What’s the Difference Between a Stain Remover Spray and Laundry Detergent?

You can use either to pretreat tough stains

By Keith Flamer

December 27, 2022

When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

Oxi Clean Max Force Spray Bottle and Tide Ulta Stain Release Laundry Detergent sitting on top of washing machine — OxiClean MaxForce spray stain remover and Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release got high marks for stain removal in our tests.

Have you ever been faced with a tough laundry stain but didn’t have any spray stain remover handy? You can still get that stain out using just laundry detergent. Stain remover sprays are typically made with the same ingredients found in your regular liquid laundry detergent. These include surfactants, enzymes, and polymers, which are cleaning agents and compounds that help remove soil from clothing. But while stain removers are meant to be used in their concentrated form, regular detergents are made to be diluted with lots of water. In our tests, we’ve found that the very best liquid detergents in our ratings (such as Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Persil ProClean Stain Fighter) can rival the stain-removing power of many sprays. Just dab some of the detergent directly onto the stain, and let it soak for 5 minutes before washing.

When you’re ready to replenish that bottle of stain spray, here are the best stain fighters from our tests:

Here Are Some Top-Rated Detergents That Scored Well for Pre-Treating

Keith Flamer

As a kid in Delaware, I lived a few blocks from Bob Marley, who once said, "It is better to live on the house top than to live in a house full of confusion." At CR, I'm psyched to help readers navigate this cluttered, hyper-commercialized world we live in. I've covered luxury real estate, interior design, and culture—reporting on everything from smart home technology to racial hypocrisy at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate. Since the pandemic started, I cherish simplicity, covering accessible topics like decorating, cooking, and cleaning. Give me a smoothie blender over a mansion any day. Blenders are slightly easier to clean.