How to remove grass stains
Updated · By the Luniva team
Quick answer
Use Luniva Enzyme Powered (the pink one). Spray it directly onto the stain, leave it for 1–3 minutes, then wash as normal following the garment care label.
Muddy as well? Let the mud dry and brush it off before you spray.
Step by step
- 1
Spray directly
Apply Luniva to the stain until saturated. No rubbing, no pre-soak.
- 2
Wait 1–3 minutes
Active Enzymes break the stain down at the molecular level. Don't let it dry.
- 3
Wash as normal
Machine-wash as normal. Air dry; never tumble dry until you've confirmed the stain is gone.
Grass stains behave less like dirt and more like a natural dye. When grass is crushed underfoot – on the football pitch, in the garden, at sports day – it releases chlorophyll along with plant proteins and sugars that act as a binder, gluing the green pigment to cotton, polyester and denim fibres. That is why grass marks survive a normal 60°C wash and reappear as a faint green-yellow shadow once the garment dries. The fix is enzymatic: Luniva's amylase + protease active enzymes digest the protein and sugar binders in 1–3 minutes, releasing the chlorophyll so a standard 40°C wash carries it out of the weave. This guide covers fresh grass marks on white sportswear, set-in chlorophyll on kids' school PE kit, grass on jeans and dark trousers, and grass mixed with mud or blood on goalkeeper jerseys.
Why grass acts like a dye
Chlorophyll is bonded to cotton fibres by plant proteins and sugars released when grass is crushed. Without active enzymes to digest the binder, the chlorophyll stays in place even after a hot wash. Bleach can strip the green colour from whites but it doesn't remove the underlying protein – which is why a bleached grass stain often comes back as a yellow halo once the bleach oxidises out.
Fabric guide
Best on washable everyday fabrics
Cotton, linen, denim, polyester and cotton blends: clothes, kidswear, bedding, towels and washable covers.
Test first on delicates
Patch-test an inconspicuous area on silk, wool, viscose, leather-trimmed items or anything labelled dry-clean only.
Don't let it dry
Spray, leave 1–3 minutes, then wash. Don't let the treated area dry out before washing.
Check before drying
Inspect the area after washing and repeat if any shadow remains. Dryer heat can set a leftover mark.
Grass: questions
Yes. Spray, wait 1–3 minutes, wash as normal, following the garment care label. For set-in grass on white school PE kit, repeat once.
Yes – leave Luniva on for 1–3 minutes, wash as normal, following the garment care label, and air-dry in sunlight.
Yes. Bleach-free and colour-safe. Wash inside-out as normal, following the garment care label to protect the dye.
Yes. Spray each stain area, wait 1–3 minutes, wash cool, as normal, following the garment care label (blood sets above 40°C).
Chlorophyll is bonded by plant protein. Without an active enzyme protease/amylase blend, detergent alone cannot break the bond.
Based on controlled laboratory testing. Performance may vary by stain type, fabric, age of the stain and wash conditions. Always follow the garment care label and test an inconspicuous area first.