Removing Salsa Stains

While salsa has the wonderful ability to add a bit of zest to your meal or snack, it can also lead to some rather nasty stains. Part of the reason for this is that salsa is made up of all kinds of organic materials that can leave hard to remove residues. One example of this is the tomato-based fluid that is often found in most kinds of salsa. This can make removing salsa stain a bit difficult if you don't know what to do.

1. Scrape it off. Before you can begin removing salsa stains you will need to actually remove as much of the salsa as you possibly can. The easiest and best way that you can do that is by simply using a butter knife, spoon, or some other implement. This is very effective since it won't damage the material and will remove the items that are causing the stain.
2. Flush the back. Find the backside of the stain, and put it under a faucet. Turn the water on, and have it set to a cold temperature. This will help flush out the stain, and help "push" out the stain from the fabric.
3. Cover the stain. Locate the front of the stain, and then put enough soap on the stain to cover it. Ideally you will want to use a liquid laundry detergent, or a mild liquid degreasing dish detergent. When you have enough soap to cover the stain you will then need to gently rub it in with your fingers. It may get a bit sudsy, but that is OK.
4. Carefully use a bleaching agent. As long as the fabric you are trying to clean is either color safe (meaning it won't bleed or fade in the wash) or a light color, you can easily use a bleaching agent to help on the stain. Simply work the bleaching agent into the stain like you did the soap.
5. Rinse it all out. Using cold water, rinse out the bleaching agent and soap in the same manner that you flushed out the stain earlier. Inspect the stained area to see if there is any remaining stain. If you find any major stain remaining, then simply repeat the process from step two to step five as often as necessary.
6. Use a pretreater. Use your favorite brand of prewash stain remover on the remaining stain. Make sure that you are using it in the proper manner according to the directions that came from the manufacturer.
7. Wash as normal. Place the garment or item into your washing machine (as long as it is machine washable) and wash it as normal. If it is not machine washable, then you need to wash it as you normally would.
8. Inspect and repeat as necessary. After the washing machine has stopped, remove the item and inspect it. You do not want to put the garment or item directly into the dryer if it still has a stain or you can end up permanently setting the stain. If you find any remaining stain, repeat the process (steps two through eight) until the stain has been removed.

Be aware that if you allow the stain to set for too long that you can easily find yourself unable to remove the stain itself without a lot of extra work. In addition, there is the possibility that this method of removing salsa stains could potentially damage the cloth or color, so be sure that you carefully test the fabric before you start cleaning. Use a part of the item that won't be readily noticed for your test, and look to see if there is any fading in the color or damage to the fabric. If there is, then you may need to have a professional take a look at the stain and see what they can do for you.