The best way to remove avocado stains

remove avocado stains
How to remove avocado stainsabdelhakim titous / 500px - Getty Images

Who doesn't love avocados? They're great in salads, on toast and in a burger - and as well as being tasty, they're a great source of potassium, folate and fibre.

You don't want to spill your guac, though! This health food staple is a surprisingly tricky stain to remove, mainly because it will eventually oxidise and turn a nasty grey-black colour, so make sure you act quickly and follow our guide.

Removing avocado stains from...

Washable fabrics

Gently scrape the solids off with a blunt knife, taking care not to spread the stain, then dampen the mark with cool water and gently rub in a little washing-up liquid. Allow to stand for five minutes or so, then rinse with more cool water. Next, wash as directed below.

Cotton

Machine-wash at 40°C, using biological detergent.

remove avocado stains
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Wool and silk

Machine-wash at 30°C on the delicates cycle, using a detergent for delicate fabrics. If in doubt or if the item is particularly delicate, take to a dry cleaner and inform them of the stain when dropping the garment off.

Removing dried-on avocado stains

If the avocado stain has dried-on, it will be tough to remove, but try soaking the garment in an oxygen-based stain remover designed for whites, colours or delicates, following the directions on the label. If the stain remains, spot treat the area directly with a stain remover before washing as directed above.

remove avocado stains
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Removing avocado stains from carpet

Gently scrape the solids off with a blunt knife - again, taking care not to spread the stain. Apply a proprietary stain remover such as HG Stain Spray but always check the product first in an inconspicuous area to test for colour fastness. Work the product into the stain, working from the outside inwards and gently soak up the stain with white paper towels or a clean, white, lint-free cloth.

Don't drench the stain, it's better to make repeated small applications than to completely flood the area. Continue until the stain has disappeared. Rinse with cold water, but again try not to over-wet the area and blot up as much water as possible with more paper towels. Leave to dry.

If any traces remain, a complete carpet shampoo may do the trick.

Removing avocado stains from upholstery

Always check the labels on upholstery and soft furnishings, as not all can be spot cleaned, but if yours can, then follow the directions above for carpet.

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