How To Get Turmeric Stain Out Of Clothes

How to get turmeric stain out of clothes? You may want to know the answer since turmeric powder is a super popular Indian spice that can appear in any kitchen. Turmeric has a signature golden-yellow color that is complicated to remove when it gets on your clothes.

The bad news is that turmeric stains are also considered as one of the most stubborn stains on clothes. The unattractive yellow-colored stains on any surface are really difficult to remove. But the good news is, this article is here to save your life from a disaster!

What Exactly Is Turmeric?

Turmeric is the end part of a flowering plant. It has a ginger-like appearance and an orange-yellow inside. ⁽¹⁾ That deep color is a huge problem! It leaves stains on any surfaces that you accidentally drop the powder or liquid including turmeric on.

You may know turmeric before since it is a really famous Indian spice that is usually used to cook curry. Turmeric tastes a little bit spicy and aromatic. It also brings tons of health benefits to you, especially boosting the health of your brain and heart. ⁽²⁾

Do you know that turmeric is also used for dying fabrics in some parts of the world? It is a special dye from nature that can bring beautiful yellow to the fabric. Therefore, it is one of the most tricky stains on clothes that need some specific detergents to remove completely.

Turmeric can stay in the powder form when uncooked or in an oil-based form mixed into the curry. In both states, eliminating turmeric stains is always a huge challenge. Turmeric includes curcumin, which is not water-soluble, so you can’t treat it with only water.

If you accidentally leave turmeric stains on your garments, they may take you some time to get rid of completely. But don’t panic! If you follow my specific directions on this, there is a high chance that you may fix the problem really soon.

Pre-treat The Turmeric Stains On Garments

If someone is suddenly injured, what will you do? Yes, give them emergency first aid. And it is also applied to turmeric stains. You should pre-treat the stains right after dropping some turmeric on your clothes. By this, you may minimize the damage to them.

Eliminate Excess Turmeric As Soon As Possible

Time is key in treating turmeric stains. As soon as the turmeric gets onto your shirt, immediately use any blunt item to scope across the stain on fabric and quickly get rid of excess turmeric on your clothing. Take off your clothing if possible.

Act swiftly! The longer the turmeric stays on the fabric, the harder it is for you to remove it afterward. After taking off all the excess turmeric, soak the stained part in cold water for a few minutes and dab it gently with a soft towel.

You can also apply an ice cube to the stained spots if you are staying somewhere, such as a restaurant or a party, where you cannot take off the garments and pour water onto it to pre-treat.

Warning: Don’t ever scrub or rub the turmeric stain, or else you may contaminate other parts with the excess yellow spice!

Pre-treat Powdered Turmeric Stains

If the turmeric is still in powder form, you can take the clothes off and shake the powder off as quickly as you can. Then apply the treatment.

The best detergent to treat powdered turmeric stains is laundry detergent. You can rub some drops of laundry detergent on the stained spot in circular motions. Leave for a while and rinse away with plain water.

Pre-treat Oil-Based Turmeric Stains

If the turmeric stain is oil-based, you may find it a little bit more complicated to pre-treat. The first thing to do is use a paper towel and blot on the stain. Once again, do not rub the stain since it may spread the turmeric and damage other parts.

Then, cover the stain with cornstarch or baking soda. Let it sit on your clothes for about 20 minutes. Then, brush away the excess powder and pre-treat with laundry detergent-like powdered turmeric stains.

Lemon juice is also a great natural detergent for pre-treating oil-based turmeric stains. Apply the liquid to the stained area. Wait for 15 minutes, then use a damp cloth to get rid of the lemon juice on the clothes. You can use this trick for some emergencies.

Quickly pre-treat turmeric stains so that the later on process can get easier!

5 Best Home Remedies To Dispel The Turmeric Stains On Clothes

There are some remedies that are very helpful for you to treat the turmeric stains right at home! Why don’t you apply them now?

White Vinegar

Using white vinegar is a wise choice since vinegar is a popular detergent that is usually used to get rid of the most stubborn stains on your clothes. Diluted white vinegar can be used to eliminate turmeric stains from delicate fabrics like linen or silk.

Option 1: White Vinegar, Dish Soap, And Laundry Detergent.

Preparation:

• White vinegar
• Dish soap
• Powdered/ Liquid laundry detergent
• A bowl
• An old toothbrush

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix the solution.

In a bowl, mix white vinegar and dish soap in a 2:1 ratio. Submerge the stained part of your garment into the solution for about 30 minutes. After that, rinse the clothes with cold water.

Step 2: Treat the stains with laundry detergent.

With powdered detergent, put some onto the wet-stained spots and scrub with the old toothbrush. The abrasive characteristics of powdered detergent can help you easily get the stain out of clothes. Do not use hot water to dampen your clothes, or else the stain will stay.

With liquid detergent, pour 2 or 3 drops in cold water. Gently stir, then submerge your stained garments in the solution for about half an hour.

After all, rinse your clothes away with plain water.

Step 3: Dry your clothes outside.

Air dry your garments in direct sunlight for at least 6 hours or longer if needed. Check the stains every hour, if they disappear completely, bring your clothes inside since UV rays may decolor your clothes.

Option 2: White Vinegar With Rubbing Alcohol Or Dish Soap.

Preparation:

• White vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol/ dish soap
• Warm water
• Rags

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the solution.

Mix 1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a half cup of rubbing alcohol, or 2 cups of dishwashing soap and warm water.

Step 2: Apply the solution to the fabric.

Submerge a rag in the prepared mixture and dab it on the fresh stain. After that, blot the excess liquid with a dry rag. Repeat this step several times in a few minutes, until the stain fades away. Be aware that acidic vinegar can discolor your garment.

Step 3: Let it dry naturally.

Tip: You should only use white vinegar to treat stains on clothes. Avoid balsamic or red wine because they can leave other colored stains on your garments.

Alcohol

Alcohol is not only used to drink but also used for cleaning purposes. Use alcohol to remove turmeric stains on your clothes and you will be super surprised!

Preparation:

• Alcohol
• A soft sponge

Instructions:

Step 1: After pre-treating, pour some alcohol directly onto the stained spots.

Step 2: Use a soft sponge and rub the alcohol on the fabric in order to eliminate the annoying turmeric stains.

Step 3: Repeat the steps until the stain starts to fade or disappear.

Step 4: Wash and dry your clothes as usual.

Soda Water

Soda water can be a great liquid to solve the turmeric stain problem on your clothes. It is easy to find and so mild that it doesn’t harm your fabric, so you can use it without being worried.

Preparation:

• Soda water
• A rag

Instructions:

Step 1: Apply soda water to your clothes.

Option 1: Dip a rag into soda water and soak it on a turmeric stain.

Option 2: Soak the stained area directly into soda water for 5 minutes, then use a rag to get rid of the stain.

Step 2: Wash your garments and air dry them as normal.

After treating your clothes with soda water, run a usual wash cycle and hang them for drying as you normally do.

Tip: Do not use tonic water or a soft drink, since they include sugar which can make your clothes sticky when being dried.

Lemon Juice

Lemon is always a great acidic liquid to get rid of the turmeric or curry stain on your garments. All you need to get is a lemon, which may be available in your refrigerator.

Preparation:

• A lemon
• A knife
• Laundry detergent

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut the lemon in half with a sharp knife.

Step 2: Squeeze it directly onto the turmeric stains on your clothes. Let it sit for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Wash the clothes according to the care label with regular laundry detergent, or any specialized laundry detergent you have.

Step 4: Hang the garments outside to air dry them.

Glycerine

Glycerine is a chemical that is made during the process of producing animal fat and creating soap. You can purchase it in any pharmacy near your house. It can work well as a detergent to get away from the turmeric stains when combined with some other detergents.

Preparation:

• Glycerine
• Dish soap
• Water
• A rag
• Regular laundry detergent

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix ¼ cup of glycerin with ¼ cup of dish soap and 2 cups of water.

Step 2: Soak a rag in the prepared solution, then gently dab on the turmeric stain on your clothing. Leave it there for about an hour.

Step 3: Wash your clothes with regular laundry detergent and dry them as you usually do

Special Treatment For Turmeric Stains On Light-Colored Clothes

It’s the worst to have some turmeric stains on light-colored clothes, especially white ones. In these cases, you have to use some stronger detergents to get rid of the stains. But be careful while treating the light-colored clothes, since they are somehow delicate.

Bleach or bleach-based detergents are powerful and usually used to treat many types of stains on white clothes. For its strong characteristics, you should always do a patch test when using it to ensure that it is safe for your clothes.

Preparation:

• Bleach
• A container (bucket, etc.)
• Water
• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• White vinegar
• Nylon brush

Step 1: Check The Label Carefully.

Make sure that your garment can use bleach to wash. Some fabrics cannot endure strong detergents like bleach and may be ruined badly. Therefore, you should always check the care label or do a patch test if needed.

Step 2: Time To Treat The Turmeric Stain.

With dry stains, use a nylon brush to get rid of the stain. Rub some drops of laundry detergent onto the spot in circular motions and wash away with water. Repeat if needed.

With oil-based stains, after pre-treating them with powder (cornstarch or baking soda), spray a solution of vinegar, dish soap, and water over the stained spot, then rub it for 2-3 minutes and wash away.

Step 3: Soak Your Treated Garments In Bleach.

Fill the prepared container with cold water, then add one cup of bleach. Soak your items in the diluted bleach for about 20 minutes. Keep in mind that bleach can only be used for white clothes!

Step 4: Rinse The Clothes, Then Continue To Soak If Needed.

After 20 minutes, exclude the solution and rinse your clothing items with plain water. If you can still inspect some signs of yellow marks remaining on the fabric, continue to soak the clothes overnight in another solution of 1 baking soda cup and a half bucket of water.

Step 5: Wash As Usual.

After all those steps, now you can normally wash your clothes. After washing, the turmeric stains should have gone completely; or else, repeat the whole process once again.

Step 6: Air Dry Your Garments.

Hanging your clothes outdoors is the best way to dry them. Nothing beats fresh air and sunlight in drying washed stained and smelly clothing items!

A simple way to get rid of turmeric stain out of your light-colored clothes is included here!

Eliminate Turmeric Stains From Colored Clothes

You have gone through the methods of getting rid of turmeric stains on light-colored or white clothes, now it’s time to learn about dealing with colored clothes.

Fresh Stains

If you accidentally get some turmeric powder on your clothes, you’d better treat them right away with some simple detergents.

Preparation:

• White vinegar
• Liquid laundry detergent
• Paper towels

Step 1: Put The Laundry Detergent On The Turmeric Stain.

Pour some laundry detergent directly onto the stained area. You should use liquid detergent instead of powdered one since it will leave no residue on your clothes. Scrub the detergent with your fingers for the liquid to absorb into the threads. Let them stay there for half an hour.

Step 2: Rinse The Detergent Away.

Use cold water to rinse the excess laundry detergent off. At this point, the turmeric stains should have faded away or introduced a pale color on the fabric.

Step 3: Use White Vinegar To Treat The Stain.

Use a paper towel to dip into vinegar and lightly dab it on the stained area. Keep doing this step until the stains are gone.

Step 4: Wash And Dry Your Garment As You Would Normally Do.

Read the care label of your clothing item and wash as it says. Run a normal wash cycle with your washing machine. Regular laundry detergent is acceptable.

Repeat another wash cycle if the outcome does not please you. If it still does not work for the second time, start the method right from the start.

More Stubborn Stains

Harder-to-remove or dried turmeric stains on colored clothes may be a big problem that requires a little bit more effort. But don’t be frustrated because every difficult problem will be solved quickly with proper methods!

Preparation:

• Dish soap
• White vinegar
• Laundry detergent
• An old toothbrush
• A container (bucket, washtub, etc.)

Step 1: Make The Solution.

Combine a tablespoon of dish soap with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a container. Soak the stained spot of your clothes in the mixture for about 30 minutes, then rinse it away with cold water.

Step 2: Apply Laundry Detergent.

Keep the tap running to the stained area of the fabric. Dip an old toothbrush to powdered laundry detergent and scrub the affected area. Repeat this step over and over again until the turmeric stain is gone.

Step 3: Wash And Air Dry Your Garments As Normal.

Bring the garments to wash as you would do with regular detergent. Hang your clothes in the fresh air and direct sunlight. However, keep in mind that the UV rays may heavily discolor your garments, so don’t let them sit in the sunlight for too long.

To make it simple, observe how they treat the turmeric stains in this video!

FAQs

The article has fully provided you with a lot of interesting tips and step-by-step instructions to get rid of the turmeric stains on your clothing items. However, I believe that some of you may have some more questions about this topic, so read this Q&A section to find out!

Have Your Clothes Been Get Rid Of The Yellow Stains?

The unpleasant yellow stains will no longer be a problem once you apply the above techniques to clean your clothes! You may need to try harder to treat this kind of stain, but it’s all worth it in the end. So, try my suggestions and tell me about the result!

If you have any more questions on this topic, leave me some words below and I will answer them as soon as I can! Also, why don’t you like and share this article if you find it effective and may be useful for your close ones? They’ll be super thankful because of it!

Hope to see you soon in the next articles!

References

1. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Turmeric – Wikipedia.
2. Healthline. 2021. 10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin.
3. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Toothpaste – Wikipedia.