Are Strawberry Stains Easy to Get Out? 5 Quick and Easy Methods

If you love strawberries but are worried about staining your tennis whites, there is no need to worry as there are effective ways to remove strawberry stains at home.

Enjoy your favorite summer fruit without worrying about ruining your clothes! Nothing says summer like a big bowl of fresh strawberries for you to tuck into on a hot day.

While these delicious berries taste great they can be messy and you need to be careful not to spill any of their juices onto your clothes or upholstery. Don’t be put off eating your favorite summer fruit as you are scared that you will lose your shirt, there are different methods of removing strawberry stains.

We take a look at the most effective ways to remove strawberry stains and other berry stains from fabric. 

There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.

Method 1: Use Stain Removal Product

There are numerous stain removal products on the market, ranging from cheap dollar store fabric cleaners to high-end stain removers that offer a professional finish.

It is worth investing in a spot cleaner/stain remover that can be used on multiple spills and stains, including red wine, as they offer a quick and easy solution to berry marks on your clothes and home fabrics. 

Steps

When using stain removers you should carry out the following steps:

1. Run the item of clothing under a tap that is running with cold water. This will help flush out as much of the stain as possible
2. Apply the stain remover directly to the garment and allow it to sit for up to 15 minutes
3. Rinse the stain remover under the tap
4. Hold the item up to the light and inspect it to see if the stain remains and if so repeat the above process
5. Once you see that the stain has gone wash clothing items as as normal

Method 2: Clean the Stain with Boiling Water

Don’t worry if you do not have a stain remover at home and you cannot get out to buy some, you can try a second method of using boiling water. This option is also good if you do not like using chemicals on your clothes. 

Steps

When using boiling water you should carry out the following steps:

1. Run the item of clothing under a tap that is running with cold water. This will help flush out as much of the stain as possible
2. Stretch the material over a large bowl that is resistant to heat and fix it with an elastic band so that it stays in place
3. Boil water in a kettle or a pan and pour it carefully over the bowl from around 30 inches above. Be careful not to let the bowl overflow
4. Check to see if the stain is still there and repeat if necessary 
5. Once you see that the stain has gone wash clothing items as as normal

Method 3: Loosen up Strawberry Stains with Glycerine

Glycerine is a great product to remove old strawberry stains if you cannot always address the stain straight away or you do not notice the stain until too late. Try not to fret if your stain has been there for a while, using glycerine can loosen the stain ahead of washing in your machine. This process uses no toxins and does not aggravate the skin as some detergents can.

Steps

When using glycerine you should carry out the following steps:

1. Prepare a glycerine solution using 1 part lukewarm water and one part liquid glycerine
2. Place your stained fabric in the solution and allow it to sit for 1 hour (you can leave for longer if you need to go out to work
3. Remove from the mixture and then carry out one of the above processes of removing strawberry stains. Glycerine alone will not remove stains but will make the above processes much easier

Method 4: Remove Strawberry Stains with Lemon Juice

Another non-toxic method of removing strawberry and berry stains is using lemon juice. Lemon juice works best on new stains and will not work effectively on old stains as glycerine does.

It is important to note that lemon juice can only be used on light-colored clothes and using it on dark clothes will lead to bleaching. 

Step

When using lemon juice you should carry out the following steps:

1. Run the item of clothing under a tap that is running with cold water. This will help flush out as much of the stain as possible
2. Apply a squeeze of lemon juice directly to the garment and allow to sit for up to 30 minutes
3. Rinse the stained garment under the tap to remove all of the lemon juice
4. Hold the item up to the light and inspect it to see if the stain remains and if so repeat the above process or revert to one of the other methods in this article 
5. Once you see that the stain has gone wash clothing items as as normal

Method 5: Removing Strawberry Berry Stains with Denatured Alcohol

This method should only be used if you have tried the other options before or you cannot get your hands on any of the other ingredients. The reason for this is that using denatured alcohol risks damaging or discoloring the clothing/fabric as it can cause the dye to bleed out.

If no other process of removing the stain works you can try this as the likelihood is that you will not wear/use the item anyway if there is a prominent strawberry stain. 

Steps

When using denatured alcohol you should carry out the following steps:

1. Run the item of clothing under a tap that is running with cold water. This will help flush out as much of the stain as possible. Unlike some of the other processes, you should not allow the alcohol to stay soaking as you don’t want to give it time to allow the color to run away 
2. Apply the denatured alcohol direct to the garment using a cloth in a blotting motion 
3. Rinse the stain remover under the tap
4. Hold the item up to the light and inspect it to see if the stain remains and if so repeat the above process but keep an eye on how much the alcohol is affecting the color of the fabric
5. Once you see that the stain has gone wash clothing items as as normal

Other Methods to Remove Strawberry Stains

If none of the above methods work at removing strawberry stains or other berry stains you can try the following:

• White vinegar
• Laundry detergent 
• White vinegar mixed with launder detergent
• Chlorine bleach
• Baking soda and water mixture
• Borax

Removing Strawberry Stains from Carpets and Rugs

If you need to get strawberry stains out of larger items then the above processes will need to be adapted. Carpets can often be prone to stains, especially if you have a strawberry-loving toddler at home.

To remove strawberry and other berry stains from carpets and rugs you should follow the below steps:

1. Mix one tablespoon of liquid detergent with two cups of lukewarm water.
2. Use a clean white cloth or a sponge to dab the mixture onto the carpet or rug
3. Continue until all of the mixtures are absorbed.
4. Repeat the above steps until you can no longer see the stain. This may take some time but bear with the process 
5. If you can still see the stain, mix one tablespoon of ammonia with two cups of cold water.
6. Sponge the stain with the ammonia mixture.
7. Dab until the liquid is absorbed.
8. Sponge with cool water and blot dry

You should take caution, not to ammonia and mix chlorine bleach as this is very hazardous to your health due to the fumes this mixture will emit. 

Removing Strawberry Stains from Upholstery

To remove strawberry and other berry stains from upholstery such as sofas and chairs you should follow the below steps:

1. Mix one tablespoon of distilled white vinegar with 3 cups of rubbing alcohol.
2. Use a clean cloth (white is best) and dab the stain with the mixture
3. Dab until the liquid is absorbed.
4. Repeat until you can no longer see the stain
5. Sponge with cool water and blot dry.

Summary

Strawberry stains can be annoyingly difficult to remove, especially if you do not attempt to remove the stain straight away. There are 5 main methods of removing strawberry stains when a quick wash through your machine will not suffice.

Many methods are natural and non-toxic and others will use chemical-based products. If you do have a stubborn strawberry stain you can try each of the above options but try to leave the denatured alcohol method until last as it may damage your clothing/fabric.

If all else fails it may be worth taking your stained item to a professional cleaning service if it is cost-effective, failing that you can wear your stained item for cleaning or when you stay at home and use stained fabric for other purposes. 

Last update on 2023-06-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API