How To Remove Pomegranate Stains Home Hacks

My son loves to eat pomegranate seeds probably for the same reason I do - that sweet juice that gushes into your mouth (ala Freshen Up gum) when you bite into them. But they stain like the dickens! Here's one way to remove those stubborn red stains without using bleach.

What You Need

Materials
baking soda
water
optimism

Equipment
tea kettle, microwave or a pan and stove

Instructions

1. Don't panic

2. Remove garment immediately

3. Bring about 3/4 cup of water to boil in a tea kettle, the microwave or on the stovetop

4. Place about a tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl or glass measuring cup large enough to soak your stain

5. Add boiling water and swish or stir until baking soda dissolves

6. Soak the stained portion of your garment or textile in the solution for a minimum of 15 minutes

7. Rinse in cool water

8. Hang to dry

9. Launder normally

10. Wipe brow - whew! Garment saved!

Additional Notes: This is just one method I've found that works - do you know another? What about, heaven forbid, pomegranate stains on couches or chairs? [P.S. You'll notice in the second photo above that my first instinct was to throw Tide detergent on the stain which is why the stain appears bluish. The Tide couldn't help with this one.]

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(Images: Carrie McBride)

Comments (9)

I've gotten pomegranate stains out by soaking with Oxiclean in very hot water.

Or if it's a white shirt, dab the stain with hydrogen peroxide mixed with a bit of dishwashing liquid, let sit for a few minutes and carefully pour boiling water over the stain. This also takes red wine stains out of white table cloths like magic. I don't think this is colorsafe, though.

This may seem ridiculous, but I give my 2 year-old daughter pomegranate all the time and I've never had a problem just washing the stains out.

I use an eco-friendly stain spray for almost any sort of mark on clothing... I just spray and launder the pomegranate spot as I would for any other stain. Always comes out.

I always thought that using HOT water "Cooked" stains in. Have I been wrong all this time?

(Mmmm, Freshen Up gum! Anyone remember Replay? Same liquidy center.)

My wool jumper got those nasty stains but I only took it 2 days later to laundry and washed it with Kosla Vanish as usual and it was long gone.

Zout or Oxyclean stain remover sprays also work. Zout will take out almost anything without all those added steps.

if you disassemble the pomegranate underwater you can avoid getting most of the juice on your clothing. The seeds float right up to the top like cranberries.

Hydrogen peroxide does the same thing as Oxiclean and is way cheaper- gets out "red" stains- blood, wine, etc.

Wow Pheonix. That's a great tip! I never thought of doing that and I ALWAYS end up spraying juice all over myself. Now if only I new how to keep the skin from dying my fingers yellow...