How to Remove Curry Stains from Clothes, Carpets, and Furniture

How to Remove Curry Stains From Clothing

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 10 - 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins - 12 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $20

The complex combination of spices in curry gives the dish its wonderful, exotic flavor. Unfortunately, those same spices can permanently stain fabrics if a curry spill is not handled quickly. Turmeric and paprika, two of the primary spices in curry, can even be used to dye fabrics. So, unless you want to update your favorite white jeans—or your carpet—to a deep shade of gold, the curry must come out in a hurry.

Learn how to save your clothing, carpet, and upholstery from colorful curry spills.

Stain Type Curry
Detergent Type Laundry, oxygen bleach, hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar
Water Temperature Cold and warm
Cycle Type Varies depending on the type of fabric

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Washing machine
  • Dull knife or spoon
  • Paper towels or a white cloth
  • Sponge

Materials

  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Laundry detergent
  • Oxygen bleach
  • Borax
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • White vinegar or household ammonia

Instructions

Overhead view of materials needed to remove curry stains

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Remove Curry from Washable Clothing

Warning


Always check to ensure the stain has disappeared or is suitably faded before placing the garment in the dryer. The high heat from the dryer will permanently set the stain. Heat is part of setting the color when dyeing with curry spices.

  1. Scrape to Remove Solids

    Gently scrape the stain with a dull knife edge or spoon to lift away any curry solids from the fabric. Do not wipe the stain with a cloth or sponge, or you may drive the pigment deeper into the fabric fibers. This makes it even more difficult to remove.

    Removing extra curry solids with a dull knife

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Mix a Solution of Hydrogen Peroxide

    Mix a solution of regular-strength (3%) hydrogen peroxide and water. The solution should be very weak: 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide to 1/2 cup water. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent and should not be used at full strength on colored fabrics, including colorfast articles of clothing. However, full-strength hydrogen peroxide can be used on white fabrics.

    Mixing a hydrogen peroxide solution

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    Tip

    You'll have the best luck at removing a curry stain if you treat it as soon as possible. If the food sits for too long or, worse yet, dries on the fabric, then the chances of completely removing the stain are greatly reduced.

  3. Soak, Rinse, and Wash

    Place the stained area of the fabric in a bowl of the peroxide solution and soak for at least two hours. Then, rinse the stained area in cool, clean water before washing the entire garment as directed on the clothing label using your regular detergent and the hottest water recommended for the fabric. Examine the stained area before drying.

    Soaking the garment in a cleaning solution

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Remove Curry From Dry Clean Only Clothing

Tip

Don't bother spending your money or time on a home dry cleaning kit. The stain removers included in these kits will not remove curry stains.

  1. Scrape to Remove Solids

    Remove any curry solids with the edge of a dull knife or spoon. Do not rub with a cloth or sponge.

    Removing curry from a dry clean only garment

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Blot With Borax

    Mix 1 tablespoon borax powder with 2 cups of lukewarm water. Use a sponge to apply the borax solution to the stain. Do not saturate the stain; simply sponge on the solution and blot away the curry with a white absorbent cloth or paper towel as it is loosened. Repeat until no more curry color is transferred to the paper towel.

    Blotting the stain with a borax solution

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Rinse and Air Dry

    When the stain is lifted, sponge the area with cool, clean water and allow to air dry away from direct heat. If any stain remains, take the garment to a professional dry cleaner and identify the stain.

    Laying the garment flat to air dry

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Remove Set-In Curry Stains

Soaking the garment in an oxygen bleach solution

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach (brand names include OxiClean, Nellie's All-Natural Oxygen Brightener, or OXO Brite) and warm water, following package directions. Mix enough of the solution to submerge the entire garment, and allow it to soak overnight. If the stain is still visible, repeat this soaking step with a fresh solution. When no stain remains, launder as usual.

Natural Cleaners to Remove Curry Stains

There are several home remedies that can help remove curry stains from clothes.

Baking Soda

Apply baking soda to curry stains to tackle any oil that may be part of the stain. Sprinkle the stain with baking soda and allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the oil to absorb into the powder. Then pre-treat the area with a stain removal treatment, launder, and check to see if the stain is removed before drying.

Vinegar

A paste of vinegar and baking soda is a great DIY treatment for tough and greasy stains. The acid in vinegar will attack the curry spice stains while the baking soda will break down any oil. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda, apply to the curry stain, and work in with a soft-bristled brush. Allow the stain to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse the area with cool water, and launder as usual, checking to see if the stain is gone before drying.

Lemon Juice

The acetic acid in lemon juice creates natural bleaching properties that can help remove curry stains from white fabrics. Create a one-to-one solution of water and lemon juice, apply to the curry stain, and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the stained area in cool water and then launder using regular detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric. Check the stained area before drying.

Glycerin

Part of the alcohol family, glycerin has solvent properties that can help dissolve oily curry stains. Pre-treat curry stains by blotting with a one-to-one solution of glycerin and water and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse the stained area in cool water and then launder using regular detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric. Don't put it in the dryer until the stain is gone.

Toothpaste

Dampen the curry stain, work a pea-sized amount of plain white toothpaste into the fabric, allow to sit for five minutes, rinse, and launder using regular detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric. See if the stain is gone before drying.

How to Remove Curry From Carpet and Furniture

  1. Scrape to Remove Solids

    When a blob of curry hits the carpet, use that dull knife or spoon to lift away all the solids you can. Take care not to spread the stain by rubbing.

    Using a dull knife to scrape off curry solids

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Mix a Cleaning Solution

    Start by mixing a solution of one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, 2 cups of cool water, and 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or household ammonia. Stir to mix well.

    Mixing a cleaning solution to remove curry stains from carpet

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Sponge on the Solution

    Use a clean white cloth or paper towel and sponge the stain with the solution. Allow this mixture to sit for five minutes and then blot away with a dry cloth. Repeat until no more color is transferred to the white cloth.

    Sponging the solution onto the carpet stain

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  4. Blot and Air Dry

    Dip another clean white cloth in plain water and blot the stain to rinse away any soapy residue. Move to a dry cloth and blot until all moisture is absorbed. Allow the carpet to air dry away from direct heat.

    Blotting the stained area with a dry cloth

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  5. Try Oxygen Bleach

    Mix a solution of all-fabric oxygen bleach and warm water, following the package label directions, to treat a lingering stain. Blot the area with the solution and allow the solution to stay on the stain for at least thirty minutes to one hour. Blot with a dry white cloth and allow to air dry. Finally, vacuum the carpet to lift fibers.

    Mixing an oxygen bleach solution in a bowl

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  6. Apply These Steps to Upholstered Furniture

    The same treatments can be used on most upholstery fabrics. Just take extra care not to over-wet the fabric. If the upholstery is silk, wool, or vintage, consult a professional cleaner especially if you need more stain removal tips.

    Blotting upholstery with a damp cloth

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Additional Tips for Handling Curry Stains

Although the removal of curry stains is notoriously difficult, it can be done. The key is early treatment—immediately after the spill, if possible. When you've tried everything, and you're still faced with a stain, there's a good chance that a professional dry cleaner or carpet cleaner will be able to help.

When to Call a Professional

You are as capable as the pros when it comes to trying stain removal tricks on machine-washable fabrics. But, in cases involving curry and dry-clean-only items, carpets, or furniture, professional cleaners may have access to cleaning chemicals that will work on a tough stain.

The other instance in which it's best to defer to professionals is when you're dealing with a delicate fabric. If your garment or upholstery is silk, wool, velvet, embellished, or anything vintage, consult a professional cleaner before risking damage from improper handling techniques.

FAQ
  • Are curry stains permanent?

    The faster you act, the higher the chances of removing a curry stain. But even if the stains are dried and old, it's worth trying several stain-removal treatments before completely giving up on the item.

  • Can you remove old curry stains?

    If the stain is dried, old, or tough, soak the curry-stained garment in oxygen bleach overnight after trying one of the recommended stain removal treatments first.

  • Can chlorine bleach remove curry stains?

    You can treat curry stains with chlorine bleach only if used on white fabrics that can tolerate chlorine bleach. Check the garment’s care label to see whether chlorine bleach or non-chlorine bleach can be used. Chlorine bleach must be diluted with water when treating stains in a solution of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water.

    Dab the bleach solution onto the curry stain, then launder right away. Launder in the hottest water the garment can take with your usual laundry detergent and add bleach to the bleach dispenser only to the maximum line. Check the stain to see if it’s gone before drying.