Ashley Abramson is a writer-mom hybrid. Her work, mostly focused on health, psychology, and parenting, has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Allure, and more. She lives in the Milwaukee suburbs with her husband and two young sons.
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For as long as I can remember, stains have been the bane of my existence. Now, that makes me sound like a messy person but in reality, I’m truly just a clumsy person. In fact, it’s become a running joke among my friends as to how long it’ll take me to spill something on myself when we go out (hint: the answer is “not that long”). Alongside being clumsy with drinks and food, I can admittedly also be uncoordinated in the kitchen, which led to me destroying my favorite kitchen dish towel after an unfortunate accident with a knife and an onion — or at least I thought I destroyed it. After nursing and bandaging my wound, I tried to salvage my dish towel with a product I had recently been sent for testing: Carbona’s Laundry Stain Scrubber. Since that very day, it’s become a beloved part of my laundry kit, saving many pieces (and my sanity) along the way.
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So, what exactly is in this stain-fighting gel that makes it so powerful? Designed to treat even the most stubborn stains, Carbona uses a natural enzyme-based formula (and a built-in brush applicator) to effectively remove stains in minutes — both fresh and dried — no matter the type. In fact, the brand touts the ability to treat more than 100 different stains from grass to makeup to red wine and more. Best of all, Carbona is safe to use on any water-safe fabric, making it a great go-to for most fabrics save for, let’s say, suede. It’s also safe on both colors and whites thanks to its bleach-free formula (another bonus if you’re looking to stay away from harsh chemicals).
While saving my dish towel from the point of no return may have been the first miracle this stain remover worked, it certainly wasn’t the last. Over the past few months, I’ve tested it on everything. Sauce stains on a white t-shirt? No match. Wine stains on my favorite pair of pants? Like it never happened. The real test, however, came when I put it up against one of the worst staining culprits: ink. After fumbling with an especially inky pen, I left a Jackson Pollock-like mess of marks across one of my favorite tops. After a minor meltdown, I reached for Carbona and thought to myself, “If this can get ink out, it’s truly a miracle product.” I applied the gel and gently scrubbed it with the attached agitator, let it soak for 10 minutes per the instructions, and threw it in the wash. To my bewilderment, the stain was gone, and in its place was a perfectly clean shirt and a forever ride or die fan.
You can pick up a three-pack of Carbona’s Laundry Stain Scrubber for just $19 on Amazon and trust me, you’ll want to stock up on it after you see what it can do. Some reviewers have noted how hard it is to find this stain buster in store, so save yourself the hassle. Here’s to the joy of living stain free — even for the clumsiest among us.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Here’s the deal: I’m a mess. Known to spill every liquid I carry — completely sober, mind you— I have either purchased or been gifted (you read that correctly) every stain remover under the sun. Some are effective, some disappoint, and some work great on certain materials but not others. But a few years ago, a friend’s mom introduced me to the magic that is Melaleuca PreSpot Concentrate. As someone who invests not just money, but time and care into her clothes and textiles, she’s got all the secrets.
Not only does the PreSpot Concentrate work on everything from brightly dyed linen garments to white cotton upholstery, but it’s meant to be decanted into whatever vessel you prefer at whatever strength you need. Now I can’t go a week without this natural, enzyme-powered stain remover saving my clothes, my couch, or my car seats! I had to spread the word — but if Cindy ever asks, you didn’t hear it from me.
What makes Melaleuca so special? The formula relies on tea tree oil and three naturally derived enzymes to lift stains so you can simply dab them away with a damp cloth. Protease enzymes debond protein stains like grass, blood, and milk from textiles; amylase enzymes work on starch stains like chocolate, tomato sauce, and gravy; and lipase enzymes attack oily stains like dressings, cooking oil, and cosmetics. Since the formula is completely natural, you can apply it to stubborn spots multiple times without harming the fabric itself or damaging the surface. That’s the key: With this magical find, you can start small and increase the potency of the concentrate from there for tougher stains.
To use Melaleuca, simply dilute the concentrate with water in a ratio that’s totally up to you (1:1 is a solid place to start). You can apply the mixture directly to stains or throw it in with your detergent for loads of laundry that need a little extra help. For delicate materials, a more diluted combination does the trick, and for more stubborn and set-in stains, you’ll probably need a higher contrate-to-water ratio. I keep it diluted in an amber spray bottle at home.
For on-the-go spills, I carry a hand-sanitizer-sized spray bottle with a mix that’s a bit more potent. It works in seconds to lift out everything from spaghetti sauce to puppy paw stains and even (the notorious) blood. It’s not as thick as other to-go stain removers that take longer to dry, so you won’t have to deal with those unsightly damp marks on your clothes that last way too long and look (almost) worse than the stain itself.