How to get Grease Stains out of Clothes

In this article we will show you how to get grease stains out of clothes. Has oil or grease from your food accidentally fallen on your favorite clothes? Now, that’s enough to spoil your mood, isn’t it? You are already thinking how much you have to rub your clothes to get rid of the stains, whether you can wear that dress again and other things. Wouldn’t you love it if we told you that grease stains could be easily removed from your clothes by following some simple tips? That’s exactly why we are here!

Keep reading to know more about how you can get rid of grease marks from your clothes, regardless of their fabric.

Using baking soda and vinegar

If you have oil or grease marks on thick fabrics that are difficult to wash, you can use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to get rid of the grease marks on them completely. Here are the steps you need to follow:

• Use a clean rag to remove grease marks on the clothes.
• Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the clothes and allow it to settle for about 12 hours. For tougher stains, you need to allow the baking soda powder to settle on the clothes for 24 hours.
• Use a vacuum cleaner or old toothbrush to brush off the baking soda after 24 hours.
• Make a solution with equal parts of white vinegar and water. Spray this solution on the affected area of the clothes.
• Use a soap and brush to scrub the grease marks properly.
• Rinse to see that the grease marks are completely gone! If some stains remain, repeat the process (right from the application of baking soda to the rinsing) until the grease marks have completely vanished.

Using chalk

This method works effectively on small and fresh grease marks.

• Use a clean rag or paper towel to remove the oil and grease marks from the clothes.
• Cover the grease marks entirely with chalk powder, and wait until the oil marks get absorbed completely in this powder.
• Wash the garment thoroughly by rinsing it well, to notice that the stains have gone away completely.

Using salt and alcohol

For fresh grease marks on fabrics like denim, you can try this method:

• Make a solution with one part of salt and three parts of rubbing alcohol.
• Pour it directly on the grease marks on the garment. Use your fingers or a soft cloth to rub the solution well on the grease marks.
• Allow the solution to soak in the garment for 10 to 15 minutes, before you proceed to wash your clothes normally.
• You will notice that this solution has broken down the grease marks, and they have completely vanished from your garments.

Getting rid of dried grease marks

The following steps will help you get rid of settled-in and dried grease marks. This process is slightly more challenging than the one used to get rid of fresh grease marks. However, if you use the right products and follow the right methods, you can thoroughly get rid of dried stains as well. The first thing you need to remember is to follow these steps only on dry fabrics. Don’t wash the garment before cleaning the grease marks.

• Before treating the grease marks, ensure that the stains don’t spread to other places on the garment. For this purpose, place cardboard between the layers of your cloth. You can use any thick packaging material for this purpose.
• Use a clean rag, paper towel, or napkin to blot as much as oil marks as possible. Blot exactly the areas that are affected to avoid the spread of the oil stains.
• Apply a few drops of liquid soap or liquid detergent on the grease stains and allow the liquid to settle on the garment for about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Use your fingers or a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrape the stains, and they will come off easily.
• Wash the clothes immediately with warm water and rinse them well, before you proceed to launder them in the format you normally follow.
• Air-dry the clothes well, and they are as good as new now!
• If stains remain, you can repeat these steps one by one to get rid of them completely.

Getting rid of grease stains on different types of garments

Though these tips work for all types of fabric (silk, cotton, linen, canvas polyester, suede, leather and more), you might want to make slight changes to them for getting rid of grease stains from certain types of sensitive or costly fabrics like the following:

Leather fabric

• Use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot the oil marks from the leather garment.
• Apply cornstarch, baking powder, or saddle soap on the affected areas.
• Allow the mixture to soak in there for about 12 to 24 hours depending on the dryness of the stains.
• Use a toothbrush to scrape off the powder or soap marks to see the stains completely off the leather garments. Repeat this process, if necessary.

Linen and cotton fabric

• Make a paste of liquid detergent and water.
• Apply this paste on the affected areas of the linen fabric using your fingers or a clean cloth.
• Leave it on for about 5 to 10 minutes before washing off the paste with warm water. Keep repeating the process until you notice that all the grease stains are completely removed from the linen fabric.

Corduroy fabric

The same process that you follow for leather fabric can be followed here too. However, instead of saddle soap, you can use baby powder, cornstarch, or baking soda to settle in the grease marks for about 5 to 10 minutes. If you want to use stain-removing chemicals for harsh stains, you should follow the package of the product carefully, for dosage instructions.

Some generic tips

• If you don’t have any of these cleaning agents at home, you can apply a generous amount of hair spray on the grease stains on the garments. Allow it to soak in there for about 30 minutes. Wash normally to see that the grease stains have gone completely! If some stains remain on the clothes, you can repeat this process.
• If you don’t have hairspray, you can also apply generous quantities of cheese whiz, shampoo, cola, aloe vera gel, or WD40 on the grease stains, and follow the same steps as mentioned in the tip above.