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Raising kids is a messy job—you’ll need the right stain remover for every situation. From the mundane marker smears to the truly traumatizing blowouts, scrapes and scratches, those little bodies can do a lot of damage. Add pets and adult messes into the mix, and your house can start to feel like a gallery of stains and splotches. Finding the best stain remover for those many messes can save you time, energy, and money.
Maybe the hunt for the perfect stain remover feels like a waste of money and time—you can only try so many ineffective stain removers before you feel like giving up—or maybe you’ve just stuck with the same old stain-removing method for so long you’re wary of trying something new. If you’re tired of throwing out once-worn outfits and decorating to cover carpet and couch stains, it might be time to stock up on some reliable stain removers.
We’ve scoured the internet to find the best stain removers money can buy. From laundry stain sticks and soap bars to carpet and mattress stain sprays, we’ve found something to combat every mess your family could possibly make. Whether you want to get blood out of a white uniform, protect your tiny baby’s clothes and skin at the same time, or save your mattress from looking like a crime scene, there’s a product to get the job done. From car upholstery cleaner to the best pet stain removers, these are the best stain removers to keep everything and everyone looking and smelling squeaky clean.
- Best All-Purpose: OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder
- Best for Carpet: Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover
- Best for Clothes: OxiClean Max Force Gel Stick Stain Remover
- Best for Baby Clothes: Puracy Natural Baby Laundry Stain Remover
- Best for Laundry: Fels Naptha Laundry Stain Remover
- Best for Pet Stains: Rocco & Roxie Supply Co Professional Strength Stain and Odor Eliminator
- Best for Car Upholstery: CarGuys Super Cleaner
- Best for Mattresses: Woolite Carpet and Upholstery Foam Cleaner
- Best for Blood: Carbona Stain Devils Blood and Dairy
- Best for White Clothes: OxiClean Revive Laundry Whitener and Stain Remover
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
1 of 10 Image Credits: Walmart
Best All Purpose
OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder
This three-pound box of OxiClean stain removing powder can pretty much do it all. Throw it in with your laundry (it’s great for whites and colors) or use it to pretreat a stain before washing. You can also use it to remove stains from almost any surface—carpets, furniture, patio furniture, grout and more.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I can't count how many times I've had horrible stains that I thought were definitely permanent, but a good soaking in this always does the trick! Wine, coffee, Sriracha sauce…
Someone spilled a glass of red wine on me and I had on white pants. We were on vacation and I didn't do anything with them until I got home six days later. I soaked them overnight in OxiClean, then washed them. I honestly can't believe it all came out.
2 of 10 Image Credits: Walmart
Best for Carpet
Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover
Finding the best stain remover for carpet can be a life-saver—or at least a huge money saver. Spot Shot removes tough stains, even old stains that have set in, and it’s designed to prevent more stains from occurring. Keep your flooring and rugs looking fresh and new with this impressive stain treatment.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I had a stain on my carpet that I have been trying to remove for years. Spot cleaners, steam cleaners, homemade remedies, you name it, I tried it. I bought a can, sprayed the spot, and it was gone!
I’ve been using this for over 20 years and it’s never let me down. It even removed black Sharpie from the carpet. With seven kids and at least one dog, it is used on the regular in my home.
3 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for Clothes
OxiClean Max Force Gel Stick Stain Remover 2-Pack
OxiClean’s Max Force gel stick stain remover solution works magic on clothing stains with minimal effort. No soaking or immediate washing required—you can let this stain remover sit on soiled clothing for up to a week before washing and still end up with amazing results. The super-concentrated formula doesn’t spread or soak into other clothing and works on everything, even grease and grass.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I'm a nurse, my husband works construction and we have three active kids. Spot treating is the only way to prevent permanent stains. I've used several in the past but this one is my favorite.
I have four kids and this is the best thing I've found to work on hard-core stains. From baby food, to grass, to mud, to wine...nothing works better! Scrub the gel in then toss it in the wash like normal.
4 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for Baby Clothes
Puracy Natural Baby Laundry Stain Remover
It can be scary to think of using harsh chemical cleaners on anything that will come near your baby’s sensitive skin—but babies are some of the biggest mess-makers of all. How can you save clothes from blowouts, spit up, spills and more? Puracy’s natural stain remover for baby clothes is plant-derived, non-toxic, and super efficient at removing everything from formula stains to diaper leaks.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Honestly, the best stain spray ever! And the fact that it is all natural makes me feel so much more comfortable using it on my little one's clothes.
I now cannot live without this product. With kids there is always a stain and this gets rid of it perfectly. Smell is nice and it’s not harsh for my kids with sensitive skin.
5 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for Laundry
Fels Naptha Laundry Stain Remover
Fels Naptha is hard to pronounce but so, so easy to use. Rub the stain-removing bar on a rinsed stain like you would rub soap on a wet washcloth, then toss your clothes into the laundry as usual. Fels Naptha fans swear nothing conquers sports stains, skunk smells, or spilled wine quite like this bar. Lots of reviewers even use this stain remover to make their own DIY laundry detergent.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
My daughter is a catcher on a competitive softball team and this gets her white uniform pants clean!
Every household should have a bar of this soap! I have gotten blood stains removed from clothing that are multiple days old. It comes out in one to two minutes of scrubbing with this soap!
6 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for Pet Stains
Rocco & Roxie Supply Co Professional Strength Stain and Odor Eliminator
Pet stains and odors can be some of the worst offenders when it comes to tough-to-remove marks. More than a few mattresses, rugs, carpets and pieces of furniture have seen their way to the dumpster after a chance meeting with a potty-training puppy or elderly cat. This Rocco & Roxie pet stain and odor remover works on laundry, carpet, upholstery, hardwood, laminate, concrete, tile and more—with rave reviews from thousands of satisfied customers.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Four duvets soaked in cat urine must be punishment for something in a previous life. Four DOWN duvets. Happy to report that all were rescued using this magic potion.
Puppy training was super tough on my beige carpet. Plus we live in a rental, so I was dreading the move out fee. But this stuff really really works, does what it says, and smells great.
7 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for Car Upholstery
CarGuys Super Cleaner
Kids and cars are a messy mix. Unless you implement a super-strict (borderline impossible) no food, no drink, no car-sickness rule, you’re going to have some questionable stains pop up. CarGuys Super Cleaner works on multiple surfaces and materials, from sticky residue on upholstery or leather seats to bird poop on the exterior.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
My daughter left crayons in our new car on the leather seats on a crazy hot day and they melted all over the seats. Not long after we got a dog that also always tracked dirt and slobber on our seats. This stuff got off all the crayon stain and the dog stain and my seats look brand new!
This stuff is amazing! I got coffee stains out of my car’s seat in minutes.
8 of 10 Image Credits: Walmart
Best for Mattress
Woolite Carpet and Upholstery Foam Cleaner
Mattresses and other upholstered furniture seem to be a magnet for stains. Even with mattress protectors, a few hours uncovered can be long enough for a spilled drink, potty accident or pet stain. Woolite’s upholstery foam cleaner works on new and old stains and odors and comes with a fabric-safe brush attached to the can to make your job easier.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Someone introduced me to this product and it works GREAT, especially on upholstery.
Tried on old stains expecting a moderate result, but was totally surprised to see the entire stain disappear in seconds with first try.
9 of 10 Image Credits: Walmart
Best for Blood
Carbona Stain Devils Blood, Dairy and Ice Cream
This specific formula is designed to take on blood, dairy and ice creams, but it’s especially adept at the blood part. Raising kids means scrapes, scratches, puberty and more day-to-day occurrences that can leave behind stubborn blood stains—but you don’t have to deal with the unsightly brown splotches. Use this on everything from laundry to bedding and furniture.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This is the best blood stain remover I have ever found. This will take out stains that have been left on the fabric for a week or more.
My kid has nosebleeds quite frequently so I have to re-wash the white blanket again and again. This solution doesn't require any effort, just drop it to the stain and wait and put it in the wash.
10 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best for White Clothes
OxiClean Revive Laundry Whitener and Stain Remover
White clothes and linens have automatically become a no-no for some moms, but even then, they’re unavoidable when certain sports, clubs, and jobs call for white uniforms. Save yourself some stress with OxiClean’s whitening stain remover for laundry, which helps keep whites bright and blemish-free. So go ahead, buy the white jeans.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This is the stuff that gets orange carrot stains out of white onesies! It takes newborn style poop stains out of the precious little outfits. We use this Oxi-Clean for everything dirty.
A life-saver when you need to remove impossible stains from all-white items such as table cloths, dress shirts and bed linens.
