Mastering Stain Removal Techniques

In the final part of our stain series, we tackle trickier listener questions–from eliminating fishy odors to whether you can truly remove paint stains. 

Guest: Senior writer Andrea Barnes

Products we recommend:

• A good stain remover for ink or sugary stains: Amodex Ink & Stain Remover
• A good stain remover for cat odors: Nature's Miracle
• A good way to remove odors from clothes: Downy Rinse & Refresh
• For acrylic paint stains, you might try: Dawn Powerwash
• For oil paint stains, you can try mineral spirits
• A good stain remover for old blood stains: Clorox 2 Stain Remover & Color Brightener
• 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) for dirt and clay: Tide Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent

Additional reading:

• The Wirecutter Show Episode 32: The Art of Stain Removal Part 1
• 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
• The Best Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

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