Cherry Stain Removal

By Matt Oden | Comments | Food and Drink Stains → Cherry

You may love the taste of ripe red cherries, but no one loves tackling cherry stain removal. When the cherry pie you've worked so hard on stains your favorite white tablecloth, or a cherry juice spill reddens your countertops or floors, don't declare your home a cherry-free zone just yet. These cherry stain removal tips will have you enjoying your favorite healthy snack without worrying about the mess cherries often leave behind.

Cherry Stain Removal

Cherry Stain Removal and Washable Fabrics

What You'll Need Before You Start:

  • Liquid Chlorine Bleach or Powdered Fabric-Safe Bleach
  • Heavy Duty Laundry Detergent

When a piece of cherry pie lands on your lap, or cherry juice spills on your shirt, don't assume that your clothes, tablecloths or other items are doomed to the trash can just yet. While cherry stains can be difficult to budge, if you use the right products and treat the stain promptly, your washable fabrics can be cherry stain-free.

To remove cherry stains from washable fabrics that are safe to use with chlorine bleach:

  1. Check the item's label to make sure the item is safe for bleaching and washing in hot water.
  2. Pre-treat the stain by rinsing as much of the cherry residue as possible away with cold water, then covering the stain with heavy duty laundry detergent. Work the detergent into the fabric well.
  3. Fill your washing machine or sink/tub with hot water; if the item is not safe for washing in hot water, use warm. Add heavy duty laundry detergent as directed by the detergent label.
  4. Add one cup of liquid chlorine bleach to your washing machine, or half a cup to a sink or tub.
  5. Allow the item to soak for several hours or overnight, then launder as usual.
  6. Hang the item to dry. If any stain remains, repeat steps 2-5 until the stain is gone.

Removing cherry stains from washable fabrics that are not safe for use with chlorine bleach is possible, too.

Here's how to do it:

  1. Check the item's label for water temperature and other special instructions.
  2. Pre-treat the stain by rinsing as much of the cherry residue as possible away with cold water. Make a paste of water and powdered fabric safe bleach, and work into the stain.
  3. Fill your washing machine or sink/tub with hot water; if the item is not safe for washing in hot water, use warm. Add heavy duty laundry detergent as directed by the detergent label.
  4. Add powdered fabric safe bleach to your washing machine or sink/tub according to label instructions.
  5. Allow the item to soak for several hours or overnight, then launder as usual.
  6. Hang the item to dry.

If any stain remains, repeat steps 2-5 until the stain is gone.

Cherry Stain Removal From Countertops and Vinyl or Ceramic Tile Floors

What You'll Need Before You Start:

  • Baking Soda
  • Nylon Scrubber Sponge
  • Powdered Oxygen Bleach
  • Protective Gloves
  • Cellulose Sponge

Cherries can leave your countertops or floors with a bright red stain that resists your usual cleaning routine. A little elbow grease and the right ingredients will help you get your countertops like new.

  1. Make a thick paste using baking soda and water.
  2. Apply to the stain, and rub with a nylon scrubber sponge.
  3. Rinse with water; repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is gone.
If the stain does not respond to the baking soda scouring method, try powdered oxygen bleach:

Put on protective gloves.

  1. Make a thick paste using powdered oxygen bleach and water.
  2. Apply to the stain, and rub in with fingers or a cellulose sponge.
  3. Allow the oxygen bleach paste to set on the stain for 10 minutes.
  4. Rinse with water; repeat steps 1 through 4 until the stain is gone.

Cherry Stain Removal and Dishes and Kitchenware

What You'll Need Before You Start:

  • Baking Soda
  • Automatic Dishwasher Detergent with Bleach
  • Cellulose Sponge

That cherry dessert you made sure tasted great, but the stains it left behind on your ceramic pie plate, plastic or melamine dishes, or even your nylon serving spoons are anything but delicious. The bright red tannins that give cherries their familiar color can be difficult to remove once they've become set-in on dishes and kitchenware. Here's how to get them out:

  1. Dampen a kitchen sponge, and shake some baking soda on the sponge.
  2. Rub the stained item vigorously with the baking soda-covered sponge.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is removed.
  4. Wash as directed.

Plastic, nylon or melamine dishes and kitchenware may need something a bit stronger to remove every last trace of cherry stain. Try this:

  1. Dampen a kitchen sponge.
  2. Apply powdered or gel automatic dishwasher detergent with bleach to the sponge.
  3. Rub the stained item vigorously with the sponge.
  4. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is removed.
  5. Wash as directed.

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