Q: White linen tablecloths which haven't been used for years and were stored in a wooden armoire show storage stains at the folding sides. I used Clorox® Regular-Bleach a few times in the wash but the marks remain and remain.  What can I do?

A:  I have a couple of thoughts on your tablecloths.  If bleach failed to remove the stains, then I suspect the stains could actually be incomplete oily soil removal that has oxidized over time.  You only see the stains on the creases of the folded sides because that’s where air gets to them.  You could try treating the stains directly with liquid laundry detergent or Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster—just don’t let these products dry on the fabric. Apply a little directly to the stained area, wait 5 minutes, and then wash in hot water with detergent + more Clorox2®.

Another possibility is that because tablecloths in general are difficult to wash given their large size, the stained area isn’t agitating enough in the clothes washer (if it’s a standard washer) or isn’t submerged in the bleach solution enough (if it’s an HE washer).  In that case, I would try pre-treating the stains directly with Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel.  Apply the gel directly to the stained areas, and then wash immediately in hot water with Detergent + ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.  Air dry to check your progress, and repeat the treatment (if it looks like you are making progress).

Finally, if the tablecloths have been through a hot dryer cycle, the stains could be “set” and very difficult to remove.  You could try a bleach soak in a solution of ¼ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water.  Fully submerge the table cloth for 5 minutes—weigh it down with a dinner plate or two if you need to.  Then finish with a bleach wash as described above.

Readers – how do you treat storage stains on your white linens?

Q:  Can mold stains be removed?

A:  Yes, but moldy textiles need to be treated right away to help keep the problem from getting worse.  Are your items bleachable?  If you are not sure you can do a quick bleachability test: add 2 teaspoons Clorox® Regular-Bleach to ¼ cup water.  Apply a drop of this solution to a hidden part of the colored item (hems, cuffs, and inside seams work well).  Wait 1 minute, then blot dry.  No color change means the item can be safely bleached.  For these items, the following approaches should work:

• Wash immediately in hot water using detergent and 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach


• If the problem is bad, consider doing a Clorox® Regular-Bleach soak (1/4 cup liquid bleach per gallon of cool water and soak for 5-10 minutes).  Then wash in hot water with detergent and liquid bleach

For non-bleachable colors or non-bleachable fabrics (like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex) it’s problematic to remove mold since the best mold and mildew killers are products with sodium hypochlorite.  Even so, you can try the following:

• Carefully brush off any obvious spores and then wash in the warmest water recommended on the care label with detergent and an oxygen bleach like our Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster


• Try a 1 hour presoak with Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster following label instructions

Readers – how do you handle mold stains on your clothing?

Q: How do you remove wine stains?

A:  Here are two great techniques—you can decide which to use depending on the item you will be washing.

For stained items that are white:

1. Rub the stain gently with Clorox® Bleach Pen® Gel immediately before laundering.


2. Wash immediately in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and ¾ cup Clorox® Regular- Bleach. 


3. Air dry and check for success. If residual stain remains, repeat the treatment.


4. Remember to avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex, even if they are white!

For stained items that are colored:

1. Apply Liquid Clorox® 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster and rub into stain.


2. Wait 3-5 minutes, and then wash immediately in hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and Clorox® 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster.


3. Air dry and check for success. If residual stain remains, repeat the treatment

I hope this helps!

Readers – Have you had any issues with wine stains?  How did you remove the stains?

Q:  How much Clorox® Regular-Bleach should I use when it comes to colored clothes? And should I add my dark clothes before or after adding Clorox® Regular-Bleach to the water?

A:  To bleach colored items, it’s important to check their colorfastness to bleach first, and you can do this easily with this simple bleachability test: dilute 1 teaspoon Clorox® Regular-Bleach in ¼ cup water.  Apply a drop of this solution to a hidden part of the colored item (hems, cuffs, and inside seams work well).  Wait 1 minute, then blot dry.  No color change means the item can be safely bleached.  The correct amount to use for an average load is ¾ cup.

As far as when to add bleach, the main thing you want to avoid is having undiluted bleach accidentally contact your clothes.  This is important for white or bleach fast colored items.  So yes, adding bleach to the washer while it is filling, and before any of the load is added, is a great way to easily and safely add bleach.  It’s also good to swirl the agitator to mix the bleach in a little first before the load is added, and adding the load when the washer is about half-filled.  Also, using a measuring cup not only ensures that you are using the correct amount, but also helps prevent any spillage.

Do any readers use Clorox® Regular-Bleach on their colored clothing?

Q:  We have some Hawaiian Tropic® Sunscreen and it seems to stain all our whites orange when they come in contact with sweat.  Not the whole garment just around the neck or arms or sweat 'zones'.  How do I get these stains out?

A: For sunscreen stains, try pre-treating the stains with either liquid dish soap (like Dawn) or a good liquid detergent to solubilize the oils in the sunscreen—apply, rub in, and wait 3-5 minutes.   After the time is up, wash immediately in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach for white items or detergent and Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster for colored items.

I hope this is helpful!

Have any readers noticed similar sun screen stains on your clothing?

Q: What are the yellow-orange stains I see on my whites after I wash them?

A: It’s hard to know for certain without a little more information, but if this happens after every white load it could be that they are rust stains.  It is especially easy for rust to transfer onto items in older washers that have corrosion on some of the metal parts.  If this is the case, you can try using a rust remover product like Whink®, which can usually be found at hardware stores. Just be sure to read and follow the package directions, including wearing gloves.  I would also check your washer for any signs of corrosion, especially under the enamel coated body of the washer, above the basket/tub where the clothes are loaded.  Another problem area is the interior of the basket (the other side of the holes where the water is extracted during the spin cycle).  Replacing the washer may be necessary if the problem is serious enough.  Good luck!

Have and of you noticed yellow-orange stains on your whites?  What have you done to combat the stains?

Q: What is the best way to remove blood from clothing?

A: I recommend presoaking blood stains in cool water using a good detergent that contains enzymes – check the list of ingredients to know for sure.  You need to soak items for at least 30 minutes and ideally as long as 60 minutes. This is because enzymes break down the protein in blood and they need enough time to do it—the “wash” portion of a wash-cycle is usually not long enough, especially for heavily stained items.  Following the presoak, drain the presoaking solution and rinse the items.  Then proceed as follows depending on whether your item is white or colored:

For stained items that are white:

1. Rub the stain gently with Clorox® Bleach Pen® Gel immediately before laundering.


2. Wash immediately in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and ¾ cup    Clorox® Regular- Bleach. 


3. Air dry and check for success. If residual stain remains, repeat the treatment.


4. Remember to avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex, even if they are white—treat these fabrics as if they were colored.

For stained items that are colored:

1. Apply Liquid Clorox® 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster and rub into the stain.


2. Wait 3-5 minutes, and then wash immediately in hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and Clorox® 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster.


3. Air dry and check for success. If residual stain remains, repeat the treatment.

I hope this helps!

Readers – How do you remove blood stains?

Q: Bleach sometimes affects my asthma when I clean with it; how much liquid bleach do you recommend when mopping floors?

A: You probably know this, but it’s always good to clarify:  Clorox® Regular-Bleach should always be diluted when used—we never recommend using it full strength for cleaning any hard surface or fabric! 

For mopping floors (ceramic tile, vinyl, linoleum—not marble or other porous surfaces that aren’t safe for bleach), mix up a solution of ¾ cup bleach added to 1 gallon of water.  For disinfecting, wipe or wash the floor, then apply the bleach solution and let stand for 5 minutes.  Rinse well and air dry.  Also, be sure the area is well ventilated while you are working.

How many readers like using bleach when mopping floors?

Q: At what air temperature is the efficacy of Clorox® Regular-Bleach effected?  How low can the temperature be for proper storage?

A: Thanks for the great question.  Here’s a little background on the shelf life of Clorox® Regular-Bleach.  The active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, naturally breaks down into salt and water, and the hotter the temperature the bottle is stored at, the faster the decomposition.  Generally, bleach stored at room temperature (~70°F) maintains its label strength active level (6% sodium hypochlorite) for approximately 6 months before starting to degrade into salt and water.  Note that for EPA registered disinfectant uses, you should always use bleach at label strength, which usually means no more than 5 months past the purchase date, with the bottle having been properly stored.  Regarding what the lowest temperature is for proper storage of Clorox, the product should not be allowed to freeze.

Readers, how do you store your Clorox® Regular-Bleach?

Q: How can I get yellow armpit stains out? I've tried everything, even using bleach pens! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

A:  Arm pit stains can be quite variable.  If your shirts have stain build-up that some people say feels almost “crunchy” you can try this method:

1. Working into a dishpan, pour boiling water slowly through each armpit stain.  This is to “melt” the build-up, which is a combination of deodorant, sweat, body soil, bacteria, etc.  It will help if you position the shirt in the dishpan before you start so that you can get to each stain without touching the shirt once you begin since it will be boiling hot!

2. Don’t rinse the shirt—just pour off as much of the hot water as you can.  This keeps the build-up in a more “melted” state.  If you do need to handle the shirt, either wear gloves or use kitchen tongs.

3. Apply a mixture of 1:1:1 parts baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water directly to the stain.  Sometimes you may see this referred to as a paste, but it is actually quite watery, so be sure to mix up enough so you can saturate the stains.

4. Rinse the shirt, and then follow up with a hot water wash with a good enzyme-containing detergent.  (For white t-shirts, be sure to add ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach!)

You may just have yellow staining, and in that case you could go straight to step 3, above.  You may also consider changing brands of deodorant to one that doesn’t contain any aluminum since that can contribute to the staining.  Good luck!

Is anyone else plagued by armpit stains?