How to remove grease stains from clothes at home

Did a celebration end with a surprise of greasy stains? Don’t know how to remove them? Take the advice used by housewives for decades and keep enjoying your spotless clothes.

Preparation of clothes

Before you start using stain removers, prepare all you might need in the process:

1. Clean the stained clothes off dust and dirt as much as possible with a brush.
2. Prepare a cotton pad or piece of cloth for applying a detergent.
3. Dilute a substance to remove stains. We recommend to start with a weak solution and in case it doesn’t work opt for higher concentration.
4. Don’t forget to do a test on a hidden part of clothes to check the reaction of fabric. If the material didn’t deform, the solution can be applied.

It is easier to remove greasy stains treating them from the inside. Be sure to put a folded piece of paper or a piece of cotton fabric under the stain.

Treat the stain from edges to the center so it does not spread.

Fresh stain removal

Of course, it is much easier to wash the stain off before the grease has set in. Remember the most effective first-aid means.

Laundry soap

It can remove stains from almost any kind of fabric. It works great until the stains have set deeply into the material. Soap your garments with crude brown soap (at least 72%) and leave alone for 12 hours (it’s best to wrap it with plastic wrap), then wash as usual.

Sugar and laundry soap

This express method takes as little as 15 minutes. Soap the stained area and cover it with sugar, then brush. After a quarter of an hour wash the clothes. Use this method for cotton pants or shirts.

Salt

This technique is widely used for any materials, including cotton. As soon as you got a stain, heavily cover it with salt, rub it into the fabric, and then sweep away. If the stain remained untouched, repeat the procedure until it absolutely vanishes. Wash and dry your clothes.

Chalk powder

With this method, you will have no trouble removing the grease from light natural fabric (cotton, linen, silk, chiffon). Just pour some chalk powder on the spot, and leave it for 2-3 hours. Using a wet towel brush off the rest of chalk and wash the piece.

Toothpowder, talc, soda, baby powder

At home the light woolen clothes can be cleaned with toothpowder:

• lay your clothes on a flat surface (preferably ironing board)
• cover the stain with the powder, put a piece of paper (blotting or tracing paper) over it
• iron at low temperature, and put pressure of several books on top
• leave overnight, and in the morning take off the books, put away the paper and wash with a suitable detergent.

Blotter

This will work for any fabric that can be ironed with a warm iron. Put blotting paper on top and underneath the stained area, lay that “sandwich” on a flat surface and iron at low temperature. If the grease didn’t move to the blotter, repeat several times.

Bread

Put a piece of bread on the stain and wait until the grease soaks into it fully. Then take away the bread and wash the clothes in warm water with soap – this technique is good for removing the greasy stains from velvet.

Ammonia mixture

Ammonia can help to remove spots of different origin (including greasy stains) at home. It works best with light synthetic fabrics. Mix a spoonful of ammonia with a glass of water and apply to the stain using a sponge, then put a clean cloth on it and iron at low temperature. After that, the grease will surely disappear.

Mustard flour

Try this method to remove grease from colored and dark linen tablecloths. Add water to mustard flour until you get creamy consistency, apply to the stained area and wait for 30 minutes. Then wash in warm water.

Starch

If the stained item cannot be washed, starch will come to the rescue. Rub it into the stain and wait for 10 minutes, then brush off the rest of the powder. If the stain is still there, repeat the procedure.

Salt and alcohol

If you cannot wash the stuff (like in case with upholstery), you can use salt. Pour it on the greasy stain and rub, replacing the salt from time to time until the stain is gone. Dampen a sponge with alcohol and clean the stained area.

Dish soap

It can help to remove a greasy stain from clothes (pants, jumper, blouse) regardless of the type of fabric. Put the dish soap on the spot without water, rub it into the fabric, and wait for several minutes, then pour boiling water over the piece and wash it.

Shaving foam

The best way to remove greasy stains for bachelors is as follows:

• cover the clothes with shaving foam
• rub it in a little
• wait for 5 minutes, then put into the washing machine.

Shampoo for oily hair

Apply a little of shampoo directly to the stained spot, rub it into the fabric, wait for at least one hour and wash in warm water. The method is good for woolen, silk and chiffon clothes.

How to remove an old stain from clothes

Dealing with old stains, you will probably need harsh detergents. Remember that acetone, turpentine, benzol, alcohol, and gasoline are poisonous and flammable. Same goes for products containing these compounds.

Before working with these mixtures, open the windows for fresh air.

Keep the poisonous compounds out of reach of children

Gasoline

To remove an old greasy stain, soak a piece of fabric or blotter in gasoline, put it under the stained part of clothes, and treat the stain with a sponge soaked in gas, moving from edges to the center. This way you can clean the dark-colored cotton, linen clothes.

Salt stains

Dissolve 150 ml of salt in a liter of hot water, sink the stained garments in the mixture and wait until it cleans up, then wash as usual. It is a great way to clean the clothes at home.

Turpentine and ammonia

Mix equal parts of turpentine and ammonia, using a sponge, apply the mixture to the spot with the old stain and wait for several hours. When the stain comes out, wash the garments as usual.

Glycerin

It can help to remove old greasy stains from cotton, as well as silk and other delicate fabrics. Apply a couple of drops of glycerin on the stain, wait for half an hour and wipe the area with a clean sponge.

Sawdust

Keep the sawdust in gasoline until it soaks in, then cover an old stain with them and wait for petrol to dry up. Sweep away the sawdust and wash your clothing.

Starch

To remove a set in greasy stain you should heat starch mixed with water and apply it to the stain. Wait until it absorbs the grease, then brush off.

Soda and liquid dish soap or powder detergent, and water

Mix all the ingredients to get a toothpaste consistency, apply to the area with the old stain, rub (you can use a toothbrush), wait for 10 minutes and wash off.

Vinegar

Take equal parts of vinegar and water, and soak the clothes in that mixture for 15 minutes, then wash.

Coca-Cola stains

You can remove the greasy stain with sweet soda like Sprite of Coca Cola. Dip the stained part of clothes in it, wait for 2-3 hours, wash as usual.

As you can see, it is not a problem to remove the stains if you know how to use the resources at hand. Get rid of tricky stains easily!

Hairspray

It works unexpectedly well. Disperse hairspray on the stained area and leave for 30 minutes. Then wash the item in the washing machine. If one time was not enough to remove the stain fully, repeat the procedure.

WD-40

It is used to remove the gasoline and engine oil stains off the clothes. Apply to the greasy stain, wait for half an hour and wash in cold water.

Aloe Vera extract

Dip your clothes into the bowl with cold water and pour the extract on the stained area. Rub the stain for three minutes, then wash as usual.

Lestoil

It does great with the set in greasy and oil stains. Pour a little of the product on the stain and leave it to react for 30 minutes. After that, wash the piece in cold water.