How to remove tomato stain:
From fresh juice to sauce

A story from life

"I was making homemade tomato sauce and while blending it splashed on my apron - and underneath my white T-shirt. I told myself it would come off on its own. But after washing it, the orange map remained. Luckily, I had my grandmother's tip in my head: soda, lemon, and peace. After one cycle, like new."

- Katka, EcoHaus customer

Why tomato stains last longer than you'd expect

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a natural red fat-soluble dye, plus acids. When it comes to sauce or ketchup, oil, sugar and starch also come into play - a combination that holds surprisingly tightly to the substances. Stains are often "pulled out" after the first wash. But a quick and correct procedure can put a clean end to them.

How to treat a tomato stain step by step

What helps:

Cold water
Baking soda
10% white vinegar or citric acid
EcoHaus Washing Papers
Sodium percarbonate - for light-coloured laundry

Procedure:

Gently wipe off any tomato or sauce residue first - do not rub into the fabric.
Rinse the stain with cold water on the reverse side to get the pigment out of the fibres.
Apply a paste of baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice to the stain, massaging gently. Why it works: The vinegar/acid breaks down the acidic component of the stain, the baking soda loosens the grease and pigment.
Leave on for 15-20 minutes.
Wash with EcoHaus wash cloths - feel free to prewash.
For white laundry, add sodium percarbonate to the main wash. Why it works: Active oxygen breaks down the colored residue of lycopene without damaging the fabric.

What to watch out for

Never rinse with hot water. Tomato pigments are "locked in" by heat.
Do not let the stain dry. In oily sauces, the pigment will lock into the fibres.
Don't try aggressive bleaches. They can leave a permanent shadow and damage the material.

➙ Tip from Grandma Petra

Lemon juice and baking soda have always worked for tomato sauce stains - rub them both between your fingers, leave them for a while and then pop them straight into the washing machine. Works for older stains too.

➙ Tip from Vlaďka - the cleaning lady

If a shadow remains, apply vinegar, sprinkle baking soda and let it bubble right on the stain. This works great on coloured laundry too - but I recommend testing on a less visible spot first.

Looking for another stain?

At Spotters you'll find articles on ketchup, red wine, blueberries, raspberry snacks and chocolate. And if you need advice right away, open up Vlaďka - our clever cleaning assistant in the bottom right corner.

Send your trick

Do you have your own tried-and-tested trick? Write it in the comments or send it to marketing@ecohaus.cz. We'll publish the most interesting tips from you - and help others who are puzzling over paradise stains.

Summary

Tomato or tomato on fabric? No need to panic. With a quick approach, a little baking soda, a dash of acid and the right washing, the stain will disappear as if it was never there. Without unnecessary chemistry and stress.