How to Get Stains Out of Tea Towels (Without Bleach)

Tea towels live a hard life. Grease, coffee, tomato sauce, beetroot, the odd glass of red. If yours are looking a bit worse for wear, don't write them off just yet. Most kitchen stains will lift with a few pantry staples and a bit of patience. No bleach required.

The golden rules of stain removal

• Get in early. Fresh stains are far easier to shift than ones that have had a week to settle in.
• Start with cold water. Hot water can set some stains, especially protein ones like egg.
• Blot, don't scrub. Scrubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper into the fibres.
• Rinse from the back. Run cold water through the back of the fabric to push the stain out the way it came in.
• Check before you dry. Heat can lock a stain in, so if it's still there after washing, treat it again before drying. The one exception is sunshine, which helps fade food stains like tomato and turmeric (more on that below).

How to remove common tea towel stains

Grease and oil

Dishwashing liquid is your best friend here, because it's literally designed to break down grease. Rub a little straight into the stain with your fingers, leave it for 15 minutes, then wash as normal. For stubborn marks, sprinkle on some bicarb soda first to soak up excess oil, brush it off, then go in with the dishwashing liquid.

Coffee and tea

Rinse under cold water from the back as soon as you can. Then dab with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water, or a drop of dishwashing liquid, and wash as normal.

Tomato sauce, pasta sauce and bolognese

Scrape off any excess first. Rinse from the back with cold water, work in a little dishwashing liquid to lift the oil, then wash. Any faint orange tinge left behind will usually fade with a few hours in direct sunlight.

Turmeric and curry

Turmeric is famously stubborn. Treat it with dishwashing liquid first, wash, then hang it in the sun. UV light breaks down the yellow pigment, so the sun genuinely does a lot of the heavy lifting with this one.

Red wine and beetroot

Blot up as much as you can, rinse with cold water, then cover the stain with a paste of bicarb soda and a little water. Leave it for 30 minutes, rinse, and wash as normal.

Egg, blood and other protein stains

Cold water only. Hot water cooks the protein into the fibres. Rinse well, rub in a little laundry detergent and leave it to sit before washing.

What about old, set-in stains?

Fill a bucket or sink with cool water, add a capful of your regular laundry detergent, and leave your tea towels to soak for a few hours or overnight. Then wash as normal with a splash of white vinegar in the softener drawer, and dry in the sun. It might take a couple of rounds, but you'll often be surprised at what comes out.

Why we say skip the bleach

Bleach weakens fibres and strips colour, so it shortens the life of most tea towels. It's a definite no for DirtyGirl tea towels, and that includes stain soakers that contain bleach, so check the label before you reach for one. The methods above are gentler and do the job without fading your prints.

Stop stains before they start

• Keep a separate cloth for greasy jobs like wiping the stovetop once it's cool, and save your tea towel for dishes and hands
• Rinse spills out straight away rather than leaving them in the basket
• Wash tea towels every one to two days so grime doesn't build up
• Choose prints over plain white. A busy pattern is far more forgiving than a crisp white towel

For the full wash routine, have a read of our guide on how to wash tea towels.

Tea towel stain FAQs

Does bicarb soda remove stains?

It helps with a lot of them, especially grease, wine and food stains. It works best as a paste left to sit before washing.

Can a stain come out after it's been through the dryer?

Sometimes. Heat makes it harder, but a long soak and a repeat treatment can still shift it. Give it a couple of goes before giving up.

Does sunlight really remove stains?

For some, yes. The sun is great at fading turmeric, tomato and other food stains on fabric. Just keep an eye on it, because long periods in strong sun can fade coloured fabric too.

Our tea towels are made to take on the mess and wash up beautifully, and the prints are very good at keeping a secret. Full care details are in our Wash, Use & Care Guide.

Please note: the tips in this post are general information only. Every home, surface, fabric and appliance is different, so always check the manufacturer's care instructions and patch test on a small, hidden area first. Any tips are used at your own risk, and DirtyGirl can't be held responsible for any damage that may result.