“Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse water to help with odor removal. Leverette says washing the item with a heavy-duty detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric should do the trick. How to remove pet urine stains and smells Clothing Follow up by dabbing a little white vinegar on the spot if the stain still shows. Richardson advises dabbing grease stains with laundry soap and rinsing with water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Richardson says it can be “very frustrating” to get grease stains out of clothing - but there is a simple trick. Rinse with plain water and do not allow the alcohol to dry on the stone. When stain is removed, blot the area with plain water and allow to air dry. She warns permanent ink (as in Sharpies) are permanent. Leverette recommends dipping a cotton swab in clear rubbing alcohol and gently lifting the stain from the outside edge toward the center, swapping swabs as soon as each absorbs the ink. After cleaning, the stained area will need to be resealed to prevent further staining. Repeat as needed until the stain is gone. Remove the plastic wrap and allow the mixture to dry completely, then wipe away. Allow the mixture to remain on the stain for 24 hours. Tape down the edges of the plastic wrap to hold it in place. Spread the mixture about one-fourth inch thick over the stain and cover with plastic wrap. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to form a thick paste the consistency of peanut butter.

Leverette says to bear in mind that hydrogen peroxide can bleach out the color of darker carpets and upholstery.

“Four hours are better, overnight is best,” she says. Mix a solution of oxygen bleach and cool water (or use a product with those ingredients) and soak the entire garment for at least one hour. Leverette recommends “flushing” the stain by holding the fabric wrong side up under running cold-water to force the stain out - contrary to advice, club soda doesn’t work any better than plain water, she says. Stain removal experts Patric Richardson, owner of Mona Williams, also known as The Laundry Evangelist, and Mary Marlowe Leverette, laundry and housekeeping expert at The Spruce, were kind enough to share a few tips on how to get the toughest stains out of your clothing, and various surfaces, too. But fret not - where there’s a will to get a stain out, there’s a way. Or, that proud feeling of showing off a brand new rug only for a beloved pet to make their mark on it. There’s nothing like putting on a new item of clothing only to spill something on it right after.

Stubborn soda