"Ended up using baking soda paste (someone suggested it online), let it sit for a while, then rinsed carefully from behind the stain."
That's exactly how I feel whenever I'm trying something new on fabric... holding my breath, crossing my fingers, haha. Baking soda paste is honestly underrated—I used it last summer when my son got ketchup all over his soccer jersey. Worked like a charm. Rubbing alcohol sounds promising too, though I've only tried it on smaller spots. Maybe test it on a hidden area first to ease your nerves? Either way, you're doing great!
Baking soda paste is definitely a hidden gem for stains. I've used it a few times myself, mostly on coffee spills (I'm a bit clumsy in the mornings, haha). But speaking of rubbing alcohol, has anyone tried hydrogen peroxide for tougher stains? I know it's great for whitening teeth safely, so I'm guessing it might work similarly on fabric stains without damaging the fibers too much. I've been tempted to try it on an old white shirt with stubborn sweat stains, but I'm still hesitating... don't want to accidentally bleach it unevenly or something. Curious if anyone's had luck with peroxide or if it's better to stick with baking soda and alcohol for safety.
Hydrogen peroxide is actually pretty safe on white fabrics if you dilute it first. I've used it a few times on sweat stains—worked like a charm without damaging fibers. Just spot test first to be sure...
Good tip about diluting first—I learned that the hard way when I went full-strength on a favorite shirt... RIP. 😂 Now I always spot test, lesson definitely learned. Glad it worked out better for you!
Been there myself, sadly lost a nice blouse to undiluted cleaner once... still stings a bit, haha. Spot testing is definitely key. Also found that gently blotting instead of rubbing helps keep fabric intact—lesson learned the hard way!
