How To Get Blueberry Stain Out Of Clothes

How to get blueberry stain out of clothes? Blueberries, or any other fruits in the berry family, consist of really beautiful colors both inside and out, such as dark blue, purple, red. However, the problem starts when they leave an apparent stain on your clothes.

The dark or vibrant extract from blueberries may quickly set into the threads or fibers of your clothing piece and may stay there permanently if you don’t treat them well when the accident first happens. So, this post will bring you suitable and easy-to-do treatments to apply!

Keep scrolling down and learning the magic!

What Kind Of Fruit Is Blueberry?

Blueberries are small blue or purple berries that belong to the Cyanococcus section of the Vaccinium. This genus also contains huckleberries, cranberries, bilberries, etc. The blueberries you buy at the store are mostly from North America ⁽¹⁾.

Blueberries can appear in fresh, frozen, dried, jelly, syrup, and jam forms. They are the famous fruit that is likely to be used in various desserts, smoothies, cereals, and yogurt recipes. They have a beautiful look with a natural, signature sweet and sour taste.

When speaking of the health benefits of blueberries, there are so many of them that I can’t tell you all in just some words! Blueberries are packed with tons of vitamins, such as vitamin K and C, calcium, iron, phosphorus, etc. They’re also a great source of antioxidants.

Blueberry seed oil is also a common reason for oil stains on clothing. But luckily, removing stains relating to essential oils on garments is not that hard if you know the way! Blueberry seed oil is really healthy for your skin, but the stain from it may be a little bit annoying.

Eating blueberries frequently can help support bone strength, heart and skin health, blood pressure deduction, diabetes and cancer prevention, and even mental health. Blueberries are indeed a great kind of fruit for a healthy life! ⁽²⁾

However, what happens when you or your kids eat fresh raw blueberries or dishes containing blueberries and accidentally drop some extract or fluid of blueberries on clothes? What a disaster, right? The gorgeous blue or purple color may turn into a deep stain!

It is not only because of the color but also because blueberries’ high natural sugar content is also a huge problem. The sugar in blueberries can make the stain look worse by leaving a yellowish mark after washing the clothing items.

Eliminating that yellow stain is not as simple as eradicating the turmeric stain from the clothing because the stain is derived from fruit sugar. So, what can you do?

Before you start any treatment on the blueberry stain, try to exclude the blueberry residue as soon as you notice it on your clothing! The more swiftly you act, the easier it gets to eliminate the stain afterward.

5 Useful Ways To Remove Fresh Blueberry Stains From Clothing

There are a lot of home remedies that you can use to deal with blueberry stains. Especially with fresh stains, you can even treat them with some natural detergents that you may find in your pantry.

1. Lemon Juice

You can pre-treat the blueberry stain on bright-colored clothes with some lemon juice. This is a simple pretreatment that can apply when you’re eating out. A slice of lemon is enough; then, you may need to do some more steps to get rid of the stain.

Lemon juice is also a great treat for washable garments when it comes to getting dark-colored chocolate ice cream stain off clothes. The steps for treating both stains are quite alike!

Preparation:

• Lemon
• A sharp knife
• A blunt item
• An old toothbrush
• Liquid detergent
• Washing machine (optional)

Step 1: Remove The Residue

Use the blunt item like a spoon or the of an old credit card to scrape off the blueberry excess.

Step 2: Apply Lemon Juice

You may want to rinse the stain with cold running water from the back if you are at home. After that, cut a lemon in half with a sharp knife, then squeeze it directly onto the stained area.

You can use the old toothbrush to brush on the stain after applying lemon juice so it can absorb better.

Step 3: Rinse The Stain

Leave the stain with lemon juice for about 5 minutes. A longer duration may degrade the quality of your garment. Rinse the stained spot under cold water.

Step 4: Apply The Liquid Detergent And Wash

Rub some drops of the liquid detergent on the stain, let it sit there for about 5 minutes.

Bring the whole thing to the washing machine and set a wash cycle with the hottest water temperature setting that your clothes can withstand (read the care label beforehand). You may also wash them by hand like usual. Air-dry the washed garments at an airy place.

Note:

• You should not apply lemon juice on black or dark-colored clothes because it may bleach the fabrics. You should also replace lemon juice with hydrogen peroxide when treating white clothing items.
• If possible, check the care label before putting lemon juice on your clothes since some fabric types are dry-clean-only. In that case, you should bring them to the professional cleaner.
• You can replace lemon juice with white vinegar.

2. Liquid Laundry Detergent

You can use only liquid laundry detergent to treat the fresh blueberry stain or apply more powerful products for the remaining stains. Sometimes, the liquid detergent is enough for small and new stains.

Warning: Avoid using powdered laundry detergent since it may leave white, chalky powder if you don’t use it in the right amount. Then, you may have to find another way to clean the laundry detergent stains on your garments! What a waste of time!

Preparation:

• Liquid laundry detergent
• A dull utensil
• Cold water
• Hydrogen peroxide
• A proper bleach

Step 1: Remove The Excess Blueberry

Use a dull item such as a spoon to scrape off the excess blueberry. Turn the garment inside out, then let the stained area sit under the running cold water to get rid of the residue as much as possible.

Step 2: Apply Liquid Laundry Detergent

Rub some drops of liquid detergent on the stained spot. Then soak it in cold water for about 15 to 30 minutes. After that time, rinse the stain again with water to make sure that the liquid does not stay on the fabric.

Step 3: Check The Stain

If the stain still remains, use some hydrogen peroxide to apply to it. Leave it there for some minutes and then rinse away with water.

If the stain has disappeared, go directly to step 4.

Step 4: Wash The Treated Clothes

Wash your clothing as you would usually do. You can wash them with some bleach, but make sure that it is safe for each item. Remember to always check the care tags beforehand.

Dry the laundry as you wish. If you have to use the dryer, ensure that the blueberry stain has gone away completely, or else the stain may be set on the fabric forever.

Note: Repeat the whole process if it does not work so well.

3. Enzyme-Based Stain Removers

Using stain removers to treat the blueberry stains is also a great idea, especially when the lemon juice pretreatment does not work in your case. You should choose the enzyme-based stain remover because it is designed to decompose plant-based stains, like blueberry ones.

For more information, enzyme-based remover is also an effective detergent in removing vaseline that sticks on your clothing. Note it down because you may use this tip someday!

Puracy is a great choice as an enzyme-based stain remover to treat unwanted stains!

Preparation:

• Enzyme-based stain remover
• Water

Step 1: Apply The Stain Remover

Rinse the stain with cold water, then rub some drops of the enzyme-based stain remover onto the affected area. Allow the liquid to sit on the fabric for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2: Rinse The Stain

With white clothes, use hot water to rinse away the stain remover. With darker-colored clothes, use cold water. You may also want to read the care labels to use the appropriate water temperature.

Step 3: Wash The Garments

Launder your clothing items as usual, or take them to professional dry cleaners if the care tag tells you to.

4. White Vinegar

Vinegar is a common natural detergent that is used in both cooking and cleaning. For cleaning purposes, always use white vinegar to not leave any bleach stain on your colored clothes. The sour vinegar smell will fade away when the clothes are dry, so don’t worry!

Eliminating mustard clinging to the costume is also a pesky task to do, but the problem can be solved with just some white vinegar! So don’t freak out if some mustard lands on your T-shirt while eating a yummy hot dog!

Preparation:

• White vinegar
• Liquid laundry detergent
• Cold water
• Rubbing alcohol (optional)
• Chlorine bleach (optional)
• A container (bowl, bucket, etc.)

Step 1: Get Off The Blueberry Residue

Flush the blueberry stain carefully with cold water. Make sure you act quickly at this step, right after observing the stain on clothes.

Step 2: Soak Garments In The Solution

Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, ½ teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent, and a quart of cool water in a container. Then, soak the clothing items in the mixture for about 15 minutes. After this time, drain the soapy water and rinse your clothes.

Step 3 (Optional): Treat With Rubbing Alcohol

Check the stain. If it is still visible, wet a sponge with rubbing alcohol, then rinse the stain once again with cold water.

If you are in a hurry, one other way to use rubbing alcohol to treat the stain without taking off your clothes is to combine ⅔ cup of rubbing alcohol and a tablespoon of white vinegar. Then, dip a clean white cloth and dab on the stain until the mixture is fully absorbed.

Step 4: Wash The Clothes With Bleach

If possible, check the care tags on each item to see if you can apply bleach to it. If it is safe, you may want to wash the garments with some chlorine bleach to ensure that the stain will be gone after the wash. Line dry the laundry.

You can just apply some white vinegar to save your jeans from a blueberry stain!

5. Boiling Water

If the blueberry stain is still fresh, the boiling water flush is considered the most useful method to treat it. However, a big warning is that you should always check the care label if you’re about to use this method to see if your clothes can handle boiling water.

Preparation:

• A kettle (teakettle will do!)
• A clean cloth
• A container (basin, bucket, bowl, etc.)

Step 1: Boil The Water

Boil some water with an electric kettle, or do any method that you usually use to boil water. In the meantime, waiting for the water to get boiled, you can use the clean cloth to dab gently on the blueberry stain to get the excess stain away. Don’t rub too hard on it!

Step 2: Pour The Boiling Water On The Stain

Before you start this step, you should turn every item inside out. Stretch an item tightly above a container, then use a rubber band to wrap around the bowl to fix the cloth and maintain safety while dealing with hot water.

Hold the kettle at the height of about 30 inches, then start to pour on the stretched piece of blueberry-stained clothes. Flush the stain with boiling water until it completely fades away.

Step 3: Air Dry The Clothing

Make sure that the stubborn stain has gone. Then, hang your treated garments outdoors for them to dry naturally. Fresh air and sunshine is the best natural treatment for any stained clothes!

Be super careful when using boiling water to treat the fruit stains coming from berries!

More Powerful Methods For Stubborn Or Dry Blueberry Stains On Clothes

For more stubborn stains after the above treatments or old and dry stains that have been clinging to your clothes for a really long time, there are some stronger methods to deal with them. Let’s see what they are!

1. Whitening Toothpaste

Besides being used for cleaning, brightening, and refreshing your teeth, whitening toothpaste can also be used to treat colored stains such as blueberry stains! How cool is that? I bet this product is available in everyone’s house!

Preparation:

• A dull item
• Whitening toothpaste
• Washing machine (optional)

Step 1: Rinse The Stain

Rinse your clothes with cool water.

Step 2: Apply Whitening Toothpaste

Put some toothpaste on the stained area. Use your fingertips to push down on the proper amount of non-gel whitening toothpaste. Try not to rub it too hard. Rinse the stain after applying the paste.

Step 3: Dry The Garments

After rinsing, hang your clothing items up to dry outdoors, avoid tumble-drying.

2. Glycerine

The dry blueberry stain should be treated with more patience. But the glycerine will make every problem become easier. It is a non-toxic, odorless substance that can help loosen the blueberry particles on your clothes so that the stain gets easier to remove completely.

The success of this method is the characteristics of glycerin, which evaporates swiftly without leaving any traces.

Preparation:

• Glycerine
• Warm water
• A container

Step 1: Prepare A Mixture

Combine liquid glycerine and warm water in a 1:1 ratio in a container.

Step 2: Soak The Clothes

Submerge your affected garments into the glycerine solution. Allow them to sit for about an hour.

Step 3: Wash The Clothes Or Apply Other Methods

You may want to wash the clothes as usual or continue the process with some suggested methods above for fresh stains because the stain has been loosened with the glycerine mixture. Hang them out for drying.

3. Bleach

The last option to choose: using bleach to directly treat the blueberry stain. While bleach is only added in the washing step in other methods, it will become the superstar in this one! Oxygenated bleach such as 3% hydrogen peroxide can be a great treatment for the stain.

Preparation:

• Oxygenated bleach (3% hydrogen peroxide)/ Chlorine bleach (Clorox)/ Commercial color remover
• Heavy-duty liquid detergent

Step 1: Test The Bleach

First thing first, you must do a patch test on an unnoticeable spot of your clothes to see whether your clothes react to the bleach.

• Oxygenated bleach: used for most colors, including vibrant-colored, dark-colored clothes.
• Chlorine bleach: better used for white and light-colored clothes.

If the bleach discolors your clothes, stop right here and try other methods.

Step 2: Pretreat The Stain

Use heavy-duty liquid detergent to pretreat the blueberry stain. Then, rinse the clothes.

Step 3: Apply The Bleach

If your garments pass the bleach test, soak the garments in diluted bleach.

For both oxygenated and chlorine bleach, don’t leave them on fabric for more than 1 minute, or else they may damage the clothing item. Rinse the bleach after 1 minute.

If the bleach doesn’t work well, try the commercial color remover. Keep in mind that this also discolors your clothes like bleach, so remember to test it first.

Step 4: Wash And Dry As Usual

Wash the treated garments like you usually do. Hang them up for air-drying.

4. Denatured Alcohol

If all of the above methods, even the bleach, don’t work on your garments, try this one! Wet a cloth with denatured alcohol then apply it directly onto the stained spots. Don’t let it sit for too long, then rinse away and wash all the treated garments as usual.

Warning: Denatured alcohol may be harmful to some fabric types, so be super careful! It can also leave color bleeding when it is left for too long on the clothing.

A Step-By-Step Method To Treat Blueberry Stain On Dry Clean Only Fabrics

With dry clean only clothes, you need to be very cautious when dealing with them. Try this method with some lemon juice, vinegar and digestant enzyme paste.

Preparation:

• Lemon juice
• Glycerin
• White dish soap
• Water
• A sponge
• A plastic squeeze bottle
• A soft-bristled brush

Step 1: Lemon Treat

Cut the lemon in half and then rub it directly on the stain. Then rinse the clothes with water, blot out the moisture. Air dry the clothes as you wish. If the stain is still there, reach to the next step.

Step 2: Glycerin And Vinegar Treat

Mix glycerin, white dish soap and water in a ratio 1:1:8 in a plastic bottle, then shake it well. Use the sponge to apply the mixture on the stain, with some drops of vinegar. If the fabrics are cotton or linen, remember to dilute the vinegar with water first.

Then, use the soft-bristled brush to tamp on the stain. Hold the brush and slightly rub it on the fabric in short strokes. Don’t put too much pressure on the brush or else you may damage the fabric.

If the stains still remain, move to the next step.

Step 3: Use Digestant Enzyme Paste

Apply digestant enzyme paste directly onto the stained area. Allow it to stay on the fabrics for about half an hour, then rinse the clothes well with water. The blueberry stains on dry clean only fabrics should be gone by now.

2 Methods To Eliminate Blueberry Stains On Cotton Or Synthetic Fabrics

For typical types such as cotton and synthetic fabrics, you may treat the blueberry stains on them much easier than the delicate ones. Here are the step-by-step instructions with common treatments.

Synthetic fabrics are acrylic, polyester, acetate, nylon, olefin, etc. Any item labeled wrinkle-resistant, static-resistant, no-iron, moth-repellent, permanent-press, or stain-proof is also considered synthetic clothes.

Enzyme-Based Detergent And Bleach

The enzyme-based detergent and bleach can be a great combination when it comes to treating berry stains on synthetic fabric, but please use them one by one.

Preparation:

• A blunt item (a spoon, butter knife, etc.)
• Cold water
• An enzyme detergent
• Bleach

Step 1: Remove The Excess

Use the blunt thing to get the blueberry stain residue off the fabric. Then, turn the garment inside out, then let the stained area sit under the running cold water and flush from the back. Try to get rid of the excess part as much as you can.

Step 2: Apply Enzyme Detergent

Apply some enzyme detergent to the stain, then let it sit on the fabric for a few minutes.

Step 3: Wash The Treated Clothes

Bring the garments to wash at the hottest water setting that they can withstand (check the care label carefully). You may want to add some oxygen bleach for colored clothes or chlorine bleach for white clothes during the wash.

Tip: Avoid using water temperatures higher than 160F to any synthetic fabric.

Step 4: Dry the clothes

Air dry your clothes in the fresh air and sunlight. The heat from the dryer may be an enemy to the clothing because it can set the remaining stains, so try not to use it.

Repeat the whole process if the stain still stays after the wash.

Here’s a more interesting and easy-to-apply method for treating blueberry stain on cotton clothes!

Diluted Bleach

With only some bleach and water, you can eliminate the stain quickly; however, on different types of synthetic fabrics, there will be a different method to apply to each of them.

Preparation:

• Chlorine bleach/ Oxygen-based bleach
• A container

For Natural White Fabrics (Linen And Cotton)

Combine 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach and a gallon of water in a proper container. Soak the whole stained garments into the solution for about 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse the soaked items well with water.

For White Synthetic Clothing Items And Colored Fabrics

Dilute oxygen-based bleach with warm water. Submerge your clothes in the diluted bleach for 4 hours up to overnight. Wash and dry as you would normally do.

A Precise Instruction For Stains From Blueberry On More Delicate Fabrics

For delicate fabrics like wool or silk, you may need a lighter treatment so that it won’t harm the fabrics. The detergent to use here should be mild, or the materials will probably be damaged unwantedly.

Preparation:

• A blunt item
• Mild detergent
• A container
• Oxygen bleach (optional)

Step 1: Eliminate The Residue

Take the blunt item, such as a metal spoon or a butter knife, to get rid of the excess blueberry on your garment.

Step 2: Soak The Garments In Diluted Detergent

Dilute mild detergent in cool water in a container. Place the affected clothes into the detergent solution. Squeeze the soapy water carefully across the stained item to slowly lift the stain.

Step 3: Wash The Clothes

Drain the water and bring your garments to wash in a washing machine. Check the care label first to decide whether you can use an oxygen bleach during the wash. Wash them as you usually do with the warmest water possible for your clothes.

Step 4: Air Dry The Laundry

Dry the laundry outdoors. Avoid using the dryer since the heat can make the stains stay forever on the fabric.

FAQs

You may want to know more about this topic, so here is the question-and-answer section for you! Check to see if there are any of your concerns here, or you can leave a comment below so that I can reply to your private question!

What Will You Do To Treat The Blueberry Stain Now?

With all the provided information, I believe that you have fully understood the methods to get rid of blueberry stains on your clothing item as soon as possible. If there is any concern in your mind, ask me in the comment box below, and I will explain it to you right away!

Your blueberry-stained garment will be as good as a new one when you apply a proper method. If the methods introduced in this article have satisfied you, give me a like or share so that I can get the motivation to provide more high-quality posts! See you later, my friend!

References

1. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Blueberry – Wikipedia.:
2. Medicalnewstoday.com. 2021. Blueberries: Health benefits, facts, and research.