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If you like to keep fabrics and various surfaces clean, it pays to know how to use OxiClean to its fullest potential. More than just a color-safe product for removing clothing stains, OxiClean is a chlorine-free stain remover that can tackle messes throughout the home, from dirty carpets to grungy couch cushions. What does OxiClean do, though? The powder cleaner activates when it comes into contact with water, releasing oxygen and lifting stubborn stains. It works best when mixed with hot water.
In addition to the original powder form, this mainstay cleaner is available in other forms, including sprays, gels, liquids, paks, and foams. Additionally, there are a multitude of uses for OxiClean—including (but not limited to) the 15 applications below.
1. Remove stains from laundry.
One of the best-known and most popular uses for OxiClean is removing tough stains from laundry items like clothing, towels, and linens. Here’s how to use OxiClean in the washer: Soak your clothing in a solution made with OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder and water for up to 6 hours and wash as you usually would.
While the OxiClean powder isn’t itself a detergent, various other products can tackle laundry, including stain-removing OxiClean sprays, whiteners, laundry detergents, chlorine bleach alternatives, and more.
Avoid using OxiClean on delicate fabrics like wool or silk.
2. Get rid of bathroom grout stains.
It’s hard to feel refreshed when showering or bathing in a grimy, grout-stained area. Banish gross-looking grout stains with the help of OxiClean powder. The manufacturer recommends creating a concentrated paste (per instruction on the packaging) for cleaning grout and applying it directly to problem surfaces. Let the mix stand for up to 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing it off to reveal a sparkling clean bathtub or shower.
OxiClean also offers dedicated bathroom formulas, including a mold and mildew stain remover and a bathroom spray that treats soap scum and water spots.
3. Clean up dirty carpets and rugs.
Most rugs are too big to toss into the washing machine, and professional cleaning services can be expensive. With OxiClean powder, you can tackle the nasty buildup of dirt and grime yourself. To clean a carpet or rug with original OxiClean, remove any residue before applying the cleaning solution. For example, when cleaning up a wine stain, use paper towels to sop up some of the excess liquid. After that, cover the stain with OxiClean powder (about one scoop per 16 ounces of water), let it stand for up to five minutes, and then blot the area with a towel to absorb the stain.
OxiClean also sells a carpet and area rug spray for pet stains that treats stains and controls odors.
4. Banish pet stains on your couch.
Even if you love to cuddle your pet on the couch, the left-behind mystery stains are something you’d likely rather live without. Thankfully, you can also use OxiClean powder to refresh water-safe upholstery.
If the stain is fresh, spot-treat sofa stains by first removing any residue. Next, add OxiClean to the first fill line on the included scoop for each 16 ounces of water. Do not pour or spray the mixture onto the upholstery, however. Dip a clean white towel or rag into the mixture to blot the stain, repeating as necessary. Take another clean towel, dip it in plain water, and blot the area again to rinse it.
5. Make pool area tiles sparkle.
It’s tough to enjoy a sun-soaked day by the pool if your eye is constantly drawn to dirty, grimy tiles. Use OxiClean powder to clean off dull pool tiles that have seen better days. How much OxiClean to use depends on how dirty the surface appears to be. OxiClean recommends mixing between ¼ and one scoop of powder per gallon of water used for cleaning, depending on how bad the stains are. Use warm or hot water for best effect and rinse the tiles after scrubbing up stains.
OxiClean does not recommend using its products in pool water itself, so exercise care when cleaning pool tiles.
6. Scrub your outdoor deck.
In addition to turning a lackluster tiled pool into a sparkling oasis, OxiClean powder can help make other outdoor areas shine again. Use it to clean siding, awnings, or lawn furniture. You can also scrub unfinished wood decks with OxiClean before painting or staining them. When cleaning large outdoor areas with OxiClean solution, make sure to work in smaller sections to prevent the solution from drying out before you can scrub and rinse.
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7. Eliminate dishwasher grime.
Yes, even the appliance that seems to magically get your dishes clean needs a cleaning itself once in a while. Using OxiClean every so often can help remove unsightly buildup in your dishwasher that can prevent it from functioning efficiently. Just make sure to dissolve the powder in hot water first, then wipe the interior of the dishwasher with the solution and run a cycle.
8. Deodorize and wash pet beds.
Pets. We love them, but as cute as they are, they definitely can smell and leave stink behind. Soak pet beds in OxiClean solution after checking the oxiclean instructions on fabric type. Mix a full scoop per gallon of water and get the water as hot as the fabric care allows. Soak for up to 6 hours to remove stubborn odors and stains before washing as normal. For really nasty smells, the brand also sells a stain and odor powder specifically designed for getting rid of seemingly impossible-to-remove odors.
9. Spruce up kids’ toys.
After constant handling by (often dirty) hands, children’s toys can get grimy pretty quickly. Unfortunately, you can’t toss every toy into the washing machine. To get plastic toys that don’t contain electronic parts looking new again, soak them in an OxiClean solution for up to 10 minutes and gently rinse them by hand.
10. Make old sneakers look good as new.
Crisp, white sneakers seemed like a good idea at the time, but you might regret that decision after a rainy day. You can use OxiClean to wash those muddy canvas sneakers and get them looking (almost) like they came out of the box. Soak the shoes in hot water, add a scoop of OxiClean powder, and let sit for up to 2 hours. When you return, rinse the shoes and dump that nasty brown water down the drain.
11. Disinfect and clean your kitchen.
Like most people, you probably spend a lot of time in your kitchen, prepping and eating meals and hanging out with other household members. But being the heart of the home, the kitchen can get pretty gross pretty fast. Luckily, OxiClean is safe to use on stainless steel, granite, and porcelain.
Use OxiClean Daily Clean Multipurpose Disinfecant to clean your:
- Kitchen backsplash
- Countertops
- Cooktop
- Tile floors
- Food-stained kitchen towels
- Cabinets and knobs
- Microwave
- Fridge
- Baseboards
12. Refresh your car interior.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What’s that smell?” just before beginning your commute, it’s probably your car begging for a refreshed interior. Over time, a car’s upholstery, floor mats, and other surfaces can get pretty dirty and hold onto smells. With the help of OxiClean powder, you can freshen all of it up. After mixing the right solution for surface stains, wipe down your car’s dashboard, console, and steering wheel and scrub out stains on seats. Mix a full scoop into 4 gallons of water for ample interior and exterior cleaning solution.
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13. Treat trash can stains and odors.
If your house is clean but you’re struggling to get rid of the smell emanating from the kitchen trash can, OxiClean can help. Mix water with OxiClean to create a thick paste and slather it onto the interior of your bin. Let it sit for up to 30 minutes, scrub the surface vigorously to remove stains, and then rinse. For awful smells that don’t seem to go away no matter what you do, try OxiClean’s aforementioned odor-banishing powder formula.
14. Freshen smelly sports equipment.
Sometimes detergent alone can’t get at the sweat and grime soaked deep inside sports equipment and uniform fibers. Like toys, most sports equipment can’t go straight into the washer. Try soaking odorous equipment in a mild OxiClean solution to get them smelling less like an athlete’s locker room and more like fresh laundry. Just be sure to check all of the labels on your stuff to know which items to skip (such as the leather on a baseball glove).
15. De-grime your range hood.
Your range hood filters might be the grimiest spot in your kitchen, filled with months, years, and maybe even decades of food particles, grease, smells, and who knows what else. Use an OxiClean-soaked sponge to wash the exterior of your range hood—work with a paste for stuck-on grease. To clean the filters, remove them and soak them in OxiClean solution to dissolve dirt and grime.