How to Remove an Alcohol Stain from Clothing

Alcohol stains are not something many people consider removing past getting rid of the initial discoloration brought on by the color of the alcohol. However, it is important to remember that alcohol contains sugars, and even if any basic discoloration from your drink is removed, if the sugar has not also been thoroughly flushed a different stain will appear after your garment has been washed and dried.

How to Remove an Alcohol Stain - What Were You Drinking?

Alcohol products come in many variations and some have added ingredients that would carry with them their own additional specifications - i.e. removing the stain from a Bloody Mary is a lot different than removing the stain for gin as consideration has to be given for the added ingredients of a Bloody Mary. Keep this in mind before attacking your clothing. You will want to go after the aspect of the stain with the most difficult process first.

How to Remove an Alcohol Stain - Cold Water Rinsing

The first step of treatment for almost any liquid stain is a cold water flush. The cold water flush will remove any excess liquid that has not already begun to set with your fibers and will typically immediately lighten the tone of your stain. When dealing with an alcohol stain spray into your garment from the reverse side using a pressure nozzle sink attachment if at all possible. The nozzle will help break up the stain better than just using tap pressure.

How to Remove an Alcohol Stain - Use a Stain Remover

The next step is to actually treat the stain residue and attack the sugars by utilizing your favorite stain removal product. An oxygen cleaner and gel stain removers seem to work best at actually lifting the sugar residue from alcohol from a garment. Apply the stain remover and let the shirt soak in warm water for 5-10 minutes, then scrub the affected area, reapply stain remover and let it soak again in fresh warm water.

How to Remove an Alcohol Stain - Wash

After you have left the garment go through the stain remover cycle enough times to eradicate much of the stain's visibility, you want to wash your article of clothing according to the garment care specifications on the tag. When you remove your shirt, pants, or dress from the wash examine the stained area, and if there is the slightest inclination of a stain still being present, repeat the stain removal process and then wash the garment again according to care specifications. It is very important that you do not dry the garment until you are sure that the alcohol stain has lifted, as this will set the sugar stain permanently.

Unless you were having an alcoholic beverage with added ingredients, the main component you will have to fight when fighting an alcohol stain is the sugar present within the beverage. Get rid of the sugar and you should be stain free in no time.

Source:

Personal experience with sugar stain removals.