How to Remove Hot Sauce Stains From Clothes, Carpet, and Upholstery

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 10 - 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr, 15 mins - 12 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $0-$10

While a delicious touch to any dish, hot sauce can leave frustrating stains on your clothes, carpet, and upholstery. The tannins, oils, and the occasional boost of dye in hot sauce of any color or spiciness level require prompt removal. Still, they are relatively easy to clean with the proper steps.

How to Remove Hot Sauce Stains

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

You can remove hot sauce stains at home using household products like white vinegar, heavy-duty detergent, and a stain removal stick. The sooner the fresh stain can be treated, the better the chances of removal. Unless a significant amount of dye has been added to the hot sauce, you should be able to remove the stain easily. Remember to never place a still-stained item in a machine dryer, as the high heat can set the mark and make it permanent. 

Below, learn how to get hot sauce out of clothes, carpet, and upholstery in a few simple steps.

Tip

Do not rub the stain immediately; this will push it deeper into the fabric and make it harder to remove. Older or dried stains are more stubborn, so you may need to repeat the cleaning process several times.

Stain Type Tannin-based, oil-based, dye-based
Detergent Type Heavy-duty
Water Temperature Cold
Cycle Type Varies by fabric

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Dull knife, spoon, or plastic scraper (optional)
  • Clean white cloth, napkin, or sponge
  • Water faucet
  • Washing machine (optional)
  • Soft-bristled brush (optional for carpet or upholstery)
  • Vacuum (for carpet or upholstery)

Materials

  • Water
  • Stain remover or liquid laundry detergent
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Dishwashing liquid (for carpet or upholstery)
  • Oxygen-based bleach (optional)

Instructions

items needed to remove hot sauce stains
The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

How to Remove Hot Sauce Stains From Clothing

You can work to remove hot sauce stains from clothing using a few simple, at-home steps. Always review your item's care label before washing.

  1. Remove Solids and Blot Liquids

    • Use the edge of a dull knife, spoon, or credit card edge to lift any solids from the sauce off the fabric's surface. Do not rub the hot sauce, as it will push the stain deeper into the material.
    • Blot the stain with a white cloth or napkin if the sauce is purely liquid.
    blotting a hot sauce stain
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  2. Spot Treat With a Stain Removal Pen

    Pre-treat the stain with a stain removal pen if you have one handy.

    Tip

    Before attempting to remove a hot sauce stain, check the care label on the garment and test any detergent or stain remover on an inconspicuous area first to ensure that it does not discolor the fabric.

    pretreating with a stain removal pen
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska  
  3. Flush With Cold Water

    Flush the stain from the fabric with cold water as soon as possible. It's best to hold the material inside-out with the stain directly under a running faucet and let the force of the water push the hot sauce from the fabric's fibers.

    flushing the stain with water
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska  
  4. Blot With Vinegar and Rubbing Alcohol

    • Dip a sponge or clean white cloth in a mixture of distilled white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
    • Working from the outside edge of the stain toward the center, blot the stain with a cloth to absorb it.
    • Rinse the fabric from the inside with cold water to push the stain out.
    • Repeat until no more color from the hot sauce is transferred from the fabric to the cloth.
    treating the stain with vinegar
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  5. Treat With Stain Remover and Wash

    • Treat with a stain remover or a bit of heavy-duty liquid detergent such as Tide or Persil, which contain a high enzyme content.
    • Let sit for at least five minutes, then wash the item in cold water on the washing machine cycle recommended by the item's care label.
    • If the stain persists, do not place the garment in the dryer. Instead, continue to another soaking step.
    treating with stain remover
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  6. Submerge in Oxygen Bleach

    • Mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach like OxiClean, Nellie's All Natural Oxygen Brightener, or OXO Brite with tepid water according to the label instructions and apply to any remaining stain.
    • Submerge the entire garment and allow it to soak for at least four hours or overnight.
    • Wash the item as you usually would and allow it to air dry. 
    soaking the garment in an oxygen bleach solution
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Tip

In a pinch, you can use a piece of soft bread to absorb the excess hot sauce.

How to Remove Hot Sauce Stains From Carpet and Upholstery

You can use the same cleaning solutions and care steps to remove hot sauce stains from carpet and upholstery as you would for clothing. Be careful not to over-wet upholstery, as this can create mildew and mold within the cushions.

  1. Remove Solids and Blot Away Liquids

    • Scoop up any solids from the sauce using a dull knife or spoon.
    • Blot the stain from liquid hot sauce with a white cloth or paper towel, but never rub.
    • Work from the outside edge of the stain to prevent the mark from spreading. 
    blotting a hot sauce stain on a rug
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  2. Make a Cleaning Solution

    Mix a solution of 2 teaspoons of hand dishwashing liquid, 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar, and 2 cups of cool water.

    mixing a stain removal solution
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  3. Treat Stain With Cleaning Solution

    • Dip a sponge, white cloth, or soft-bristled brush in the solution.
    • Start at the outside edge of the stain and work the cleaning solution inward into the stained area.
    • Blot with a clean white cloth or paper towel to transfer the stain out of the carpet or upholstery.
    • Keep moving to a clean, dry area of the cloth until no more stain is transferred.
    treating the stain with cleaning solution
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  4. Rinse and Blot Away Cleaning Solution

    • Dip a clean white cloth into tepid water to rinse the area. It is essential to rinse any cleaning solution, as any residue will attract soil to the site.
    • Blot until no more soapy residue remains.
    rinsing away the cleaning solution
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  5. Air-Dry and Vacuum

    Air-dry the carpet and then vacuum to lift its fibers.

    air drying and vacuuming the rug
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

When to Call a Professional

You should typically be able to remove a hot sauce stain at home, but if it persists, visit a professional cleaner for more specialized advice. If your stained upholstery fabric is vintage or silk, consult a professional before attempting to remove the stain.

If your stained garment is labeled as dry-clean-only, remove any solids and blot the stain with a clean white cloth before heading to the dry cleaner as soon as possible. Point out and identify the stain to help your professional cleaner choose the proper treatment. If you are using a home dry cleaning kit, treat the stain with the provided stain remover before putting the garment in the dryer bag.

Additional Tips for Handling Hot Sauce Stains

In addition to vinegar, cornstarch acts as a great natural cleaning agent. Sprinkle the cornstarch directly on the hot sauce stain, then let it sit for up to 30 minutes. Gently wipe it away with a clean, white cloth and rinse the garment from the inside out.

If you're using bleach to resolve a stain on any non-pure white cotton fabric, make sure it's oxygen-based. Oxygen-based bleach is safe for all washable, white, and colored fabrics except for silk, wool, and anything trimmed with leather.

FAQ
  • Does warm or cold water get rid of hot sauce stains?

    Always use cold water to clean hot sauce stains. Hot water or hot temperatures in the dryer can set the stain and make it permanent.

  • Does vinegar remove hot sauce stains?

    Vinegar is one of the best cleaners to remove hot sauce stains from clothing. After gently scraping or blotting away any excess, rinse the item from the inside out with cold water, then dab a mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol on the stain to lift it.

  • What products can I use to remove hot sauce stains?

    A mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol is an effective cleaner for hot sauce stains on clothing, while you can also use a commercial stain remover before washing it with liquid laundry detergent in cold water. If you don't have any cleaners handy, a slice of white bread is surprisingly effective at dabbing excess liquid until you can properly clean the stain.