How do I get mustard and turmeric out of an apron or uniform?
Sources last checked
A hot dog with mustard slid in your hand and left a yellow streak.
The short answer
Mustard is a dye stain. Dye stains can be very hard to remove. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Pacific Northwest Extension)
Do this now
- Flush it under cold water. (American Cleaning Institute)
What to use
- Work in a prewash stain remover. Or liquid detergent and a few drops of vinegar. (K-State Research and Extension Johnson County; University of Georgia Extension)
- Use bleach only if the care tag says it is safe. (American Cleaning Institute; K-State Research and Extension Johnson County)
Before the dryer
- Look at the spot before the dryer. Keep dye stains out of the dryer. (Pacific Northwest Extension)
Never do this
- Never bleach a dye stain without the tag saying yes. It can ruin the color. (Pacific Northwest Extension; American Cleaning Institute)
When to give up
- Stop if 15 minutes of bleach changes nothing. Bleach can't get it out. (Pacific Northwest Extension; Pacific Northwest Extension)
No university or Cleaning Institute page we read names turmeric. Mustard is the closest dye stain, so these are mustard's steps.
Check the care tag first. Test any stain remover on a hidden spot. A stain that sets in the dryer is much harder to move, so look before you dry.
The words of the sources
Each step above, quoted from the page it comes from.
“Dye stains are very difficult to remove.”
“These stains may be impossible to remove. Do not place dye-stained fabrics in a dryer.”
“Flush under cold water to loosen the stain”
“Mustard Pretreat with prewash stain remover. Launder using chlorine bleach, if safe”
“Work a light-duty liquid detergent and a few drops of vinegar into stain.”
“Check the care label to see if it is safe for the fabric.”
“Chlorine bleach may change the color of the garment or cause irreversible damage.”
“does not come out in 15 minutes of bleaching, it cannot be removed by bleaching”
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change and your local health department has the final say. Check with them before you open or change how you work. CleanCleaver is a food safety app, not a laundry authority: follow your garment's care tag.