How to Remove Grease & Oil From White Clothes
Grease and oil stains on white clothes will ruin the appearance of the entire garment. Whether the oil or grease is from food or motor oil, you need to attack the stain as soon as possible. As intimidating as it may be to remove oil and grease stains from white clothing, using the proper products and techniques can greatly improve your chances of getting the stains out. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plastic spoon
- Paper towels
- Cornstarch, baby powder or talcum powder
- Rags
- Liquid dish detergent
- Old toothbrush
- 1/2 cup household ammonia
- Water-displacing spray lubricant
Instructions
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1
Scrape away the loose oil from the clothing. Use a plastic spoon to gently scoop the oil away. Take care not to rub the oil into the garment.
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2
Blot up the oil from the clothing. Use a stack of paper towels to forcefully blot the oil stain. Switch to clean parts of the paper towel after each blot. Continue blotting until no more oil or grease transfers from the clothing to the paper towel.
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3
Apply a liberal amount of an absorbent powder onto the stain. Cornstarch, baby powder or talcum powder will work fine. Allow the powder to remain on the stain for about 10 minutes.
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4
Shake out the clothing to remove the powder. Use a dry rag to further brush off the powder. Brush lightly so that the absorbed oil is not reapplied to the fabric.
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5
Place a few drops of liquid dish detergent onto the stain. Add a couple drops of water and work the soap into the stain with your fingers.
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6
Use an old toothbrush to further loosen the stain. Rub the toothbrush in a circular motion, treating both sides of the fabric.
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7
Launder the clothing as usual. Add 1/2 cup household ammonia to the wash load to help cut away the stain. Allow the clothing to air dry after washing. Inspect for any traces of the oil or grease stain.
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8
Apply a water-displacing spray lubricant to the stain if the grease or oil is still present. Spray a generous amount onto the stain and work it into the fabric with your fingers. Allow it to rest for 1 hour. Launder the clothing as usual.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not dry the clothing in the dryer until you are sure that all the grease or oil has come out. The heat from the dryer will only set in the stain.
Always test the product you are using on a small, inconspicuous area of the clothing prior to applying it to a more noticeable area.
References
- Photo Credit Groom"s torso with white tie and white shirt image by Ricardo Verde Costa from Fotolia.com
