Polyester is one of the most common fabrics used in clothing today because it’s not only durable and easy to care for it also comes in a wide range of colors and styles, from stretchy yoga pants to tailored blazers.
But since it’s so popular, it’s also common for polyester to get stains on it. If you have a polyester garment that has become stained, don’t throw it out, you can easily remove those pesky stains without damaging your clothes.
Continue reading this guide and learn how to remove different stains from your polyester fabric.
Does Polyester Stain Easily?
Polyester’s durability makes it an ideal choice for many types of clothing and fabrics. It’s also stain-resistant and easy to clean. However, even though polyester does not easily absorb liquids as cotton does, it can still be stained by some substances if they come into contact with the fabric long enough.
Will Stains Come Out of Polyester?
Yes, stains will usually come out of polyester if you treat them properly. You may need to use more than one technique depending on what type of stain you’re dealing with and how deep it is embedded in the material.
How to Get Stains Out of Polyester
If you have stained polyester clothes, here are some tips on how to get those stains out.
Liquid Dish Soap for Grease Stains
If there are grease stains on your polyester clothes, then you will need to use liquid dishwashing soap instead of a detergent.
To use dishwashing liquid:
- Put ½ cup of dishwashing liquid into a spray bottle filled with one gallon of warm water, and shake well before each use.
- Spray the stained area with the solution until it is saturated (or until it stops soaking up more liquid).
- Let the solution sit for 5 minutes before washing it out with cold water.
Baking Soda on Oily Stains
Baking soda is a gentle, effective cleaner that can be used on many types of stains. The combination of water and baking soda is mild enough to use on delicate fabrics like polyester but strong enough to remove oily and greasy stains.
- To use baking soda as a stain remover, mix ½ cup of baking soda with one gallon of warm water in a bowl or bucket.
- Add 1 tablespoon of dish soap or detergent for each gallon of water.
- Pour the mixture onto the stain, then rub it gently into the fabric using your fingers or a soft cloth.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing out the stain with cold water and washing as usual. If the stain does not come out after one application, repeat it until it does.
Use Ammonia on Blood Stains
Ammonia is a great stain remover for polyester. If you have blood stains on your polyester clothing or upholstery, try using ammonia to remove them. To use ammonia as a stain remover, follow these steps:
- Mix one gallon of water with one tablespoon of dish soap and six tablespoons of baking soda.
- The dish soap helps to dissolve the blood stain, while the baking soda lifts the stain from the surface.
- Apply the mixture directly onto the stained area and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Then scrub gently with a cloth or sponge until all of the blood has been removed from your item.
- Rinse with cold water and dry immediately after washing off any remaining stains.
White vinegar for Food Stains
Step 1: Mix white vinegar with water. If you’re looking to make a large batch, simply add one cup of each ingredient into a spray bottle. You can use the mixture as is, or dilute it with more water if you want it to be less potent.
Step 2: Soak the stained polyester garment in the vinegar solution. Let it soak for 30 minutes before washing it in cold water using your washer’s delicate cycle (or by hand). When you’re done, dry it in the dryer on low heat.
Distilled White Vinegar for Ink Stains
While there are many ways to remove ink stains from clothing, one of the easiest ways is to use distilled white vinegar. The process is simple, but it requires a little bit of patience and time.
- Soak the garment in distilled water for 15 minutes.
- Remove the fabric from its container and gently blot any excess moisture with a clean towel.
- Pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle or bowl and add one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid (dish soap).
- Dip the stained garment in the mixed solution for about two minutes.
- Then pat it dry with a towel.
- Repeat this step if necessary until all of the ink has been removed from your garment.
How to Get Old Grease Stains Out of Polyester
Grease stains are a big problem for polyester fabrics. They can ruin your clothes and make them look older than they are. The good news is that there are several ways to get rid of grease stains from your clothes.
Step 1: Rinse the area with cold water
Rinsing with cold water will help to rinse out any excess grease from the fabric. It will also help to dry out the stain, making it easier for you to spot it when you start cleaning.
Step 2: Apply a little liquid soap to the stain
Dip an old toothbrush into some dishwashing liquid, and then rub it into the stain. This method will help loosen up any excess grease as well as lift it out of the fabric so that you can easily wash it away in the next step.
Step 3: Rub the soap into the stain
Rubbing the stain will help break up any remaining grease or dirt particles to make them easier to clean later on. This is especially important if there was food involved in creating this mess because food particles do not dissolve well in water alone.
Step 4: Machine wash
Use hot water and dishwashing detergent, then run through an entire cycle without any other clothes or items in it (to avoid getting them dirty). Afterward, dry as usual but do not put in direct sunlight because this will make grease stains worse.
How to Get Grease Stains Out of Polyester
Grease stains can be a pain to remove. You can’t just throw the item in the washer and hope for the best, because the stain will likely reappear.
Rinse the area with cold water
Rinse the stained area of the garment with cold water. This will help prevent further staining while you work on removing the grease.
Apply a little soap onto the stain
Soap helps loosen any remaining grease on the fabric. Apply it directly onto the stain and allow it to sit until it dries completely.
Throw in the washing machine with dishwashing detergent
Next, throw your garment into your washing machine along with some dishwashing detergent and run it through an entire cycle (or two). This will help clean off any remaining grease stains or odors from your garment.
How to Get Old Stains Out of White Polyester
If you want to get rid of old stains on your white polyester clothing, here are some tips:
- Mix one teaspoon of Oxyclean laundry booster in a quart of warm water.
- Pour this mixture into the washing machine before adding towels or other clothes.
- Allow your clothes to soak for about an hour before washing them normally in cool water with regular detergent.
How to Get Stains Out of Rayon and Polyester
When it comes to stain removal, rayon and polyester are two of the toughest fabrics to treat.
Rayon and polyester stains require special treatment to remove them without damaging the fabric or changing its color or texture.
- Apply a small amount of dishwashing liquid directly to the stain and rub with your fingers until dissolved.
- Rinse with cool water.
- Repeat as needed until all of the stains are removed.
How to Spot Clean Polyester Dress
Spot cleaning is the easiest way to clean your polyester dress. You can use a mild laundry detergent and water to spot clean it. If you have a stain that won’t come out, try using club soda as it can help remove stains from your dress.
Step 1 – Mix up a cleaning solution
To make your cleaning solution, mix one-part laundry detergent with three parts of water. You can use any type of liquid laundry detergent, but avoid using powdered detergents because they might leave a residue on your dress.
Step 2 – Soak the stain in the solution
Soak the stained area of your dress in the cleaning solution for about 10 minutes. The longer you soak it, the better chance you have of getting rid of the stain completely.
When you’re done soaking it in the solution, rinse it out with cold water until all traces of soap are gone from the fabric.
Step 3 – Let dry naturally
Let your dress dry naturally and do not put it in the dryer until you know all traces of moisture have been removed from the fabric.
Stains on Polyester FAQs
Can I Use Oxiclean on Polyester?
Yes, you can use OxiClean to clean polyester. It’s best to test a small area of the fabric with a little bit of detergent first. If it doesn’t cause any damage or discoloration, then you can proceed with cleaning the rest of your garment.
Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide on Polyester?
You can use hydrogen peroxide as a pretreatment to help remove stains from your polyester clothes. Simply pour some hydrogen peroxide onto your stained clothing and let it sit for several minutes before washing as normal.
Will Baking Soda Whiten Polyester?
Baking soda can be used as a laundry booster if you have hard water stains on your clothing. If you put baking soda directly into the washing machine, however, it may leave residue on your clothing that can cause staining when combined with other substances in the wash cycle (such as detergent).
Instead, try sprinkling some baking soda into your dryer while drying loads of laundry, or add some to your dry clothes before tossing them into the washer later on (without adding any water).
Can You Bleach 100% Polyester?
Yes, it is possible to bleach 100% polyester fabric at home using basic methods like mixing bleach powder with water or using chlorine bleach liquid solution for bleaching your clothes at home.
While bleaching 100% polyester fabric at home is possible but it depends on the type of fabric you are working with as well as how much time you want to spend on the project.
Does Rit Color Remover Work on Polyester?
Rit Color Remover is a product that removes color from fabrics quickly so that you can reuse your old clothes without worrying about color transfer or fading issues after washing them again with fresh colors in the future.
