Home Cleaning and Housekeeping Laundry How To Get BBQ Sauce Out Of Clothes By Mary Marlowe Leverette Mary Marlowe Leverette Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry’s most highly regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping and textile conservation. She is also a master gardener and an apple orchard owner with more than 50+ years of experience in vegetables, annuals, and perennials in the home garden as well as commercial crops. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 19, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Before You Begin What You'll Need Act Quickly Pretreat the Stain Wash and Air Dry Stubborn Stain Still There? Frequently Asked Questions Close Photo: Getty Images I’m always impressed by anyone who can wear a white shirt while enjoying a big plate of BBQ ribs and come away without a single drip or smear of sauce. If you’re a mere mortal like me, it’s essential to know how to get BBQ sauce out of clothes so you can eat with reckless abandon. If you act quickly using a few supplies you probably have on hand, you can remove BBQ sauce stains from washable clothes easily. How To Easily Get Butter Out Of Clothes Before You Begin Even if you have been doing laundry for decades, it’s a good idea to check the care label on the garment before you begin any type of stain removal. If the garment says, dry clean only, believe the message. Lift away any solids and blot the stain with a dry, white napkin. Head to the dry cleaner as soon as possible to point out and identify the stain. The cleaner will know what to do. If the garment is washable but is made from a delicate fabric like lace or silk, use a light touch when pretreating the stain and consider handwashing the item. What You'll Need Spoon, dull knife, or credit cardDishwashing liquidDistilled white vinegarWaterHeavy-duty laundry detergentOxygen-based powdered bleach Act Quickly Once the BBQ sauce hits that fabric, resist the urge to grab a napkin to wipe it away. Wiping only pushes the sauce deeper into the fabric fibers. Grab a spoon, dull knife, or a credit card (use just the edge) and lift the blob of sauce off the fabric. Once most of the sauce is gone, blot the area with a white paper towel or napkin dampened with plain, cool water. If possible, remove the garment and hold the stained area under a faucet of cold running water to flush out the sauce. Pretreat the Stain Before you toss the stained garment in the wash, pretreat the BBQ sauce stain. Choose a pretreater and let it work for at least 10 minutes before washing the garment. Dishwashing liquid: A good quality dishwashing liquid (Dawn Platinum) contains ingredients to break apart oily molecules in the sauce. Place a few drops on the stain and work it into the fibers with a soft-bristled brush (an old toothbrush works great) or your fingers.Laundry detergent: Pour a quarter-sized dollop of laundry detergent on the stain and work it in with a soft-bristled brush. Use a heavy-duty detergent (Tide, Persil) containing enough enzymes to break the bond between the stain and the fabric.Distilled vinegar and water: In a spray bottle, mix one part vinegar and two parts cool water. Spray the mixture on the stain making sure that you use enough to saturate the fabric. Wash and Air Dry After pretreating the stain, follow the washing directions on the care label for the garment. Most pretreated BBQ sauce stains can be removed easily in warm or cool water. As a precaution, after washing the garment allow it to air dry just in case the BBQ sauce stain was not completely removed. The high heat in the dryer can set the stain and make it much more difficult to get out. How To Get Coffee Out Of Clothes: A Step-by-Step Guide Stubborn Stain Still There? If the stain is still visible after washing and air drying, don’t despair. Mix a solution of cool water and powdered oxygen-based bleach (Oxiclean) in a sink or plastic tub. Follow the package directions for how much powder to use per gallon of water. Submerge the entire garment and let it soak for at least four hours, eight is better. Remove the garment after soaking, rinse well, and air dry. Repeat the soak if needed. Oxygen bleach is safe for all washable white and colored fabrics except wool, silk, and leather. How To Remove Yellow Stains From White Clothes Frequently Asked Questions Can I use bleach to remove BBQ sauce stains? Diluted chlorine bleach can be used on white garments to remove BBQ sauce stains but a safer choice is powdered oxygen-based bleach that will remove stubborn BBQ sauce stains from white and colored clothes. Oxygen bleach works more slowly but will not cause colors to fade or bleed. Are there any specific techniques for removing BBQ sauce stains from silk fabrics? Silk clothes are delicate so when the sauce hits the surface, gently lift away the solids with a spoon or dull knife. Dampen a white cloth or paper towel with plain water and blot the stain — no scrubbing! Fill a sink with cool water and 1/4 teaspoon of a gentle laundry detergent. Submerge the stained silk garment and let it soak for an hour. If the stain is still visible, apply a few drops of the detergent to the stained area and work it in with your fingers. Allow the garment to soak for another hour. When the stain is gone, rinse the silk in cool water and do a second rinse in cool water with 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar added. The vinegar will help the silk retain its luster. Gently squeeze out the excess water and air dry the garment. Repeat the steps if needed. Can I use hot water to remove BBQ sauce stains? Hot water is not the best choice for first treating a BBQ sauce stain. Blot with cold water first and pretreat the stain with dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent before washing in the warmest water suggested by the garment’s care label. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit