Removing Spaghetti Sauce From Table Linens

Scrape clumps of dried spaghetti sauce off of your table linens by hand or with a dull knife. Pull up clumps of fresh spaghetti sauce from the linens with a paper towel. Blot up any excess sauce with a paper towel.

Read the care instructions on your linens. Take the linens to the dry cleaner within 24 hours if the care label reads “dry clean only” or "not machine-washable."

Rinse the sauce-stained areas for machine-washable linens under cold water to fade the stains. Cover the sauce stains in laundry detergent to pre-treat them. Allow the detergent to set into the linens for 20 minutes. Rinse off the detergent with cold water.

Spot-test a commercial stain remover on the backside or seam of your linen to make sure it does not leave a discoloration. Place the stain remover on the spaghetti sauce stains or dab white vinegar on the spots if the stain remover leaves a mark. Machine-wash the linens in laundry detergent and hot water. Hot water works best for oil and tannin-based stains, such as tomato sauce.

Remove the linens from the washing machine and look for any stain remnants. Pre-treat the linens with sodium borate (Borax) and rewash them if necessary. Do not put the linens in the dryer until the sauce stains have been removed; the dryer's heat can bind the stains to the fabric, making them permanent.