Removing grease stains from clothes is quite a tedious task. But with the right method, you may be able to save your clothes. So if you have grease stains on your clothes, there is no need to throw them out yet until you try out the simple methods in this guide.
Why is it hard to get rid of grease stains?
Grease is a lipid and, as such, it is insoluble in water. Also, grease grabs into the material of your cloth, and washing it without treatment will only set the stains onto the cloth fibers
10 Ways to Get Grease Out of Clothes
Whether it’s a stain from ketchup during dinner or your sandwich while making breakfast, grease stains can be a headache. The good news is that you don’t need to discard your clothes because of grease stains because there are ways you can get rid of them from your clothes right at home. Here are some practical methods to get rid of grease stains from your clothes using cheap household materials:
1: Dish Detergent
Dish detergent helps remove grease from kitchen utensils, and it can also work on clothes. Follow these steps to use dish detergent on your grease-stained clothes:
Step 1: Lay your cloth on a flat surface so that the affected area is up.
Step 2: Squeeze out some dish detergent and apply it to the grease stain to cover it.
Step 3: Use a cloth or a soft-bristled brush to rub the detergent over the stains and leave for about 5 minutes
Step 4: Wash and rinse your garments as instructed on the label.
2: Mechanic Soap
Mechanic soap is not only good for washing dirt off the skin but also for clothes. Here is how you should use it:
Step 1: Place cardboard beneath the stain and apply the soap over it. Ensure you blot out excess stains before applying the soap to prevent smearing other parts of your clothes.
Step 2: Leave the soap for up to 15 minutes before washing the garment in a washing machine.
Step 3: If the stain remains, reapply the soap and rinse once the stain is completely invisible.
3: Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent option for fresh grease stains that haven’t been washed or dried. It will draw out the oil, making it easy to wash away from the fabric.
Step 1: Lay your cloth flat over and place cardboard over the stained surface.
Step 2: Apply some baking soda over the stained area and use a soft toothbrush to scrub it in. Leave for 10 minutes so that it can pull the grease stains; you will notice the powder change to brown
Step 3: Dust or scrape off the baking soda and reapply until the baking soda no longer changes color.
Step 4: wash your clothes as usual. Reapply baking soda as necessary and dry only when the grease stains are no longer visible.
4: Nail Polish Removal
Your nail polish contains some amount of acetone which is a great stain removal for organic solvent. Acetone bonds with the oil molecules, thus making the stain weak and easy to remove. Here are the steps to follow using nail polish removal:
Step 1: Place your cloth over a flat surface and apply a small nail polish removal over the stained surface.
Step 2: Leave it for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off and washing the clothes normally.
Step 3: Reapply the nail polish if the stain persists before drying, following the manufacturer’s label.
Note: Nail polish remover contains acetone and may not be suitable for delicate clothing, especially those that contain acetate. Also, use just a little portion of the nail polish remover to avoid damaging the fibers of your clothes.
5: Baby Powder
If you’ve run out of dishwashing liquid or baking soda, you can try some talcum powder to treat grease stains. Baby powder only works on new grease stains, so don’t bother using it if the stain is old or dried. Here are some tips to make this method work on your clothes:
Step 1: Lay your garment on a flat surface and apply some baby powder over the stained area
Step 2: Use a toothbrush to rub the baby powder and leave it over the stain for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Brush off the baby powder and then wash as usual. If the stain remains, consider applying some dish detergent over the stain before washing it in the machine.
6: Salt + Stain Removal
A combination of salt and stain removal can be very helpful in getting rid of grease stains on your clothes.
Step 1: Sprinkle some salt over the stain to absorb some grease.
Step 2: Apply a stain removal to treat the area. Follow the instructions on the product’s label for proper use.
Step 3: Wash your clothes in hot water and only dry them when the stain is gone.
7: Hairspray
Hairspray is suitable for different stains, including oil stains, nail varnish stains, and grease stains.
Step 1: Lay your fabric on a flat surface and use a paper towel to soak up excess grease stains.
Step 2: Spritz your hairspray over the stains and leave over it for up to 30 minutes.
Step 3: Wash your clothes with hot water and if the stain is still present, reapply the hairspray. Only dry the fabric when the stain has been lifted.
8: Chalk
Like baking soda, chalk can also suck in fresh grease stains.
Step 1: Soak up excess oil using a paper towel and then lay on a flat surface.
Step 2: Rub the chalk over the grease spot. Be careful while doing this to avoid spreading the stain over the remaining part of the clothes.
Step 3: Leave the chalk for some minutes and then brush it off and wash as usual.
Step 4: If the stain is still present, reapply the chalk and only dry the clothes when the stain is no longer present.
9: Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel can be very useful in getting rid of grease stains. Here are the steps you should follow to use this method:
Step 1: First, soak the fabric in hot water. Ensure you blot out excess grease stains before soaking them.
Step 2: Remove the garment from water, wring it and then apply aloe vera gel over the stained area. Use a brush to rub in the gel in a circular motion.
Step 3: Wash your garment in warm water, rinse and dry if there is no stain left to get out.
10: Cornstarch
Cornstarch can also be very useful for getting rid of grease stains. All you need is a small amount of cornstarch and a soft-bristled toothbrush, and your work is done. Here are steps to follow:
Step 1: Lay the stained area over a flat surface and cover the stains with a small amount of cornstarch.
Step 2: Leave the cornstarch for about 15 minutes or more, and then brush it off with a sponge or toothbrush.
Step 3: Wash the garment in a cold setting and reapply cornstarch if you see any stains left. If there is no stain, proceed to dry your clothes.
How To Get Rid Of Old Grease Stains After Washing and Drying
If you didn’t notice you had grease stains on your cloth until you washed and dried them, you would find them a little harder to clean. This is because drying your clothes without treating the grease stains sets the stains deeper into the fabric. Here are some steps you can try out to remove old grease stains from your clothes:
Baking Soda + WD-40
WD-40 and baking soda are excellent stain removers individually. When combined, they make an excellent stain removal for old grease stains on clothes.
Step 1: Lay your cloth on a flat surface and place cardboard between the front and back of the garment.
Step 2: Squirt some WD-40 over the stained area and then add some baking soda to it. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the mixture until the baking soda starts forming clumps.
Step 3: Remove the clumped baking soda and reapply more and scrub it again. Continue scrubbing and reapplying more baking soda until no clump form.
Step 4: Apply dishwashing liquid or detergent over the stained surface, scrub with a toothbrush and leave it for some minutes.
Step 5: Wash your cloth as normal following the fabric care label.
Tips To Remove Grease Stains From Clothes
Here are some tips to note when dealing with grease stains on your favorite shirt:
- Act Fast:
The faster you attend to grease stains on your clothes, the easier to get the stain out quickly. Leaving it for long will only make the stain set into the fabric, making it difficult to clean off.
- Wear an Apron:
The last thing you want is to transfer your grease stains to Another fabric. So it’s best to wear an apron before treating grease stains. Also, it’s a good idea to place cardboard beneath the stained surface to avoid it transferring to the other part of the cloth.
- Read The Manufacturer’s Label
All fabrics have a care label that gives instructions on how to launder them the right way. Always check this label before laundering your cloth to ensure you do the right thing.