How To Remove Ash Stains From Clothes

Finding an ash stain on your clothing is disheartening. Whether you brushed up against a fireplace, or someone got a cigarette ash on your clothes, treat the stain as soon as you can to remove it effectively. You must treat ash stains properly so they don't spread or get worse. With the right products and methods, the ashes will be out of your clothes in no time.

Step 1

Shake the clothing out to get rid of as much of the ashes as possible. Don't wipe the ashes off with your hand or a rag. This will only spread the ashes or push them deeper into the clothing.

Step 2

Turn the clothing inside out and flush the ash spot under cold water. Let the cold water run through the stain until no more of the ashes are coming out.

Step 3

Spray the spot with a laundry pretreatment spray. Put the clothing in the washer with your regular laundry detergent. Add the recommended amount of chlorine bleach if the fabric is white, or color-safe bleach for colored fabric.

Step 4

Launder the clothing in the hottest water allowed for the fabric. Check the clothing after washing and before drying. If any traces of the ashes remain, don't put the clothing in the dryer or you'll set in the stain.

Step 5

Moisten a rag with rubbing alcohol and blot it onto the clothing if the ash stain remains. Switch to clean portions of the rag and continue blotting until the stain is gone. Launder the clothing as usual.