In the final part of our stain series, we tackle trickier listener questions–from eliminating fishy odors to whether you can truly remove paint stains.
Guest: Senior writer Andrea Barnes
Products we recommend:
- A good stain remover for ink or sugary stains: Amodex Ink & Stain Remover
- A good stain remover for cat odors: Nature's Miracle
- A good way to remove odors from clothes: Downy Rinse & Refresh
- For acrylic paint stains, you might try: Dawn Powerwash
- For oil paint stains, you can try mineral spirits
- A good stain remover for old blood stains: Clorox 2 Stain Remover & Color Brightener
- The best liquid laundry detergent & a great product for pre-treating stains: Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent
- The best powdered laundry detergent (with oxygen bleach) for dirt and clay: Tide Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent
Additional reading:
- The Wirecutter Show Episode 32: The Art of Stain Removal Part 1
- So You Stained Your Shirt. Now What?
- The 6 Best Stain Removers of 2025
- Skip the Stain Removers. This Detergent Is All You Need.
- The 5 Best Laundry Detergents of 2025
- The Wirecutter Show Episode 1: The Secret to Better Laundry
- The Best Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
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