OxiClean Vs. Vanish: Which Stain Remover Should You Choose?

Stain removal can be a tedious chore. When you spill wine on your new shirt or drop pasta sauce on the couch, you want a product that will quickly and easily remove the stain without damaging your fabrics.

Two of the most popular stain remover brands are OxiClean and Vanish. But which one is better?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare OxiClean and Vanish stain removers to help you decide which is right for your needs. We’ll cover:

• Key features of OxiClean and Vanish
• Pros and cons of each product
• Effectiveness on different types of stains
• Cost and availability
• Environmental impact
• Ease of use

By the end, you’ll know exactly which stain remover to reach for when faced with life’s inevitable messes. Let’s get started!

A Brief Comparison Table

Feature	OxiClean	Vanish
Active Ingredient	Sodium percarbonate (releases hydrogen peroxide)	Sodium carbonate peroxide (releases hydrogen peroxide)
Formulas Available	Powder	Powder and liquid
Intended Uses	Laundry, soaking, washing machine	Upholstery, carpets, laundry
Whitening Ability	Yes	No
Stain Removal Strengths	Organic stains, laundry, pit/collar/cuff stains	Grease, quick spot cleaning
Weaknesses	Set-in stains, mold, mildew	Blood, sweat, dye stains
Cost	$0.05 – $0.10 per oz (powder)	$0.20 – $0.40 per oz (liquid)
Availability	Online, grocery, mass retailers	Specialty stores
Eco-Friendliness	Made in USA with renewable ingredients, recyclable packaging	Contains petroleum-based ingredients, less recyclable packaging
Ease of Use	Mixes easily but requires soaking/added wash cycle	Ready-to-use liquid but more expensiv

Key Features of OxiClean And Vanish

OxiClean and Vanish share some similarities, but also have key differences that set them apart.

• Active Ingredients

The active ingredient in OxiClean is sodium percarbonate. When dissolved in water, it releases hydrogen peroxide, a strong oxidizing agent that breaks down organic stains.

Vanish contains sodium carbonate peroxide, which turns into hydrogen peroxide when activated. So both products use hydrogen peroxide to remove stains, just in different forms.

• Formulas

OxiClean comes as a powder that you scoop and mix into water to make a stain removing solution. It has a strong chlorine-like scent when wet.

Vanish offers both powder formulas as well as pre-mixed liquid stain removers. The liquids have a more pleasant citrus or floral fragrance.

• Intended Uses

While both can be used for pre-treating laundry stains, OxiClean is formulated for soaking or washing machines. Vanish advertises its products for carpet and upholstery cleaning.

• Whitening Capabilities

In addition to stain removal, OxiClean claims to boost whitening and brightening of fabrics.

Vanish does not make these claims.

So in summary, while both share that hydrogen peroxide stain-fighting agent, OxiClean is focused on laundry usage while Vanish is broader for home surfaces.

Now let’s compare how well each actually removes stubborn stains.

Stain Removal Effectiveness Comparison

The most important factor in choosing a stain remover is how well it works. OxiClean and Vanish are both powerful on many stain types, but perform differently on some fabrics and soils.

OxiClean’s Stain Removing Pros

• Excellent on organic stains: OxiClean’s oxidizing formula is extremely effective at breaking down stains from food, drinks, grass, dirt, makeup, oil, and more. The hydrogen peroxide literally “oxidizes” or destroys the stain molecules.
• Powder formula boosts washing machine power: When added to laundry loads, the OxiClean powder supercharges your detergent and the hot water to get clothes cleaner.
• Whitens fabrics: In addition to stain removal, OxiClean can make dingy clothes look brighter and whiter.
• Tough on pit, collar, and cuff stains: The hydrogen peroxide in OxiClean is strong enough to tackle the tough stains that build up on shirt collars and cuffs. A soak in an OxiClean bath can get rid of years of discoloration.

Vanish’s Stain Removing Pros:

• Works well on grease: The Vanish formula seems specially designed to cut through oily grease stains from food, automotive fluids, cosmetics, and more.
• Convenient liquids: Having the option of ready-to-use Vanish liquid makes spot cleaning stains on upholstery and carpets quicker and easier than mixing a powder.
• Gentler fragrance: The Vanish liquids have a lighter citrus or floral scent compared to OxiClean’s strong chlorine odor.
• Requires less scrubbing: Vanish appears to break down stains faster than OxiClean with less need to manually work at the stain.

Stain Removal Weaknesses

However, neither product is perfect when it comes to all stain types. Here are some of their weaker points:

• Set-in stains: Very old, dried-in stains are challenging for both products. Using them as a soaking pre-treatment helps.
• Mold/mildew: Neither OxiClean nor Vanish effectively removes black mold or mildew stains. A bleach-based cleaner is better for these.
• Blood/protein: While they can lighten blood stains, neither completely removes them. An enzyme cleaner specifically formulated for protein is more effective.
• Dye transfer: Stains from fabric dye transfer, like blue jeans bleeding onto other clothes in the wash, are best handled by a color-fixing product, not a stain remover.

So you can see that while OxiClean and Vanish overlap in stain fighting ability, they each have pros and cons to consider.

Cost and Availability

Affordability and convenience are also important factors when purchasing a stain remover. OxiClean consistently comes in at a lower price point than Vanish for the quantity:

• OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover (3 lb tub): $10-$15
• Vanish Gold Oxi Action Crystals (2.2 lb tub): $15-$20

The powder versions of both provide enough laundry loads for 1-2 months of use. However, Vanish also offers their premixed stain removing liquids which are significantly more expensive per ounce than the powders.

In terms of availability, OxiClean powder can be easily found at any major supermarket or retail chain like Walmart, Target, etc. Vanish products are harder to come by in the United States, usually found at specialty stores.

So OxiClean has the advantage when it comes to affordability and convenience factors. A tub of it lasts a long time and can be purchased almost anywhere that sells laundry detergent.

Environmental Impact

For environmentally-conscious consumers, the ecological impact of cleaning products is an important consideration.

OxiClean is better in this regard, manufactured in the USA using plant-based, renewable ingredients.

It contains no phosphates, dyes, chlorine, or other harsh chemicals.

The powder packaging is fully recyclable plastic tubs or cardboard boxes.

Vanish contains some petroleum-derived ingredients and comes in plastic tubs that are not readily accepted for recycling. However, it uses less packaging overall than OxiClean.

Neither brand tests on animals which is a plus. But overall, OxiClean is the more environmentally-friendly choice between the two stain removers. It has effective green cleaning power.

Ease of Use

When tackling laundry stains, a product should be quick and simple to use. Here’s how OxiClean and Vanish compare when it comes to convenience:

OxiClean

• Easy to measure and mix powder into water or washing machine
• Requires soaking or added wash cycle for full effect
• Powder dissolves thoroughly with agitation
• Strong chlorine scent from wet solution
• Powder residue can be left if not rinsed well

Vanish

• Premixed liquids are ready to use immediately
• No mixing or dissolving required
• Liquid applied directly to stain and allowed to sit
• Pleasanter fragrance than OxiClean
• No powder residue to rinse away

Vanish liquids offer the ultimate convenience if you need to spot treat a stain quickly.

But OxiClean powder is simple enough to mix up when you have time for a soak or added wash cycle.

It just requires a bit more hands-on work than the ready-made Vanish products.

OxiClean And Vanish FAQ

Still have some questions about choosing between OxiClean and Vanish? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Final Verdict

Now that we’ve compared the key factors – effectiveness, cost, environmental impact, and ease of use – which stain remover comes out on top?

For powerful laundry cleaning, OxiClean is the clear winner. Its versatile hydrogen peroxide formula excels at removing organic stains at an affordable price point. Added to the washing machine, it takes your detergent to the next level.

And it’s an eco-friendly option made from renewable ingredients.

Vanish offers convenience with its premixed liquid formulas that are ready to tackle stains immediately. The lighter fragrance is also a plus. Choose Vanish for spot cleaning carpets and upholstery rather than for laundry use. But expect to pay more per ounce than OxiClean powder.

To summarize:

• For laundry, choose OxiClean powder
• For quick spot stain removal, go with Vanish liquid
• To remove the widest variety of stains, use both products

With this stain remover comparison as your guide, you can now conquer laundry day and all of life’s staining accidents with confidence. Got grease on the garage floor? OxiClean to the rescue. Spilled red wine on the rug?

Grab the Vanish! Whichever mess comes your way, you’ve got the cleaning power to make it vanish in no time.