15 Tips to Get Tomato Pizza Sauce Out of Clothes

Tomato sauce is one of the most popular ingredients in pizza. It complements the fats in the pizza cheese, resulting in a tastier and more flavorful pie.

But it’s almost impossible to enjoy your favorite pizza without some of this tomato sauce getting on your clothes. So, how do you get such stains out?

Not to worry. Today’s article will show you how to get tomato pizza sauce out of clothes in just a few easy steps. Let’s dive right in.

How to Remove Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce Stains

Materials Needed

• Spoon/butter knife
• A clean piece of cloth
• Cold water
• Basin/large container

Step 1: Take Off the Clothing Item

Remove the stained clothing immediately. The longer you leave the stain to sit, the harder it will be to get rid of. To prevent the stain from spreading to other areas while you remove the clothing, cup your hand over it.

Step 2: Remove Excess Pizza Sauce

Using a spoon, gently scrape off excess pizza sauce from the clothing. Get rid of as much sauce as possible. You could also use a butter knife for this job.

As trivial as this step may seem, do not skip it or you will end up staining the rest of your clothing with the excess sauce.

Step 3: Dab at the Stain With a Clean Rag

Once you have removed the excess sauce, gently blot the stained area with a clean piece of cloth. Do not wipe, as this can push the stain deeper into the fabric.

The rag you use to dab at the area can be either dry or damp. Just make sure it is not completely wet. Your goal is to remove any residue tomato pizza sauce, not to wet the fabric.

Step 4: Place the Stained Clothing in Cold Water

Pour fresh, cold water in a basin or any large container and soak the stained fabric in it. If the stain doesn’t cover a large area, just place the offending part into the water instead of the whole fabric.

You could also use the sink for this step. Just make sure you have cleaned it thoroughly before use. Fabrics catch stains easily, so you don’t want any dirt and debris left in the sink you intend to use for laundry.

Step 5: Rub Mild Detergent On the Stain

Dab some laundry detergent onto the stain and gently rub it in with your index fingertip. Do this for 5 minutes then rinse in cold water. If the pizza sauce doesn’t come out, apply the detergent again and repeat the process until the stain is gone.

Step 6: Let it Dry

Once the stain has been completely eliminated, place the cloth out in the sun to dry. Sun-drying will not only hasten the drying process; it will also help get rid of any residue staining.

How to Remove Old Tomato Pizza Sauce Stains

The process of removing set pizza sauce stains is just as straightforward as that of removing fresh stains.

Materials Needed

• Mild detergent
• Vinegar
• Ice cubes
• Clean water
• Basin
• Sponge

Step 1: Soak the Stained Area in Water

Fill a basin with clean, cold water and dip the stained part of the fabric in it. You don’t need to soak the entire fabric unless the stain has spread to other areas.

Step 2: Apply Mild Detergent

Gently rub the wet stain with mild detergent. Do not use bleach. In fact, we recommend first testing out the detergent on a separate part of the garment that is invisible to see whether there are any color or texture changes.

Step 3: Rub the Stain With An Ice Cube

Place an ice cube on the stain with the detergent and start rubbing with the ice cube. Do this in a circular motion until the stain appears like it has come out.

Step 4: Dab With Vinegar

If the stain is persistent, wet a sponge with vinegar and dab at the stain. Vinegar has high acid content hence it is more likely to help get rid of the remaining stain.

Step 5: Wash Your Garment Normally

Using the handling guidelines of your fabric, wash the garment normally and let it dry in direct sunlight. Make sure the stained side is facing up. That way, the ultraviolet rays from the sun will be able to work on the stain and break down any residue sauce.

What Products Are Good for Tomato Pizza Sauce Stain Removal?

There are many products that you can use to effectively remove tomato pizza sauce from your clothes. Here is what we recommend:

Vinegar

Vinegar has been used to remove stubborn stains for years. It is cheap, easily available, and gentle on fabrics. Rubbing the tomato sauce stain with a few drops of vinegar will not only get rid of the stain faster but also leave the area feeling fresh.

If you are getting the stain out of a white garment, go for distilled white vinegar. It is a much better bleaching agent than any chlorine bleach.

Baking Soda

That same baking soda you use to make pies is a great laundry stain remover that will work on your tomato pizza stain and leave the fabric smelling fresh. Baking soda also enhances detergent performance, making it even easier to get rid of the stain.

Dish Soap

Dishwashing liquids work well on tomato pizza sauce stains because they are specifically designed to remove greasy food stains. Just squeeze some on the stained spot, rub a little bit to soak it in, then rinse out as you would any detergent.

Dish soap would be the perfect stain remover if the sauce is mixed with oils. It will break down the greasy ingredients so you can eliminate the stain faster.

Hydrogen Peroxide

You could also use hydrogen peroxide to remove your stain. Apply it alone or mix it with dish soap. Once you rub it in, leave the stain to sit for a few minutes, then rinse off.

Toothpaste

Yup! The good old toothpaste could be all you need to get rid of that stubborn tomato pizza sauce. Just apply a bit of it to the affected area, add some water, then rub the stain gently.

Extended Tips: Things to Remember When Removing Tomato Pizza Sauce From Clothes

• The quicker you act on the stain, the higher the chances of getting rid of it. No matter what size your stain is, deal with it immediately before it sets on the fabric and becomes a nuisance.
• Unless you suspect the sauce has oil, use cold water. This will prevent the stain from setting on the garment and make it harder to wash off later.
• Before using any detergent on your stained fabric, test it on a hidden section like the inside of an underarm or sleeve to make sure it is not going to ruin the fabric.
• If you are using different detergents, make sure to rinse out one detergent before attempting another. Certain cleaning solutions may not work well when mixed.
• Read the care guidelines of your clothing item carefully before trying any strong stain removal. Some fabrics may be too delicate for vigorous stain removal procedures and would be better off dry cleaned.
• Do not rub the fabric too harshly while washing off a pizza sauce stain. Do it gently to avoid abrading fibers or pushing the sauce deeper into the fabric.
• When using store-bought stain removers, make sure to stick to the product instructions to understand how to properly use it as well as the safety precautions you may be required to take.
• Pick a cleaning product that goes with the stain you are dealing with. Fresh tomato pizza sauce, for instance, will go away with a gentle dab of dishwashing detergent.

For old stains, however, you will need to go a step further and add some vinegar or buy cleaners specifically designed for stain removal.

• Apply the stain remover from the back of the fabric. Contrary to what many people think, putting the cleaning product directly on the stain will make the stain harder to remove as it will be pushed deeper into the fibers.
• If you are not sure what to do, don’t do anything. Just remove the excess sauce and take the garment to a professional cleaning service.

The Takeaway

It’s hard to avoid staining our clothes with tomato pizza sauce when almost all pizzas come with some sauce on them. These stains are not only unsightly but also difficult to remove.

If you have read the above post, however, we believe you now know how to get rid of these annoying stains.

• Start by removing the excess sauce from the fabric.
• Next, soak the fabric in cold water and rub it with mild detergent.
• Then let it dry in direct sunlight.

Got any questions on how to remove tomato pizza sauce from clothes? Leave us a comment below.