How to Get Wood Stain Out of Clothes

• For the best results, wash the stained item as soon as possible.
• Pre-treat a small stain with a stain removal pen. For tough stains, pre-treat with mineral spirits. Then, soak the item in Oxi-Clean for several hours.
• Put the item in the washing machine, add laundry detergent, and run it through a warm water cycle.

Reacting to a Wood Stain on Clothing

Treat and wash the stain as soon as possible. The faster you get to the wood stain, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to remove it. Wash the stained item as soon as you discover the wood stain. If you find the stain and it has already dried, you can still attempt to wash it out. But it might not be as effective.

Avoid rubbing the wood stain. If you rub the stain (especially if it is still wet), you run the risk of making the stain bigger and spreading to other parts of the fabric. Rubbing it can also push the stain deeper into the fibers of the fabric and make it set into the fibers more firmly. If you must rub the stain (in order to clean it, for example), try to rub the stained part of the cloth against itself as best you can, leaving the unstained part alone.

Wear gloves to treat the stained clothes. If you’ve got a wood stain on your clothes, you should wear protective gloves as you attempt to remove the stain. This will protect your hands and skin from coming into contact with any potentially harmful stain-removal products. Rubber gloves work best for this kind of protection.

Pre-Treating and Spot-Cleaning the Stain

Test stain removal techniques on inconspicuous parts of the garment. If you are trying out different cleaning techniques, you run the risk of ruining the entire garment. Try testing the cleaning material on a less visible region of the clothing item before surging ahead. You might try testing on the inside hem or and inner part of a pocket. This is a good idea if you plan on using bleach or mineral spirits to clean the wood stain.

Pre-treat the wood stain with a stain removal pen. If you get wood stain on your clothes, you can try washing it out by first pre-treating it with a stain removal pen. Simply press the pen tip directly on the stain to release some of the cleansing detergent, then hold the clothing item in both hands and scrub the stain by rubbing the stained part of the cloth together repeatedly. You can try using a Clorox Bleach Pen or a Tide To Go pen.

Scrub the garment with mineral spirits. Mineral spirits, a form of paint thinner, might be just the tool for the job if you have a hard-to-remove wood stain in your clothing. Dampen a clean cloth with the mineral spirits, then rub it in a circular motion across the stained garment. Keep doing this until you see progress. You can purchase a can of mineral spirits at any home improvement store.

Use acetone on a water-based wood stain spot. If your wood stain is water-based, you can try pouring a capful of acetone onto the stain, then blotting it with an acetone-soaked rag. Start at the outer portion of the stain and move your way inward. Be sure to place a thick layer of paper towels underneath the stain before you apply the acetone. This will help soak up the acetone and the stain from underneath, and protect the surface of whatever you’re using to clean on top of.

Washing the Garment

Soak the wood stain in Oxi-Clean for several hours. Pour one scoop of Oxi-Clean in a bucket with 1 US gal (3.8 L) of warm water. Let the stained garment soak in the solution for several hours before removing it. Be sure to keep the bucket out of the way so that it doesn’t get knocked over. You might consider placing it inside your bathtub or shower while you’re waiting for it to soak.

Wash the stained clothing item separately. Since a stain can transfer to other garments in the washing machine, it’s best to wash the stained item by itself. This will protect your other clothing items from being stained as well. Set the washing machine settings for a small load.

Put the stained clothing in the washing machine on a warm cycle. Be sure to include some regular laundry detergent when you wash it. You don't need to add any additional cleaners to the machine. You can even add ⁄4 c (180 mL) of bleach to help remove the stain. But make sure to use color-safe bleach if the stained item is any color other than white.

Avoid drying the stained garment until the stain is fully removed. Putting a stained item of clothing in the dryer will only work to further set the stain. Be sure to check that the stain is completely gone before you throw the garment in the dryer. If you must let the garment dry before you continue tackling the stain, let it air dry only.