Nothing beats treating yourself to takeout or homemade curry on a Friday night after a long week at work. Curry’s delicious, unique flavor is a result of its intricate spice blend combined with coconut milk. Although curry is so tasty, like many other foods, it can create some nasty stains. Today, I’m going to share with you how to remove curry stains, so you can continue to enjoy your favorite food!
Unfortunately, if a curry spill is not cleaned up right after the spill occurs, those same delicious spices can permanently stain your fabric. Just to give you an idea of curry’s staining power, two of the main ingredients in curry, turmeric, and paprika can even be used to color textiles. Yikes!
Therefore, if you want to clean a curry stain, it’s important to work as quickly as possible. This will prevent the dye from staining your carpet or favorite clothing piece a bright shade of yellow.
Read more if you want to find out how to prevent colorful curry spills from damaging your clothes, carpet, and upholstery.
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Why Is It Hard to Remove Curry Stains?
Curry is often described as “the ultimate comfort food,” and while it’s true that there are many delicious dishes that incorporate the Indian seasoning mix, it’s also notorious for being difficult to clean up. The problem with this spice blend lies in turmeric.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is what gives curry its distinctive color. But unlike other dyes, curcumin doesn’t dissolve easily in water. This makes it impossible to wash out completely with basic water treatments. Instead, it just sits on the surface of the fabric, turning it bright orange, yellow, or gold. Yup, it’s one heck of a tough stain to get rid of, but I have the solution!
The good news is that there are ways to get rid of curry stains. But you’ll have to opt for something stronger than basic water-based treatments to clear the bright-colored stain.
Removing Curry Stains: The Basics
Before we move on to the deep cleaning tips to remove curry sauce from your clothes, let’s start with some of the basics of curry stain removal.
Timing
The most important thing when you are trying to remove a turmeric stain from clothes is timing. You don’t want to wait too long before treating the stain; otherwise, there’s a higher risk that the stain will set.
Remove any excess curry
Before you attempt o clean the stain, first remove any excess curry still on the fabric. You can use any plastic device with a smooth edge, like a plastic spoon or knife, to gently scrape off any excess stain.
Blot the stain
Once all the excess curry has been removed, you can gently blot the stain to absorb extra moisture. Don’t press too hard on the stain because you don’t want to smear it deeper into the fabric.
Spot test
Before you attempt to clean the stubborn stain, first test a small inconspicuous stained area to see how the method will react with the fabric. You don’t want to cause any additional damage to your clothes. If the method works well on the small area, you can treat the larger stain.
Check the care label
Always check the care label of your clothing piece before attempting any cleaning method. You don’t want to ruin your entire clothing item by applying the wrong method for the fabric. Some fabrics prefer cold to hot water, etc.
Follow the directions
Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the cleaning product that you are using and follow the instructions carefully for the best results.
Air dry clothes
Always let your items air dry unless you’re positive the stain has been removed completely. The heat from the dryer may make the curry stains permanent if they haven’t been removed completely before you put the items in.
Tip: To prevent the stain from spreading onto the fabric underneath while being treated, it is recommended to place a clean soft cloth or some paper towels underneath the spot while treating curry stains.
General Steps for Curry Stains
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to remove turmeric stains let’s take a look at some cleaning methods that we can use to clean the curry stains.
Steps to Remove a Curry Stain With Laundry Detergent
Curry stains can be effortlessly removed using high-quality laundry detergents, which are easy to use.
Materials Needed:
- Liquid laundry detergent
Steps:
Step 1: Use detergent
Put some liquid detergent on the stain and rub it in.
Step 2: Work the detergent in
Gently rub it in, beginning at the edge and moving into the center, you can use a soft sponge for this job, or a wet cloth.
Step 3: Allow it to sit
Follow the instructions on the laundry care label, or let it sit for about 30 minutes. For more stubborn stains, you can leave the detergent on the fabric longer—a few hours or even overnight.
Step 4: Clean your clothes
Machine wash your clothes with a high-quality laundry detergent and cold water.
How to Remove Curry Stains With Lemon Juice
Lemon is a useful cleaning tool around the house and a terrific all-natural option for removing curry stains in just three easy steps.
Materials Needed:
- Fresh lemons
- Regular detergent
Steps:
Step 1: Apply lemon juice
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice out over the yellow stain.
Step 2: Allow it to soak overnight
Let the lemon juice sit for the entire night.
Step 3: Wash as usual
Follow the instructions on the care label when washing your clothing.
How to Get a Curry Stain Out With Toothpaste
If you don’t have any lemons on hand, you can try removing the curry stains with some toothpaste. If you have toothpaste with baking soda, even better!
Materials Needed:
- Regular toothpaste
Steps:
Step 1: Apply the toothpaste
Apply a small amount of toothpaste on the curry stain and let it sit for a few hours.
Step 2: Wash as usual
Follow the instructions on the care label when washing your clothing.
Removing Curry Stains Using a Glycerine Solution
Materials Needed:
- Glycerine
- Regular laundry detergent
Steps:
First, use a spoon or a dull knife to scrape away as much excess curry residue from the fabric. Then, use the towel to gently blot the stain to remove any leftover pigment. Apply some glycerine to the area now, give it a light dab with your fingers, and let it sit for about an hour.
After the hour has passed, rinse the stain under cold running water to remove the glycerine. Finally, you can air dry the item outside, after washing it at the highest safe temperature recommended on the fabric care label for your outfit.
How to Get Curry Out of Clothes Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Materials Needed:
- 1 tablespoon 3% hydrogen peroxide
- 1 cup of cold water
Steps:
Step 1: Scrape to get solids off
Use a spoon or dull knife edge to gently scrape the stain to remove any curry solids from the fabric. You risk pushing the color further into the fabric fibers if you attempt to remove the stain with a cloth or sponge. This makes getting rid of the stain even more challenging.
Step 2: Create a hydrogen peroxide solution
Mix half a cup of water and one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide at regular strength (3%) to create the cleaning solution. Because it is a bleaching agent, hydrogen peroxide shouldn’t be applied at full strength to colored fabrics, especially colorfast apparel. On white fabrics, however, you can use hydrogen peroxide at full power.
Step 3: Wash, rinse, and soak
The discolored fabric should be submerged in the peroxide solution for at least two hours. Then, wash the entire item as instructed on the clothing label using your regular detergent and the hottest water advised for the fabric after rinsing the soiled area in cold, clean water.
Before it dries, examine the stained area. If the stain persists, you can either repeat the steps or resort to oxygen bleach (as mentioned below).
How to Remove Stubborn Curry Stains
If the stain remains, try doing this. First, apply the hydrogen peroxide solution to your clothes, and if the stain still persists, use oxygen bleach as per the instructions below to remove the remaining stain.
Materials Needed:
- Oxygen bleach
Steps:
Follow the instructions on the package to create a mixture of warm water and oxygen-based bleach. Mix enough of the mixture to completely cover the clothing, then soak it all night. Repeat this soaking procedure with a brand-new solution if the discoloration is still discernible. Launder as usual once the stain has disappeared.
How To Remove Curry from Carpet and Furniture
Here’s how to get curry stains out of your carpet and furniture. To clean carpets or upholstered furniture, you can use the following cleaning method.
Materials Needed:
- Spoon/dull knife
- 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 tablespoon household ammonia/distilled white vinegar
- clean cloth/paper towel
- bleach (optional)
Steps:
Step 1: Remove excess curry
Use a spoon or dull knife to take as much of the solid curry off the carpet as you can. Be careful not to rub the discoloration further into the carpet.
Step 2: Create a Cleaning Agent
Start by combining a solution of one tablespoon of dish soap, two cups of cool water, and either one tablespoon of household ammonia or white distilled vinegar. Stir well to mix the components.
Step 3: Apply the Cleaning Solution
The stain should be sponged with the solution using a white, clean cloth or paper towel. Five minutes should be enough time for this mixture to sit before removing it with a dry cloth. Repeat the steps until there is no color left on the white cloth.
Step 4: Air dry after wiping
To remove any soapy residue, soak a fresh, white cloth in pure water and dab it on the stain. Blot the area with a dry cloth until it absorbs all the moisture. Let the carpet air dry.
Step 5: Attempt oxygen bleach
To remove a persistent stain, combine all-fabric oxygen bleach and warm water according to the instructions on the product label. Apply the solution to the area, blot it, and let it sit on the stain for at least 30 to 60 minutes. Now, blot with a clean, dry cloth, and let it air dry. Once the carpet has dried, you can vacuum the carpet.
Step 6: Use the same technique for upholstery
Most upholstery materials can be treated with the same methods. Just be extra careful not to wet the fabric too much. Consult a professional cleaner if the upholstery is silk, wool, or vintage.
Additional Tips for Handling Curry Stains
Curry stains are notoriously difficult to remove, but it is possible. Early treatment is crucial, ideally as soon as the spill occurs. There’s a good chance that a professional dry cleaner or carpet cleaner will be able to help after you’ve exhausted all other options and are still dealing with a stain.
When to Call a Professional
When it comes to attempting stain removal techniques on materials that can be machine washed, you can compete with the specialists. However, in situations involving furniture, carpets, and dry-clean-only goods and curry, expert cleaners may have access to the best cleaning agents that can be used to remove stubborn stains.
When working with a delicate cloth, it’s also advisable to leave it in the hands of experts. Before taking the chance of causing damage through poor handling techniques, visit a professional dry cleaner if your clothing or upholstery is made of silk, wool, velvet, is decorated, or is vintage.
Conclusion
Curry stains can be difficult to remove and can even lead to permanent stains if the stains are not treated properly. This guide on curry stain removers is here to guide you through any curry stain dilemma that you might face.
While there is no need to consult a professional dry cleaner for items that are machine washable, remember to consult experts when it comes to delicate fabrics like silk, wool, velvet, etc.
We hope that this article has proven helpful and that you can enjoy your curry-free fabrics once again after you’ve applied our easy-to-follow cleaning tips. Let us know in the comments if you have any other useful tips for curry stains, and remember, sharing is caring!
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