Got a protein stain? Wondering what the heck is a protein stain? Just desperately trying to get rid of a nasty blood or vomit stain and haven’t found anything that works?
You’re in the right place.
In the #cleaningarmy, we don’t like the nasty, but we also don’t shy away from it. Keep reading to learn how to roll up your sleeves and get rid of protein stains. (Including a simple and cheap little hack that flat-out WORKS.)
What is a Protein Stain?
So here we are. You used to spend your nights and weekends Googling the best happy hour specials. Now your Google search history contains phrases like “how to remove baby puke from a sweater” or “how to clean milk out of a sofa.”
No judgment…been there.
But what is a protein stain anyway? It’s basically anything that came from a human or animal. We’re talking nosebleeds on your good towels, baby puke on sleepers, and ALL the pants during potty training.
No crying over spilled milk in the #cleaningarmy, because we’ve got all the tricks up our sleeves to clean that sh*t up – literally.
(Note: There are a lot of good stain removers on the market like Tide Rescue, but we love a good, cheap hack that WORKS. So that’s what we’re giving you in this article.)
Cheap and Easy Ways to Remove Protein Stains
REMEMBER: Treat stains quickly so they can’t set in and NO HEAT until you know the stain is gone.
Our go-to recipe for protein stains can be used on all of the above, except for blood and sweat (keep reading if that is the case). The trick here is to use an enzyme based cleaner.
- Mix 1 tsp of OxiClean® OR Powdered Tide® to 1 tbsp water. Scrub the mixture into the stain, and let sit overnight. Wash in COLD water and check that the stain has lifted before putting it in the dryer or the heat will set the stain. Repeat these steps if it has not lifted.
Sweat stains on the armpits of your shirt are caused by the minerals in sweat (salt) mixing with the ingredients in deodorant (usually aluminum). These stains can be very stubborn and may need to be treated a couple of times before they lift.
- Mix together 1 tsp each of each blue Dawn® dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda to form a paste. Scrub into the stain and let sit overnight, then rinse and wash using powdered Tide®. Again, check that the stain has lifted before drying, and repeat if necessary.
NOTE: Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleaching agent so always test this recipe on a small spot first, taking care with colored clothes. You can leave out the peroxide if the clothing is colored or dark.
Now for nosebleeds, cuts, etc, the plan of action is super simple. First of all, act quickly as blood stains can set very fast.
- Pour COLD water over the stain to remove as much of the stain as you can, and then pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain to help lift it some more. Then wash using our favorite powdered Tide®. Check that the stain has lifted before drying as usual. (Again, see the note above above about hydrogen peroxide.)
Don’t be Stain-timidated
When your head is already spinning from a puking infant, pooping child, or bleeding nose, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by a stain. But hopefully these simple (and CHEAP) methods show you that protein stain removal doesn’t have to be rocket science.
With these tools under your belt, you won’t stress when stains inevitably happen. Just take them in stride and remember everything we’ve taught you. Perhaps having our hard copy laundry handbook on hand will help relieve some of the stress that occurs when stains do happen.
Best of luck, you’ve got this!
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– Becky @ GoCleanCo
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gocleanco
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I circled rollerblades in the Sears Wish Book every year…and every year my mother would patiently explain that we lived on an acreage with gravel roads and rollerblades do not work on gravel…and every year I would be so disappointed when they didn’t show up under the tree. 🤣🤦🏼♀️ #nostalgia #christmastime
gocleanco
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PSA: A lot of people don’t know you can do this when you order a gift off of Amazon. At check out, you can select that the item is a gift and then choose the option to add a gift bag and a custom message and this is how it is delivered! You don’t have to worry about the surprise being ruined if they open the box because it’s already wrapped and they can plunk it under the tree. Perfect if you have family far away that you won’t be seeing this holiday season. Saves ya time and energy in the chaos of the season. 🎁🎄🎅🏻🕰️🕰️🕰️ #christmastime
gocleanco
Nov 13
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gocleanco
Nov 12
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gocleanco
Nov 9
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gocleanco
Nov 4
Okay my DM’s are full of people asking for this to live on the feed. Brew a cup of coffee. I use a @nespresso pod but any regular cup java will do. Add in one scoop of your fav protein powder (or do half if you find this too sweet). This-is-a-wing-it-to-how-you-like-it-recipe as most cups of coffee are. I used vanilla protein powder here with a sprinkle of cinnamon, tastes a Christmasy! My go to is usually chocolate protein because it tastes like a mocha. Froth it with frother and drink it hot or over ice. This gets me 26 grams of protein right in the morning which helps cause I’m not a breakfast person. I’m trying y’all. 💪🏻 🍑
gocleanco
Nov 1
You asked and I delivered! You have been requesting I test the viral Tineco floor washers forever so here they are! Full break down of the S5 and S3 model in my stories plus they are both on sale at Canadian Tire and Amazon! @tinecoglobal #sponsored #floorcare #evolutionofclean
gocleanco
Oct 28
Best one yet. 🤣😂🤣🤣 I told you guys he looks like @mrclean
gocleanco
Oct 25
I have shared my new BLANCO sink and faucet but let’s talk about accessories, did you know BLANCO also has under sink organization systems? I completed my BLANCO UNIT with the BOTTON II, it tidies up the mess under your kitchen sink and it pulls out like a drawer; you can store your cleaning supplies in it and also has a handy dandy little handle so you can take your supplies with you around the house. I have a post up on their blog that goes into depth about BLANCO maintenance and care, and more tips in my stories so make sure you check them out. You folks had lots of questions about BLANCO last round and I am happy to help. Plus BLANCO customer service can answer any maintenance questions you might have. #sponsored @blancoamerica1
gocleanco
Oct 22
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gocleanco
Oct 20
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gocleanco
Oct 13
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gocleanco
Oct 11
Me for the last 24 hours straight 🥴😵💫 What didn’t you snag that you had on your heart set on for Prime Big Deals Days? Drop ONE THING you didn’t nab in the comments below and maybe we will do some surprise Amazon deliveries! 🥰 The only thing I have had time to buy for myself is a Home Alone Pillow with Kevin’s face on it and some Tide Rescue 😂 Swipe to see ➡️➡️➡️
gocleanco
Oct 9
It is the final week of the Fall Cleaning Challenge which means we are cleaning the Common Area’s in our homes (that’s hallways, closets, mudrooms, porches and laundry rooms) we are ALSO taking our buckets, Aquablades, power washers and shop vacuums outside to clean up our outdoor spaces before the ❄️ hits. This is a big week. What’s the biggest disaster area that you need to tackle this week? I’ll go first. It’s my scary linen closet which currently it has a sign on on it that says CAUTION ⚠️ 😂 I also got a new leaf blower that I am very excited to blast some dirt and 🍂 with. Pace yourselves, WE GOT THIS! 👊🏻 #cleaningtips
gocleanco
Oct 8
If you are sick of doing dishes, we got this off Amazon for Stella’s apartment cause she didn’t have a dishwasher and she would not stop complaining about it. The little window is so cute, you can watch everything that happening in it, it’s almost as dramatic as and episode of Love is Blind. 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ from Stella! #amazonfinds
gocleanco
Oct 7
Hiiiii 👋🏼 Sarah here. I’m the one behind the cleaning hacks, motivation, business tips, home design, decor and sometimes fashion advice and sassy commentary. Oh and I wrote some books in the early days too 🤓 How long have long have you been following along for the ride? Thanks for sticking with me 💕💕💕
gocleanco
Oct 6
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gocleanco
Oct 4
Entering spooky season but it’s just a regular Wednesday for us. Today I learned not everyone pronounces it 👻—GUR 🤣🤣🤣 #happyhalloween
gocleanco
Sep 24
Heya. 👋🏼 Sarah here. We are wrapping up Week One (Kitchen Week—the most overwhelming) of the Fall Cleaning challenge. How is it going? What have you got done? My job during these Challenges is to motivate and help educate you on the most efficient and effective ways to clean so you feel confident about moving onto the next week with us! The Cleaning Challenges get easier each time we do them as it’s a scheduled, routine deep clean that helps you stay on top of things before they get out of hand. If you deep cleaned in the Spring Challenge with us, I know (based on the hundreds of DM’s🤣) that this week felt easier because you lined the tops of your cupboards with parchment paper in the Spring! I find it hard to put into writing how cleaning can make you feel SO GOOD, satisfied and proud of your home. I can’t explain the feeling feeling until you roll up your sleeves and get to work and feel it yourself. Once one room is done, please stop and stand back and survey your work. Take a minute to feel the accomplishment in your bones. This is hard but rewarding work and you CAN do it—I will cheer you on the entire way. Keep sending me your before and afters! They make me so happy and proud of each you, I feel like I am helping clean millions of homes around the world and that’s honestly pretty cool. 😎
gocleanco
Sep 22
It’s Kitchen week of the Fall Cleaning Challenge and I can finally share my new kitchen sink from BLANCO that everyone has been asking about. I am very excited to be working with @blancoamerica1 they are THE kitchen experts and a global brand with over 95 years of experience. Head to my stories to see how I care for this beauty on the daily and how easy it is to treat stains. BLANCO is more than just sinks; they also have faucets and organizational systems (like the BOTTON) that work together as an integrated UNIT. #ad