How to Remove Grass Stains from Jeans

The Logic Verdict

My Take: The Sears Knowledge Center demo is as straightforward as stain care gets: pour a generous line of liquid detergent straight onto the green knees, work it in with a damp cloth or toothbrush, let it sit for 10–15 minutes, then wash the jeans in cold water. Checking the stain before you dry is the entire difference between success and a permanent green tint.

The Science

Grass pigments are a mix of chlorophyll and carotenoids bound to plant sugars. Liquid laundry detergents pair surfactants with enzymes (protease + amylase) that break apart both the dyes and the sugary binder. Gentle mechanical agitation from a cloth or toothbrush increases contact, while a cold-water wash keeps the dyes from setting back into the cotton once they’re suspended.

Step-by-Step Removal

1. Lay the jeans flat. Smooth the stained knee over a towel so every grassy patch is accessible and fully supported while you scrub.
2. Saturate with detergent. Squeeze a thick bead of liquid or gel detergent directly onto each stain—use enough that the denim looks glossy.
3. Work it in. With a damp cloth or soft toothbrush, massage the detergent into the fibers using short circular strokes. You want suds to appear on the surface.
4. Let it dwell 10–15 minutes. Give the enzymes time to break down the pigment; cover the area with the damp cloth if you’re in a dry room so it doesn’t crust over.
5. Wash on cold. Toss the jeans into the washer by themselves or with similar colors and run a normal cycle using cold water, just like the video shows.
6. Inspect before drying. If the stain is gone, dry as usual. If any green hue lingers, hang the jeans to air dry (heat will set the stain) and repeat the pre-treat cycle.

Parts & Tools

• Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid (Amazon) – High-enzyme detergent mimics the direct application used in the video.
• Simple Houseware Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (Amazon) – Soft, lint-free cloths for massaging detergent into denim.
• OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set (Amazon) – Toothbrush-size scrubbers replicate the agitation shown in the tutorial.

What NOT To Do

• Don’t use hot water or the dryer until the stain disappears—heat locks grass dyes into cotton blends.
• Skip abrasive powders that can fuzz denim and leave light spots.
• Avoid chlorine bleach; it can yellow indigo dye and weaken stretch fibers.

Resources

• Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid (Amazon)
• Simple Houseware Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (Amazon)
• OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set (Amazon)