This $6 Stain Remover Saved My Favorite Shirt from a Turmeric Stain and Earned a Permanent Spot in My Laundry Arsenal

published Aug 1, 2023
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man using a gray towel to blot a brown-colored stain on a white button-up shirt
Credit: zulufoto/Shutterstock

There are certain stains that can simply ruin a person’s day. A wine stain on your favorite rug. A tomato sauce stain on your favorite tablecloth. But nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, sends a shiver down my spine like a turmeric stain. As someone who enjoys the flavor (and anti-inflammatory benefits) of turmeric, I use it quite a bit in my food — and when I do, I’m very cautious. However, a couple of months ago I committed a cardinal sin: I wore a white blouse while cooking with turmeric and didn’t put an apron on (a rookie mistake I know, but it was the end of the day and I was tired.) So yes, you guessed it, I stained my blouse — but not just any blouse, my favorite blouse. After the initial panic wore off, I ran to my laundry area and remembered that I had just picked up a laundry spray that claimed it could take care of any stain, including turmeric: Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover Laundry Spray. Now was as good as ever to put it to the test, and dear reader, I’m forever a changed woman.

What is Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover Laundry Spray?

Make your way to any online retailer with a cleaning section and you’ll find Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover Laundry Spray alongside glowing thousands of glowing reviews. So, what is it about this cleaner that has people falling head over heels? Eco-friendly, non-toxic, and free of bleach, chlorine, or phosphates, this powerful spray claims to be able to tackle any stain with ease, including oil, paint, blood, pet stains, grease, makeup, grass, clay, inks, tar, coffee, rust, fabric bleed, and more. All it takes is a small spritz of the spray, a wait time of 5-10 minutes, and a wash for stains to be eliminated — but does it live up to the hype?

Credit: Sarah Vazquez

Why I Love Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover Spray

To say I was freaking out when I noticed the turmeric stain on my blouse would be an understatement. This was a blouse I had had for years and one that many precious memories were made in — I was not going to let one late-night soup craving send it to its grave. So, I put this spray to the test. I laid out my shirt, properly soaked the stained area, worked in the spray, and let it sit for the recommended 5-10 minutes (I went with 10 because I wanted to give it as much time as possible to its thing.) To my surprise, once the 10 minutes was up I noticed that about 80 percent of the stain had lifted. I put it in the wash, crossed my fingers, and hoped to God that when I pulled it out my shirt would look as good as new.

Once that nerve-wracking half an hour passed I took a deep breath, opened my washer, closed my eyes, and reached in. As I removed the blouse I was instantly doubtful, repeating over and over to myself, “There’s no way this worked.” But as I inspected the shirt, waiting for a bright orange stain to stare me in the face I found . . . nothing. The spray had worked. The stain was GONE and I vowed then and there never to reach for another stain fighter ever again.

My absolute favorite thing about this stain remover? Its price. At just $6 for a 16-ounce bottle, you’re definitely getting the most bang for your buck. So whether you’re looking for the ultimate fighter against notoriously stubborn stainmakers or simply want to pick up a product that’s a little better for you (and the environment) I think you’re going to find that this spray (which also just topped our stain remover Best List) will check off every box. As for me, I’m keeping this stain remover close — and my apron closer.