Effective Techniques for Stain Removal

In part one of our stain series, we tackle your toughest questions–from reviving dingy whites to rescuing clothes from stubborn oils and baked-on gummy bears.

Guest: Wirecutter senior writer Andrea Barnes

Products we recommend:

• The best liquid laundry detergent & a great product for pre-treating stains: Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent
• The best powdered laundry detergent (with oxygen bleach)  :Tide Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent
• Another great laundry detergent: ​​Persil Original Liquid Detergent Everyday Clean
• If you want an “eco-friendly” detergent or to support a smaller brand, we like: Dirty Labs Free & Clear Bio Laundry Detergent
• A good stain remover for most starch or protein food stains: Zout
• A good stain remover for ink or sugary stains: Amodex Ink & Stain Remover

Additional reading:

• So You Stained Your Shirt. Now What? 
• The 6 Best Stain Removers of 2025
• Skip the Stain Removers. This Detergent Is All You Need.
• The 5 Best Laundry Detergents of 2025
• The Wirecutter Show Episode 1: The Secret to Better Laundry

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Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast