Luniva

How to pre-treat stains before washing

Most stains that survive the washing machine weren't treated before it. Detergent is made to clean a whole load, not to break down one concentrated mark, so a stain left to the wash alone often comes out lighter but still there. Pre-treating means working on the stain itself first. It takes a couple of minutes and makes the biggest difference of anything you can do.

Updated 17 October 2026 · 2 min read · By the Luniva team

Step by step

  1. 1Act quicklyThe sooner you treat a stain, the easier it comes out. Even if you can't wash the garment yet, blot it and rinse it in cold water.
  2. 2Blot, scrape, don't rubPress a clean cloth onto liquids and lift solids off with a blunt edge. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper and spreads it.
  3. 3Work out what it isFood, drink and body stains need a different treatment from oil and grease. See the table below.
  4. 4Check the care labelFollow the label, and test on a hidden area first if the fabric is delicate or you're unsure.
  5. 5Spray and wait 1–3 minutesSpray the matching Luniva bottle until the stain is covered. Don't let it dry on the fabric.
  6. 6Wash, then check before dryingWash as normal with your usual detergent. Air-dry and check the stain has gone: the heat of a dryer or iron can set what's left.

Match the stain to the spray

  • Food, drink and body stains

    Curry, coffee, wine, sauces, egg, chocolate, grass, blood and sweat: use Enzyme Powered, the pink bottle.

    See Enzyme Powered

  • Oil, grease and body oils

    Cooking oil, motor oil, makeup, suncream and collar grime: use Pro Formula, the blue bottle.

    See Pro Formula

  • A mix of both

    Treat each stain with its own bottle and wash. Don't layer both sprays on the same spot.

The mistakes that set stains

  • Hot water first

    Heat sets protein stains like blood, egg and milk. Rinse them in cold water.

  • Rubbing

    It drives the stain into the fibres and makes the mark bigger.

  • Tumble drying too soon

    Check the stain has gone before the garment goes anywhere near the dryer or an iron.

  • Leaving the spray to dry

    Give it 1–3 minutes, then wash. If a stain needs more, treat it again rather than leaving one application on.

Top tips

  • Keep a spray by the washing basket so stains get treated on the way into the machine, not after.
  • For dried-in stains, a second treatment and wash works better than a longer wait.
  • Never mix Pro Formula with bleach.

Questions

For Luniva, 1–3 minutes. Don't let it dry on the fabric. For older or stubborn stains, repeat the treatment rather than leaving one application on longer.

No. Spray the stain directly, leave it 1–3 minutes, then wash as normal. There's no need to pre-soak.

Treat the stain when you're ready to wash, so the spray doesn't dry on the fabric. If you can't wash straight away, blot and rinse the stain in cold water and treat it just before the wash.

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