How to Get Vaseline Out of Couches

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Petroleum jelly has lots of uses around the house, but sticking to couches typically isn't one of them. Petroleum jelly is an oily substance that tends to leave stains behind, particularly when it's on fabric. The grease in vaseline infiltrates the fabric on your couch and typically leaves a dark spot as a reminder of its presence. Unless you want to see the evidence, you'll need get to get rid of that pesky stain. Fortunately, doing so is fairly simple.

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Step 1

Remove the excess petroleum jelly from the couch. Either blot the spot with a white cloth or scrape it off with a butter knife. Take care not to spread the stain further.

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Step 2

Sprinkle cornstarch, talc or baby powder over the stained area. Pour just enough so that the stain is covered. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. The powder will absorb the grease, making the stain lighter and leaving less to remove. Vacuum the powder or remove it with a small broom or straight edge.

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Step 3

Apply a dry-cleaning solvent to a white cloth. Blot the stain with the solvent-soaked cloth -- don't use a circular motion as it may cause the stain to soak deeper into the fabric. Continue to apply the solvent to the stain until the spot disappears. You may have to repeat this process several times until the stain is removed.

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