You just finished a great day of grilling, and as you hang up your aprons and shirts, you notice that one is now covered in charcoal. Making it the perfect time to find out how to get charcoal out of clothing.
No need to panic – there are easy and quick methods for removing charcoal on clothing!
From traditional approaches to a few more unique ones, I’ve gathered eight ways to remove charcoal from your clothing with minimal effort and effortless results.
Remove as Much Charcoal as Possible
If you have charcoal on your clothes, the best way to prevent a problematic stain clean-up later is to remove as much of it as possible as soon as you can.
Here are eight simple ways to get the charcoal out:
Use a butter knife or spoon to scrape away any leftover lumps.
Place the clothing onto a paper bag and rub it with a dry sponge.
Place the clothing onto the newspaper and scrub it with a brush.
Pre-treat the area with a dab of laundry detergent.
Rinse off the area (always use cold water!) and repeat if necessary.
Apply talcum powder onto the stain and brush it off after an hour.
Use alcohol wipes to remove light stains from delicate fabrics.
Blot away excess charcoal using baking soda paste and let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing with cold water.
Use an Old Toothbrush
If you discover a charcoal stain on your clothing, the first step is to move quickly and work the stain from the outside.
This prevents the stain from seeping further.
To remove any visible pieces of charcoal, use an old toothbrush to gently brush away any residue before treating the area with a pre-treatment solution.
Be sure to follow the directions on the pre-treatment solution carefully. You’ll want to apply it generously to cover the entire stain and some of the surrounding fabric.
Use a damp cloth to help spread it evenly over the stained area.
Avoid using hot water since this can cause your stain to set permanently! Sometimes, a second treatment may be required if you work with a stubborn mess.
Dab at the Stain With a Damp Cloth
Dabbing the stain with a damp cloth has proved effective on a fresh charcoal stain.
Make sure you’re using a clean cloth and either cool or lukewarm water, and wipe gently in a circular motion until the stain lifts.
It’s important not to rub too hard as it will cause the stain to spread.
You may want to pre-treat your fabric with a laundry detergent designed for stain removal. This will help weaken the charcoal particles, making it easier for them to be removed.
Next is to rinse the fabric with cold water.
You can then launder the garment according to its instructions, checking for any remaining stains before drying.
Use a Pre-Treatment for Stubborn Stains
You might want to use a pre-treatment product if you have a particularly stubborn charcoal stain. Ensure your chosen product matches the fabric type and care label on your clothing.
To get started, check the garment’s care label to ensure it is suitable for pre-treatments and not just dry cleaning; dry cleaning is usually the best solution for getting out of difficult stains like charcoal.
If you’re good to go, here are some things to remember:
Read the instructions carefully on the pre-treatment product.
Choose the right cycle setting on your washing machine – if your clothing is marked as delicate, it should be washed in the cold cycle.
Pre-treatments will generally take around 5 minutes to set in before washing but double-check this by checking your product’s instructions.
Use sufficient quantities of detergent or liquid laundry soap while washing clothes with pre-treated stains – since these products are formulated to remove oils and grease, they can help break down charcoal residues too!
Wash Out the Stain With Laundry Detergent
It’s time to break out the good ol’ laundry detergent!
You will need a capful or two of your detergent on a sink full of warm water.
Swirl it around with your hands and let this soak for about 30 minutes.
This will help loosen up the charcoal particles stuck in the fabric.
If the charcoal stain is incredibly stubborn, you can make a paste by combining equal parts of laundry detergent and baking soda to help get it out.
When you’re done soaking, use your hands or a soft brush to scrub away the stain.
Make sure not to rub too hard, which might damage the fabric. Then launder as you normally would—by machine or hand—and hang dry when done.
If any traces of the stain remain, repeat this process until it is gone.
Check for Success After Drying the Garment
After washing and rinsing your garment, hang it up to dry and check for success.
If you can see any smudges, there are still a few more tried-and-true methods to get those pesky charcoal stains out of your clothes quickly.
Rubbing Alcohol
If the alcohol-based method didn’t work the first time, you could get a great result with rubbing alcohol.
The only thing is to try to find out if rubbing alcohol will stain your fabric before use.
Dilute the alcohol in water at a 1:1 ratio and pour it onto the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes to start breaking down the charcoal, then rinse or dab with a damp cloth.
Baking Soda Paste
Make a paste of baking soda and water.
Then rub the paste over the stain. You can wipe off any excess paste after 10 minutes.
If there’s still some staining after this method, rinse with hot water instead of cold to help remove any remaining charcoal particles.
Vinegar & Soap Mixture
This is an old-school method that works wonders!
Mix vinegar and liquid soap in equal parts and wet the stained area with this mixture before lightly rubbing it into the fabric.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing off with cold water and then doing another final run-through in your washing machine if needed!
Repeat Steps if Needed
It’s annoying but true—sometimes, you must repeat the steps a few times to get charcoal out of clothes completely.
First off, check to see if there are any remaining charcoal deposits. If so, use the same method as before (scrubbing with a brush and warm water) to try and remove them. You can also use a damp cloth when dealing with stubborn deposits.
If that doesn’t work, try dipping stained areas in warm water with mild detergent (like dishwashing liquid).
Gently rub the fabric together, and after 15 minutes, rinse off thoroughly with cold water.
Finally, try using a stain remover that targets explicitly charred materials.
This is one of the most effective ways to quickly get charcoal out of clothes! Just ensure you check the product instructions and follow them closely for the best results.
If all else fails, don’t worry—you can always take your garment to a professional dry cleaner for reliable solutions!
Consider Special Care Instructions for Delicate Fabrics
If you’ve got charcoal on a delicate fabric, special care instructions may be needed.
Depending on the material, some of the remedies we’ve mentioned could ruin it—so to play it safe and get great results, always check the care label first.
When it comes to delicates like silk, chiffon, or velvet, you can opt for a few gentler techniques:
Dry Cleaning
For suits or delicate evening wear that must stay tip-top shape, dry cleaning is your best bet. An expensive option but less risky to cause any damage to your clothes.
Super Slow and Gentle Wash
For fabrics that say “hand wash” or “gentle cycle,” you can try washing out the stain in the sink with mild detergent and cold water.
Put some detergent on the stained area first, then run the fabric under cold water while rubbing it together very lightly in circular motions until the stain disappears.
Then turn the item inside out and rinse any residue from the soap before drying it.
Soaking With Stain Remover
If you want to use a commercial product instead of a home remedy for tough stains, soak your garment for about 15 minutes in cold water.
With some stain remover like Shout Advanced Gel or OxiClean Versatile, Stain Remover added in so that the treatment seeps into all of those fibers.
This should remove stubborn charcoal stains without ruining any delicate fabrics!
Final Thoughts; How To Get Charcoal Out of Clothing
Removing charcoal from clothing can be challenging. But the tips above should give you the best chance of success.
Always test any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area of your garment to ensure it won’t cause further damage.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your garment’s care label for the best results.
And if that fails, don’t hesitate to call in a professional cleaning service that specializes in tough stains. With a few simple steps, you can ensure that any charcoal stain is nothing more than a memory.