As the weather warms up, we’re transitioning our closet from winter’s heavy and dark knits to light and airier pieces. Whether you're spending your sunny days picnicking, running around with the kids, or having a friendly soccer game, it can often mean more stains to deal with! Thankfully, you don’t have to resort to harsh, toxic stain removers to lift the stains out, whether they’re grass stains, spilled wine, coffee, or blood (we won't ask why!). We’ve got the guide to easily removing tough stains on all fabrics, from your favourite light-wash jeans to light summer dresses.

Pre-Treat the Stain

Made with natural ingredients and free from dyes and synthetic fragrances, the WOW Stick uses the power of nature to lift stains out of all fabrics. The WOW Stick contains lemongrass and sweet orange essential oils, which work in combination with the cleansing ingredients to combat any odours caused by the offending stain. You’ll be surprised at how powerful this little stick is!
To use, just wet the stained area of fabric, and then rub the WOW Stick onto the stained area. Agitate the stain under water, and repeat until the stain begins to fade.

Wash

Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener uses the oxygen to penetrate stains, stripping away dirt, odour, and grime – perfect for getting out these pesky stains! The Oxygen Brightener’s chlorine-free formula is colour-safe, septic safe, hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly and biodegradable, so you can forget about toxic ingredients! Use the Oxygen Brightener along with the Laundry Soda for the ultimate stain-fighting clean. All you need is a tablespoon for a small-sized load, or 3 tablespoons for a large load. Use 3 tablespoons for super-stained clothing. Use on whites and brights, but not your favourite black jeans.

Dry

Dry your clothes as you normally do – hang dry on the clothes line, or toss into the dryer with your favourite Lamby Wool Dryerballs or Flyerballs! We love to use the Scented Wool Dryerball in Simply Fresh to give a subtle, beautiful scent.
No more stains, and all without using harsh chemicals. Your skin, your clothes, and the planet will thank you!

Whether you’re looking to extend the life of an investment piece or give Grandma’s hand-me-down a loving boost, regular cleaning (ideally once per season) can grab dirt before it truly becomes part of the furniture. Here’s our quick and easy plan for keeping upholstery fabric fresh and stain-free.

What You’ll Need

A vacuum
A few clean white cloths
A can of compressed air
Nellie’s WOW Stick Stain Remover and/or the Oxygen Brightener
A small bucket
Carbonated water (optional)

The How-To

Using the upholstery attachment, vacuum left to right in short, overlapping strokes, starting at the top of the piece of furniture and working towards the bottom. This left-to-right method is especially important for materials that hold onto dirt, like suede, velvet, and corduroy. Switch to the crevice nozzle (if you’re worried about sucking up coins, cover it with a piece of old nylon pantyhose secured with a rubber band); vacuum under cushions and around seams. Then grab the can of compressed air to blast dirt from tufting and buttons.
Attack stains on linen, cotton and polyester-acrylic blends with the WOW Stick Remover or the Oxygen Brightener.
For the Oxygen Brightener, create a solution using 1tbsp per 16oz (500ml) of water for upholstery (also works for counters, trash cans, and all over water-washable surfaces). Apply solution to stain with a cloth, wait 1 to 5 minutes, and scrub with sponge or blot with a towel. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Do not use on leather, silk, or wool.
Alternatively, use the WOW Stick Stain Remover on any stubborn stains. Simply wet the stained area (you can use carbonated water here to help lift old stains), rub the WOW Stick onto the stained area, and agitate the stain underwater. Repeat until the stain is removed, and let air dry. The WOW Stick is ideal for removing grass, makeup, wine, and blood stains.

Like most things in life, laundry can come with a learning curve! If you’ve ever shrunk a shirt in the dryer or discovered detergent residue on your favourite jeans, you know what we’re talking about. What’s the deal with laundry detergent stains? Keep reading to find out!

Can Detergent Stain?

Technically speaking, no. Laundry detergents are formulated to leave clothes clean (some with more chemicals than we think necessary, you can read about that here). However, some detergents can leave spots or residue on clothes, especially with improper use. The good news is you can get those spots out relatively easily if you wash the garment immediately!

How to Remove Detergent Residue from Clothes

If you have a detergent mishap and the spot doesn’t come out after re-washing the item, you’re not hooped just yet. Try this six-step routine:

1. Rise the spot under hot water to remove as much residue as possible.
2. Gently wring out the excess water from the item and lay it flat.
3. Apply household rubbing alcohol to the spot, being sure to cover the entire affected area. We recommend spot-testing on an inconspicuous spot of the fabric first though!
4. Let the spot soak for at least 10 minutes. The longer the better!
5. With warm or hot water, rinse the fabric. This should remove the spot. If not, repeat the above steps!

How to Prevent Laundry Detergent Stains

The short answer – switch to Nellie’s Laundry Soda! Thanks to our highly-concentrated and quick-dissolving formula, you're not likely to run into this kind of issue. If you're still using a conventional detergent, here's the long answer: while laundry detergent doesn’t technically ‘stain’ clothes, the spotting that comes with overuse or washing issues is totally preventable. Using your detergent, whatever brand, as intended is the best route. For complete instructions on how to best use the Nellie’s Laundry Soda, click here.

Maybe we’re old fashioned (or simply hygienic), but we think the place responsible for cleaning you should be pretty clean too! Nellie’s line of bathroom products not only provides exceptional eco-friendly cleaning power against bathroom dirt and grime, but it leaves the room smelling great too – all without harsh chemicals, phosphates, dyes, perfumes, and no SLS or SLES! Keep reading to find out how you can get a green clean for your bathroom.

Shower & Bath Cleaner

Cleaning the shower or bath is no fun, no matter how good your cleaning playlist is. Cut back on the scrubbing with the Shower & Bath Cleaner. Use it as a daily cleaner as well as a general deep clean. Simply turn the nozzle to the ‘ON’ position and spray away! For general shower cleaning, spray the entire area and allow the solution to set for at least 30 seconds to loosen the dirt and soap scum. Scrub with a non-abrasive sponge if necessary, and then rinse and wipe clean. For daily shower cleaning, mist all wet surfaces (including the shower curtain) right after your shower and allow to dry. Don’t use on natural stone, marble, brass, or damaged/cracked surfaces.

All-Purpose Cleaner

The All-Purpose Cleaner truly lives up to its name – you can get an eco-friendly clean from the kitchen, the hallway, your outdoor space, and more! In the bathroom, it’s ideal for counters and any other surface that gets toothpaste marks and finger prints. The lemongrass scent provides an exceptional cleaning power against household dirt and grime, all while being free from harsh chemicals, phosphates, dyes, perfumes, and no SLS or SLES. Wipe away all that dirt without hurting you, your family, or the environment!

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

When it comes to the place you put your cheeks, you want to keep it as clean as possible! Nellie’s Toilet Bowl Cleaner has our signature refreshing lemongrass scent – much better than what’s normally going on in there! Get eco-friendly cleaning power and long-lasting performance without any nasty chemicals. Simply flush the toilet to wet the bowl area, and squeeze the bottle under the rim. Allow to set for a few minutes, and then scrub with a toilet brush and flush to rinse!

Cleaning floors has never been so easy or so fun with the WOW Mop! The cordless and lightweight mop features oscillating pads, a high-frequency motor, LED lights to illuminate under large furniture, and a long grip handle so you can tackle dirt and stains effortlessly.
The WOW Mop comes with the Nellie’s WOW Wet Floor cleaning pads, specifically designed for the WOW Mop. They clean up spills, stains, and dirt with ease, leaving your floors spotless. Plus, the cleaning pads are eco-friendly, machine washable, and can be used up to 100 times. To keep your cleaning pads nice and clean, wash them with a fragrance-free detergent like Nellie’s Laundry Soda. For collecting lint, dust, and pet hair on alll surfaces, use the Nellie's WOW Dry Floor cleaning pads. Like the Wet Floor cleaning pads, they're eco-friendly and machine washable!
You’ll want to use those cleaning pads with our plant-based Floor Clare, with its tough-on-stains formula that will tackle any household dirt and odors – all with our signature lemongrass scent. It’s perfect for hardwood, tile, ceramic, and more. How to use it? Simply sweep the floor clean, and then skae well and dilute as desired or use straight from the bottle. Dispense directly into the WOW Mop’s reservoir and mop away! Use often for happy, healthy floors.

Not Just for Wood & Tile!

The WOW Mop glides over wood, laminate, and tile floors, but did you know you can use it on carpet too? If you’re dealing with a pesky stain like, wine, coffee, or worse on your carpets and nothing is doing the trick, we’ve got the solution for you. Create a solution of 1 tablespoon of Nellie's Oxygen Brightener per 500ml (16oz) of water. Soak up any excess liquid from the stain before applying the solution. Wait 1 to 5 minutes, and then soak up with a white towel. Repeat if necessary, and then rinse thoroughly with water and blot dry. If it’s still not lifting, bring in the WOW Mop! The oscillating pads are perfect for lifting tough stains effortlessly. Simply apply some of the solution, place the pads over the stain, and go!
Shop the WOW Mop here and our WOW Mop Bundle here. Your floors will be spotless and your mother-in-law speechless. WOW, indeed!