How to remove a sauce stain (sirloin, tomato, curry...):
What to do if your lunch ends up on your t-shirt
A story from life
"Sunday lunch at Grandma's, sirloin steak with six, and before I knew it, the little one dropped his spoon on his pants. Sauce everywhere. It dried up fast. A brown shadow left after a normal wash. Only a mixture of soda, lemon and EcoHaus washing paper did the trick."
- Tereza, EcoHaus customer
Why sauces dye so fiercely
Sauces tend to be a mixture of fat, flour, milk, spices, vegetables and sometimes wine. This means:
- fat that soaks deep into the fabric.
- starch and protein, which solidifies as it dries
- spices (e.g. paprika, curry, turmeric) - strong colouring agents
- tomatoes and vegetables that oxidise
Together they form a stain that often looks worse when dry than when the accident happened.
How to make a sauce stain step by step
What helps:
- Cold water
- Baking soda
- Citric acid or lemon juice
- White vinegar 10%
- EcoHaus Washing Papers
- Sodium percarbonate - ideal for light-coloured laundry
Procedure:
- Wipe off any sauce residue with a spoon or napkin, do not press into the fabric.
- Rinse the stain with cold water on the reverse side to get it out.
- Apply a paste of baking soda and lemon or a mixture of citric acid and water.
Why it works: Soda draws out grease and starch, acid breaks down pigments and spice residue. - Leave on for 15-20 minutes, gently wash off.
- Wash with EcoHaus washing papers - ideally at 30-40°C.
- For light or white laundry, add sodium percarbonate.
Why it works: Active oxygen brightens the fabric and removes even older discolouration.
What to watch out for
- Don't use hot water before washing. The sauce will "bake" into the fabric.
- Don't wait. The longer the stain stays, the more it soaks in.
- Don't wash it without a pre-treatment. The combination of grease and pigment won't let go without preparation.
➙ Tip from Grandma Petra
Lemon and soda has always worked for sirloin steak. Just leave it for a while and then wash with household powder - today I use paper and percarbonate and the result is even better.
➙ Tip from Vlaďka - the cleaning lady
Sauce on a blouse? The best trick - a little vinegar, sprinkle with soda, let it bubble and then straight into the washing machine with the paper. For white laundry, add percarbonate. The stain comes off after a week.
Recommended products:
- Baking soda
- Citric acid
- White vinegar 10% - 1 l
- EcoHaus Washing Papers
- Sodium percarbonate
Dealing with another stain?
At Spotters you'll find recipes for ketchup, tartar sauce, relish, chocolate, wine and oil. And if you need help right now, email Vlaďka - you'll find her in the bottom right corner.
Got a trick of your own?
Let us know your method at marketing@ecohaus.cz or in the comments. We'll be happy to publish customer-tested tricks to inspire others.
Summary
A sirloin, tomato or curry stain is not the end of a favourite outfit. With a little lemon, soda, the right attitude and quality helpers from EcoHaus, you can do it quickly and naturally. Without chemicals. No panic.
Comments (0)
There are no comments on this article. Be the first to leave a comment!