A person wearing a white shirt stained with ketchup

How to Remove Ketchup Stains from Clothes and Upholstery

That red stain on your clean, white shirt almost feels like the ketchup bottle was trying to say something. Red for danger! Leave it to Tide to show you how to get ketchup stains out of your clothes and upholstery in a few easy-to-remember steps, so you can enjoy your fries without a worry in the world!

4 minutes to read

Before You Begin

Tomato-based stains are notoriously hard to remove, and sadly, ketchup is no exception.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with a red ketchup stain is to not let it set. Otherwise, there’s a pretty big chance that you’ll have to soak your stained item in cold water with some color-safe bleach added in before you could move on with the rest of the stain removal steps.

To make sure you get every last particle of the popular condiment off your garments, carpet, and upholstery, you will need to:

act fast
have a dull knife or a spoon at hand
use a high-quality laundry detergent.

Below, we’ll tell you how to remove ketchup stains from your washable and non-washable fabrics, your carpet, and your upholstery, in a few easy-to-remember steps.

How to Remove Ketchup Stains from Clothes

Whether it’s a white shirt or a colored dress you want to remove ketchup stains from, you can follow the same tried-and-true steps: You start by removing excess ketchup stain from your garments, add the detergent and the clothes to your washing machine, press start, and at the end of the cycle, unload your garments.

Hungry for more details? Then here is our step-by-step guide on removing ketchup stains:

STEP 1: Remove Excess Ketchup Stain

Blot the fresh stain with a paper towel. On dried ketchup stains, scrape with a fork, a dull knife, or a spoon. Turn the piece of garment inside out and rinse with cold water.

STEP 2: Dose Detergent

Add a pod or two of Tide OXI Boost PODS to the drum of the machine (dose based on the load and soiling level, follow dosing instructions on the package), and place the laundry on top of the pod.

STEP 3: Wash

Place your clothes inside your washer and wash on the usual cycle, on the hottest wash temperature indicated. Always check the instructions on the garment’s care label.

STEP 4: Unload

When the cycle is complete, unload the garments immediately.

If the ketchup stain persists after washing, repeat the previous steps before tossing in the dryer, as drying will set the stain.

How to Remove Old, Dried Ketchup Stains from Clothes

The best way to get old ketchup stains out of your clothes is to first remove any excess you find on the garment. Then, add your dose of Tide OXI Boost PODS to the washer, add the garment, and then wash as you normally would.

How Do You Get Ketchup Stains Out of a Pillow Cover?

What a curious question! Luckily, the answer is rather simple: If the stain is still fresh, just grab a clean, white towel, and apply a little bit of Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid on one of its corners. Using the towel, blot the stain until it is completely gone. In case the stain doesn’t seem to fade away, we recommend either running your pillow cover through the wash with the detergent or seeking professional help by turning to your dry cleaners.

Effective Stain Removal for a Variety of Stain

The kitchen is ground zero for acquiring stains and getting messy. Whether you’re dealing with ketchup stains or other saucy stains, like mayonnaise or mustard, Tide can help you clean up your chef’s outfit.

For ketchup stain removal, or any other cooking stain, Tide can make your favorites clean and pristine again. Use Tide to help with tough stain removal, and although it can’t make you a master chef, Tide can get your clothes looking and smelling their best.

Products to treat ketchup stains

Tide OXI Boost Power PODS®