Tannin family: detergent, then oxygen
How to get banana out
Looks harmless, then turns brown overnight as the tannins oxidise, like a cut apple.
Do this first
Scrape off
Fresh stain
- Scrape off
- Rinse cold
- Gently work in detergent
- Wash before it browns
Dried or old
- Glycerin, then an oxygen-bleach soak overnight
- Wash
- Fabric care
- Treat the same day if you can.
- Time
- 15 min; old: overnight
- How to tell
- Look: clear to pale when fresh, brown later; Feel: slimy, then stiff; Smell: banana
Where this fix comes from
- Household folk practice, checked against the guides above
- American Cleaning Institute, Stain Removal Chart
We check every fix against these published guides. We do not run a test lab of our own.
Before you start
- Test on a hidden seam first.
- Never mix cleaners.
- Keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.