Do tomato paste stains come out?

A fresh tomato paste stain usually comes out if the excess is scraped off, the stain is rinsed with cold water, pre-treated with stain remover and washed. Dried and ironed stains may need several pre-treatments.

Hot or cold water for tomato paste stains?

Use cold water at first and rinse the stain from the back. Hot water and ironing before the stain is out can set the orange colour.

Can you use bleach on tomato paste stains?

Only on white cottons whose label allows bleaching, after pre-treating with stain remover, and at the dose on the product label. It is not used on coloured, woollen, silk or synthetic fabrics.

Guide · Stain removal · October 19, 2026

How to Remove Tomato Paste Stains

Tomato and pepper paste, sauces and cooking juices contain both a strong orange colour and oil. That is why tomato paste stains spread quickly on fabric and work into the fibres if left. Pre-treatment and washing in the right order remove most of the stain. This guide explains how to clean tomato paste stains from clothes, sofas and carpets, and the orange tint in plastic food containers.

First steps

Scrape off the excess: lift the paste with a spoon or a blunt knife; rubbing spreads the stain.
Rinse from the back with cold water: run the water through the back of the stain to push the colour out of the fabric.
Avoid hot water and ironing: heat applied before the stain is out can set the orange colour.

How to remove tomato paste stains from clothes

Apply stain remover directly to the stain and leave it briefly; do not let it dry.
On shirts, T-shirts and aprons, TETİK Kar Aspirin can be sprayed onto the stain and rubbed in gently.
Wash the garment on the programme on the care label with your usual detergent.
Check the stain before drying; if a mark remains, repeat the pre-treatment.
For the oily part of rich sauces and fried dishes, also see how to remove grease stains.
For ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard stains, see how to remove ketchup stains.
For the yellow stains of dishes with turmeric and curry sauce: how to remove turmeric stains.
For soy sauce stains: how to remove soy sauce stains.

How to remove dried and washed-in tomato stains

A dried or once-washed tomato stain remains as a light orange mark. Dampen the stain with cold water, apply stain remover, leave it for the time on the label and wash the garment again; repeat several times if necessary. Do not put the garment in the tumble dryer or iron it until the stain is out.

Tomato paste stains on white laundry

On white cottons, pre-treat with stain remover first. For any remaining mark, bleach can be used only if the care label allows bleaching and at the dose on the product label (How to use bleach); do not use it on whites blended with polyester or elastane. Drying a white cotton garment with a faint orange mark outdoors can help the mark fade.

How to remove tomato paste stains from sofas and carpets

Lift off the excess paste and blot the stain with a dry cloth; do not rub.
On fabric sofas, spray Kar Aspirin onto a clean cloth and press it onto the stain; leave briefly, then lift it with a clean damp cloth.
On carpet, dilute carpet shampoo with water at the ratio on the label, apply a small amount to the stain, blot it up with a clean cloth and let the carpet dry thoroughly.
Test on a hidden area first; for leather and velvet upholstery, follow the manufacturer's advice.
For the whole sofa see how to clean a sofa, and for the whole carpet how to use carpet shampoo.

How to remove tomato stains from plastic containers

Plastic food containers absorb the colour of tomato paste. Wash the container straight after use with lukewarm water and dishwashing liquid; the less oil remains, the less colour sticks. Orange colour that has soaked into the plastic may not wash out completely, but this does not prevent you from using the container. Do not use bleach or abrasive products on food containers; for storing dishes with tomato paste, you can choose glass containers.

Tomato paste stains on worktops

Because tomato paste is acidic, it can leave dull marks if left on a marble worktop; wipe up spilt paste straight away (how to clean marble). On granite and laminate worktops, a damp cloth and a neutral surface cleaner are enough (how to clean granite worktops).

What not to do

Rubbing the stain: the paste spreads through the fabric.
Using hot water, the tumble dryer or the iron before the stain is out.
Using bleach on coloured and synthetic fabrics.
Mixing stain remover with bleach or other cleaning products (can cleaning products be mixed).

For restaurants and canteens

In restaurants, eateries and canteens, tomato paste stains appear every day on chefs' aprons, tablecloths and napkins. For pre-treatment, TETİK Liquid Stain Remover and START Stain Remover are produced in 30 kg packs and TETİK Kar Aspirin in 5 kg and 30 kg. For the kitchen product list, see restaurant cleaning supplies, and for textile washing Laundry supplies and chemicals; for bulk purchases you can request a quote.

Prepared by: Tetikoğlu Kimya — cleaning chemicals manufacturer since 1997. When using products, always follow the instructions and warnings on the pack.