INSPECTING my shirt up close, I can't believe it – an own-brand stain remover has made my coffee-stained top as good as new.
I tested the cleaning products from five different supermarkets to see which one tackled dirty clothes the best.
There's loads of so-called cleaning "hacks" to get stubborn stains out, but I've found many don't actually work.
I tried to get a dirty footprint out of my new carpet before using a white wine vinegar and water solution – and it made the stain worse.
That's why I turned to proper stain remover powders and sprays to lift pesky marks on clothes – but which one is best?
I gave own-brand products from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Lidl and Asda a go.
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I stained one a white t-shirt with coffee – a notoriously stubborn stain – to see which ones really worked.
After applying each of the cleaners, I washed the top to see if it came out of the machine sparkling white – or still stained.
I marked each one out of five for ease of use, success in removing the stain, and value for money, and gave it a total score out of 15.
One of them totally blew me away. I could barely see a mark on my shirt after using it.
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But others left me a little underwhelmed – here's how they fared.
Tesco Oxy Stain Remover Spray – £1.50
Tesco's Oxy Stain Remover Spray promises to remove stubborn stains at 30 degrees.
It was super easy to use – I simply sprayed the stain and rubbed gently, left it for five minutes, and then chucked my shirt in the wash.
It did have a harsh chemical smell though, which was overpowering.
But the results were very good – it did a great job of lifting the stain.
I could still see a faint coffee mark, but I reckon that would vanish after a second wash.
I thought it was great value for money, but I don't think it would last as long as the powder versions – there's 500ml in a bottle which I think would run out quickly.
- Ease of use: 4.5/5
- Success in removing stain: 4/5
- Value for money: 4/5
- Total score: 12.5/15
Asda Stain Remover Spray Oxy Pre-Wash – £1.50
As soon as I started spraying Asda's 500ml stain remover spray, I could see it working instantly.
When I was rubbing the foam in, a lot of it was coming off on my cloth.
Out of all the stain removers, it was the easiest to use.
But I was surprised when it came out of the machine, and I could still see the stain quite prominently.
It would definitely need another spritz and a second wash before I could wear the shirt again.
I don't think it was as good value as Tesco's spray.
- Ease of use: 5/5
- Success in removing stain: 3/5
- Value for money: 3.5/5
- Total score: 11.5/15
Aldi – Almat Oxi-bright All Purpose Fabric Stain Remover – £2.49
There were various options listed on Aldi's 1kg tub for how to use the stain remover.
I opted for making a paste and applying to the stain – but regretted it.
I added two scoops of the powder with one scoop of water, making a cream which I rubbed into the stain for five minutes.
The powder didn't mix well with the water, and it left grains behind on my shirt that were tough to wipe away.
It didn't look like it was doing anything at all when I applied it.
It wasn't as easy to use as other powders – I couldn't find a scoop in my tub, so had to use an ordinary spoon.
Whereas the other stain removers started working quickly after I applied them, the same couldn't be said in this case.
I didn't have high hopes as I waited for the outcome.
But surprisingly, when I removed it from the washing machine, it performed as well as Lidl's stain remover.
It had done a good job of lifting the stain – but I could still see it.
I reckon another attempt and wash would lift the stain completely.
- Ease of use: 2/5
- Success in removing stain: 3/5
- Value for money: 3/5
- Total score: 8/15
Lidl – Formil Oxi Action Fabric Stain Remover – £1.79
Lidl's stain remover required me to mix one scoop of powder to 4litres of water.
I then soaked my top for an hour in the solution and bunged it in the washing machine.
It was the most straight forward stain remover powder I used, so I was keen to see if the results were equally as good.
But I could still see a mark where the coffee stain had been.
It did a fair job of lifting the mark, but it would need another soak and a wash before it was as good as new.
It scored better on value for money than Aldi's, which was more expensive.
- Ease of use: 3.5/5
- Success in removing stain: 3/5
- Value for money: 3/.55
- Total score: 9.5/15
WINNER: Sainsbury's Stain Remover Powder Colours – £2.75
Sainsbury's' 1kg stain remover wasn't the easiest to use, but I was blown away by the results.
I poured four litres of warm water into a bowl, with two scoops of powder.
I had to soak my shirt in it for six hours – the longest of all the cleaners, but worth it.
After washing my shirt, I took it out of the machine and gave it an inspection.
I had to try really hard to find where the stain had been – it had totally disappeared.
I was really happy with the results and will definitely use it again.
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It was the most expensive of the lot, but I thought it was worth every penny.
- Ease of use: 3/5
- Success in removing stain: 5/5
- Value for money: 5/5
- Total score: 13/15
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