Tannin family: detergent, then oxygen
How to get berries out
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries are tannin plus strong natural dye.
Do this first
Flush cold from the back
Fresh stain
- Flush cold from the back
- Gently work in detergent (not bar soap)
- Dab white vinegar
- Oxygen-bleach soak
- Wash. On white cotton, boiling water poured through from a height also works
Dried or old
- Oxygen soak overnight
- On white cotton, diluted chlorine after a test
- Fabric care
- No bar soap; no boiling water on anything but cotton or linen.
- Time
- 1 h
- How to tell
- Look: purple, red or pink; Feel: none; Smell: fruity
Where this fix comes from
- Cornell Cooperative Extension, Stain removal guide
- American Cleaning Institute, Stain Removal Chart
- Household folk practice, checked against the guides above
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.