Remove Mud and Soil Stains with a Potato

Written by Charlotte Wood (last updated October 23, 2023)

It's inevitable that you'll suffer the inconvenience of a mud or soil stain. It just happens with life as you go about your daily activities. You'll fall on the way to class, the bus will splash up dirty slush on your jeans, you'll play with your kids outside and inevitably you get dirty. Alas, some of the hardest stains to remove are those made by mud and soil. They contain certain minerals and other "earthy" materials that will undoubtedly set into your clothes. How can you get them out?

You should always try basic stain removers and stain removal techniques first. You always want to try the orthodox before attempting a new remedy (especially one involving a potato). Try your standby spot removers, baking soda, vinegar, and a few washings, and if all else fails here is something you can try: the potato technique.

Slice a potato in half and rub it on the mud and soil stains. Keep rubbing the potato on the spot and make sure to really work the potato into the fabric that has the stain. Press hard and you'll start to notice that the stain is coming out of the fabric and showing up in the white of the potato. You may have to try a few times before ultimate success, but it's definitely worth a few tries.

Who knows why this works? Is it the potato juice? Is it the nature of the stain itself? Is the naturalness, outdoor-sy quality of the mud and soil stains finding affinity with the organic potato? Is the potato a "stain sponge?" Who really knows? Regardless of its mechanics, the potato stain-removal method is one you should definitely try if what you're already trying doesn't work. It may seem a bit odd and you your clothes might smell like a garden (until you wash them), but if the stain is gone then what else matters?

Author Bio

Charlotte Wood

MORE FROM CHARLOTTE

How Do I Know If an Underwire Bra is Right for Me?

There are so many different types of bras out there so how do you know what's right for you? You might want to check out ...

Discover More

Correcting Skin Blemishes

Few appearance woes are most frustrating than skin blemishes. They pop up unwanted and can be so hard to get rid of. The ...

Discover More

What is a Portfolio?

Portfolios, while a bit vaguely understood at first, are great for investors and are key in controlling financial assets. ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Getting Rid of Mold and Mildew

Eeeeew, mold! Not only is it gross, but it can be dangerous. Since no one really ever wants to have mold and mildew ...

Discover More

Removing Superglue from Polyester

Anyone that has ever used superglue before understands just how sticky this stuff is. At the same time, anyone who has ...

Discover More

Removing Salt Stains

While the snow and ice of winter can be a beautiful sight, the salt that generally comes out at the same time can create ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four more than 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.