How to Get a Ketchup Stain Out

Co-authored by Safir Ali

Last Updated: September 1, 2021 References

Oh no! Is that ketchup on your favorite shirt? Whether you've got an old, dried ketchup stain, or whether you just spilled on your clothes, don't worry. Getting the stain out just requires a bit of work and some time, and the stain should be gone. Similarly, getting it out of furniture upholstery or carpet isn't as hard as you might think! It just takes a bit of elbow grease.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Removing Ketchup from Clothing

1
Use a napkin to wipe off the excess ketchup. Get as much of the goo off as you can.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} The more you leave on there, the more there is to stain the fabric. You can also scoop it off with a spoon.^{[2]
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- If the ketchup is dried on, scrape it off with a butter knife or spoon before rinsing out the fabric.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Safir Ali
  Professional Dry Cleaner
  Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
2
Wash out the stain with cold water. Run water from the back of the stain to the front so that the ketchup goes away from the fabric. It's best to do this in a sink, but if you need to, use a water bottle to rinse out the fabric.^{[4]
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- Keep flushing the stain until you've gotten as much of the ketchup out as you can, leaving just the stain behind.
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3
Add laundry detergent to the stain and leave it for 5 minutes. Pour the detergent on the stain, and use your fingers to rub it in. Set the fabric aside for about 5 minutes to let the detergent work its magic.^{[5]
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- The detergent will help break down the oils in the stain.
4
Rinse out the laundry detergent. Hold the stain under running water again, letting the detergent rinse out. Keep rinsing until the water and the fabric don't seem sudsy anymore.^{[6]
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- Rinse the stain from the back to the front.
5
Apply white vinegar to the stain for several minutes and then rinse it with water. Soak a rag or sponge in distilled white vinegar, and then dab at the stain. Keep going for several minutes to get as much vinegar into the fabric as possible.^{[7]
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- Rinse out the vinegar completely.
6
Repeat the detergent and vinegar steps as needed. If the stain isn't gone, go through the detergent and vinegar steps again, always rinsing in between each one. You may need to repeat the sequence several times before the stain comes out completely.^{[8]
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7
Pretreat and wash the garment. Spray a stain remover on the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Throw the garment in the wash on the hottest setting it will take, and add some bleach or color-safe bleach along with your detergent.^{[9]
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- If the stain hasn't come out, don't dry it. Repeat the washing process first.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting Ketchup out of Furniture and Carpet

1
Remove the excess ketchup. Wipe up any extra ketchup you see or use a spoon to scoop it up. If the ketchup has dried into the carpet or fabric, you can use a spoon or a butter knife to scrape it up.^{[10]
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- Any ketchup you leave behind will only stain the fabric more.
2
Blot the stain with cool water. Dip a rag or sponge into clean water. Wet the sponge or white rag down, getting it completely wet. You don't want it to be dripping wet, but it should be more than just damp. Dab at the stain.This process will get up the excess ketchup still left in the carpet or cloth. Press the cloth into the area to help bring more of the ketchup to the surface.^{[11]
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- Use a white cloth because other colors may stain the fabric further.
3
Create a dishwashing soap and water mixture to dab on the carpet. Add 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of dishwashing soap to 1 cup (240 mL) of water, and stir the ingredients. Dip a towel in the mixture, and blot at the stain to help the mixture soak into the carpet.^{[12]
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Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}^{[13]
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- Use a clean white towel or washcloth so you don't add ketchup back to the carpet or upholstery.
4
Move from the outer edges of the stain inward. If you try to move from the center out, you may spread the stain farther. Rub the mixture into the stain, scrubbing the carpet lightly as you go.^{[14]
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- Add more of the dishwashing mixture as needed.
5
Repeat the process until the stain is gone. Keep adding the soap mixture into the carpet or fabric. Make sure the towel isn't absorbing any more of the stain as you are finishing up. Even if it looks like it's gone from the carpet or fabric, some ketchup could still be buried in the carpet.^{[15]
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6
Dab at the spot with cold water before drying. Apply another round of cool water with a clean rag. After adding a bit of cool water, blot at the area with a dry towel to begin the drying process.^{[16]
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7
Try an ammonia and water mixture if the soap fails. Add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of ammonia to 2 cups (470 mL) of water. Stir to the combine the ingredients, and dab it on the carpet with a clean cloth.^{[17]
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- Once the stain is gone, blot the carpet with clean water and then dab at it with a dry towel.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I remove a ketchup stain from carpet?

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.

Safir Ali

Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Answer

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Try wetting the stain and rubbing it out with your fingernail or the back of a bobby pin.