6 best laundry & carpet stain removers.

When we get a stain on our clothing, we usually turn to our trusted, best laundry stain remover, but not many of us think about the science behind how a stain remover works — we’re just thankful it does. Stain removers use enzymes, as well as other proteins, to help break down stain molecules. The enzymes digest protein that is found in stains. They also usually contain bleach which can help break down colors that lead to the appearance of a stain, too.

Ever wonder why most stain removers have to sit a set period of time before they start to work? The answer is because they’re getting to work — their enzymes and/or bleach are taking their time to do their magic. We mean, even Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?

Oil stains could possibly be the worst stains ever to get out of clothes, and even if there’s something worse, we still dread the day our clothes, or anyone’s in our household, comes down to the laundry room with an oil stain. The good news is when this happens, there’s a trick you can do with baking soda and vinegar to lift oil stains that have set in.

Follow these simple steps below:

• If there’s still oil on your clothing, use a paper towel to remove the extra oil lingering behind
• Sprinkle baking soda on the stained area and let it sit for a whole day — 24 hours to be exact
• After you’ve waited patiently for a full day, vacuum the baking soda away — we know it sounds weird but just trust us
• Spray the oil stain with a bit of vinegar mixed with water
• Now — stick with us here — scrub the stain with soap and a brush
• Rinse the stain in running water
• If you don’t notice the stain completely lifting, then try these steps a couple more times and your item of clothing should be good after that

Read more about removing oil stains from clothing in our in-depth Clean Team article.

When you’ve noticed a stain on your carpet, it’s your best bet to tackle that sucker right away in order to get it out before it decides to call your carpet its new home. Sometimes, carpet stain removers or even a simple stain remover pen might work at removing carpet stains — it really depends on what the stain originated from and how big it is.

If stain removers alone aren’t doing the job, here’s what you can do to remove a nasty stain from your carpet:

• Mix up ¼ cup of white vinegar with 1 tablespoon dish soap and water
• Spray the area on your carpet or rug with quite a bit of your new concoction and let it soak there for about 10 minutes
• After your ten minutes is up, use a clean, dry towel or washcloth to blot the area
• Keep blotting until you see the stain has lifted

If you're looking to get dog poop (or human, we won't judge) out of your carpet or if you spilled that glass of red wine on your white rug, we've got more in-depth cleaning instructions to help you out there too.

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If you're ready to make the transition to natural cleaning, beauty, and household products, shop Grove Collaborative's natural products for the eco-friendly tools to tackle the job.