easier to clean than set-in ones. For fresh tomato stains on cotton, polyester, or similar types of fabric, cleaning expert Scott Schrader recommends the following steps.

Materials Needed

• Degreasing liquid dish soap
• Cold water
• A spoon or dull knife
• Cleaning cloth
• Soft-bristled scrub brush
• Enzyme-based laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Remove any excess tomato with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon.
2. Blot the stain with a clean cloth, taking care not to rub or scrub. (Scrubbing can push the stain deeper into the weave of the fabric.)
3. Turn the fabric inside out. Run it under cold water from behind the stain to flush out as much of the substance as possible.
4. Dab a small amount of dish soap onto the stain and work it in with your fingers or a soft cleaning brush. Let the soap sit for 10 minutes.
5. Rinse with cold water.
6. Launder with an enzyme-based detergent using either a cold or warm cycle. (Enzymes are important as they can break down different components of the stains, like the fats and oils.)
7. Air dry your garment until you're sure the stain has been removed.

If the stain persists, Ceconi recommends pretreating it again with an enzyme-based stain remover and laundering with a color-safe oxygen bleach (if the fabric care label permits).

Method 2: Vinegar and Baking Soda Paste

If the tomato stain has already had time to dry, resist panic. A couple of simple, household ingredients can eradicate that stain, according to the president of AspenClean, Alicia Sokolowski.

Materials Needed

• Enzyme-based laundry detergent
• Distilled white vinegar
• Baking soda
• Soft-bristled cleaning brush (or old toothbrush)
• A bowl or sink
  

Instructions

1. Soak the stain in a bowl or basin of white vinegar.
2. Make a paste by mixing baking soda and a bit of water.
3. Spread the paste over the stain and gently scrub with a soft-bristled scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Let the paste sit for about 15 to 30 minutes.
4. Rinse with cool water and wash as usual.
5. Air dry afterwards until complete stain removal has been achieved.

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Method 3: Oxygen Bleach Soak

According to Sokolowski, an oxygen bleach soak is suitable for whites and colored items alike and is effective for removing tomato stains. Before treating any garment, read the fabric care label first to ensure that the treatment is suitable.

Materials Needed

• Oxygenated bleach
• Warm or hot water
• Natural laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Dissolve your oxygen bleach in warm or hot water, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations on the product label.
2. Soak the stained garment for 2 to 6 hours, or let it sit overnight.
3. Wash your garment in a regular cycle using natural laundry detergent.
4. Air dry only. The dryer should be avoided until the stain is completely gone. 

Method 4: For Delicates (like Silk, Wool, and Rayon)

According to Ceconi, silk and other natural fibers should not be regularly washed with enzyme detergent. He explains, “Enzyme detergent is made to break down the proteins in dirt and stains, and silk is a protein-based material that will degrade over time if washed in an enzyme solution.” 

To protect your delicates, gentler and acidic methods must be employed to keep fibers from being damaged, adds Schrader. He recommends following these simple steps to remove tomato stains from your delicate garments.

Materials Needed

• Distilled white vinegar
• Cold water
• Cleaning cloth
• Gentle laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Mix equal parts cold water and white vinegar.
2. Gently dab the stain the solution directly on the stain with a cleaning cloth—do not rub.
3. Rinse well with cold water.
4. Hand-wash your garment using a delicate detergent.
5. Lay the garment flat to dry.

Tips and Tricks for Treating Tomato Stains

To best treat tomato stains, act fast. “The sooner you treat the stain, the easier it is to remove,” says Sokolowski. Cold water should be your first defense. “Always treat a tomato stain before washing!” says Schrader. “Once it has gone through the wash and into the dryer, you have little options left.” This is because high heat can further set the stain, making it permanent.

“Avoid using liquid fabric softeners or dryer sheets,” Schrader adds, “as they deposit residue that makes it more difficult for stain removers to work effectively.” And remember: Rubbing the stain can drive it deeper into fibers. Blot stains only.