How to Remove Tomato Sauce from Fabrics

You were having that dinner party and someone dropped their plate of spaghetti. They got it on their clothes and your table cloth. What can you do to get the stain out? A lot of tomato sauces and marinara and other similar recipes consist of oil and tomatoes. Both can make it difficult to get the stain out. Or if you have clothes or a table cloth with an old tomato stain, learn how you can try to remove fresh stains and set stains.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Acrylic Fabric, Nylon, Polyester, Spandex^{[1]XResearch source}

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As quickly as possible, remove the sauce from the surface of the fabric without pushing it further in. You can use a paper towel or a rag to quickly wipe the tomato sauce off the fabric. ^{[2]XResearch source}
^{[3]XResearch source} Work outwards with your sponge from the center of your stain.
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3
Apply lemon or lime juice to the stain. Either sponge the stain with lemon juice or use a slice of lemon, and rub the stain with it.
- If the fabric is white, you can use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide directly on the stain instead of lemon juice.
Find a stain removing stick, spray or gel, and apply it to the stain. Let the stain remover sit for 15 minutes.
On the back of the stain, run cool water through the fabric. Hold the fabric up to light to see if the stain remains.
6
Soak the stain if it is still there. Soak the fabric for 30 minutes in a solution of:
- 1 quart warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Put the stain in direct sunlight with the stain side facing out. The sunlight should break down any of the remaining stain.
Follow the care instructions for the fabric, and wash your fabric normally.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cleaning Fresh Stains

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As quickly as possible, remove the sauce from the surface of the fabric without pushing it further in. You can use a paper towel or a rag to remove the excess sauce.^{[4]XResearch source}
Run the water on the back of the stain. You want to push the stain out of the clothing. Do not run water on top of the stain because you don't want to push the stain deeper in.
3
Rub dish soap onto the stain. Because tomato sauce has oil in it, dish soap like Dawn or Palmolive will work to remove the stain. Rub enough dish soap on the stain to cover it completely and rub in circular motions from the inside of the stain out.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If your material is dry clean only, do not do this step. Take your fabric to your local dry cleaners and show them the stain, and let them remove it.
- Apply dish soap to a small hidden section of the fabric to make sure it doesn't harm the fabric. If the fabric is harmed by the soap, you can use your regular laundry detergent in place of the dish soap.
Rinse from the back of the fabric pushing the stain out.
Using a sponge or absorbent material like a paper towel, blot the stain out with cold water to lift the stain. If you have a white fabric, you can apply a mild bleach, white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide with your sponge to bleach the stain. ^{[6]XResearch source}
Hold the stain to light and see if it is still there. If the stain still remains, use a stain removing stick, gel, or spray on the stain. While the shirt is still wet, apply the stain remover and let it set for at least 5 minutes, and then wash it again. ^{[7]XResearch source}
Put the fabric in the sun, stain side up, and let the fabric dry completely. The UV rays should help break down any of the remaining stain. ^{[8]XResearch source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning a Set Tomato Stain

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This method is for getting old tomato stains out of clothing or fabrics. And you don't need to get the whole garment wet, just the part with the stain.
First test out the dishwasher detergent on a part of your clothing which is out of the way to see if it changes the color or texture of the garment. Then gently rub the whole wet stain with dishwasher detergent.
Continue rubbing the stain with the detergent using your ice cube. Rub until it looks like the stain has come out.
If the stain still remains, use your sponge and vinegar, and blot the stain to see if it lifts. The acid in the vinegar should help to break down the remaining stain.
Follow the handling instructions, and wash your fabric normally. Dry the fabric in direct sunlight with the stain side facing up. The UV rays in the sunlight should help break down any of the remaining stain.

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Question
Is there any way a stain can be removed after the clothing has been washed and dried?
Community Answer
Yes. Apply detergent on the stain and then sprinkle OXI powder on it. Scrub it by hand and wash the item again with other clothes.
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Question
How can I remove an eight-hour-old tomato sauce stain from light cotton fabric?
Community Answer
Method 3 has all the steps to cleaning a set stain.
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Tips

If possible, start cleaning the stain immediately. If you can't get to the stain right away, you can still try cleaning it, but you'll be better off the sooner you start.
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Helpful7 Not Helpful8
You can use the white towel method on a new stain after you flush the stain with water. With one clean fold, dab the stain and keep looking at the towel to see how much of the stain you are removing. Keep dabbing and moving the towel until you see that you are no longer removing the stain.
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Check the cleaning instructions of your garment. If it is dry clean only, let the professionals handle it. Let them know what and where the stain is.
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