How to Remove Most Food and Grease Stains from Clothes

Things You'll Need

For grease stains:
Paper towels
Dry cleaning fluid
Pretreatment stain remover
Hot water
Laundry detergent
For fruit and beverage stains:
Dishwashing detergent
Warm water
Vinegar
Sponge or rag
Alcohol
Enzyme presoak product
Bleach (optional)
Laundry detergent
For protein stains:
Cool water
Dishwashing detergent
Ammonia
Bleach (optional)
Laundry detergent

For best results, try to remove stains right away.

Stains make clothes look sloppy and dirty, and can be difficult to get out without knowledge of proper removal techniques. Removing grease and oil stains from food or non-food sources requires different strategies than removing other food stains. Correct stain removal for food stains also varies depending on whether the stain is protein-based or from fruit and most beverages. For example, stains from wine, berries, coffee and jam require different stain removal techniques than stains from protein-based egg whites, pudding, baby formula, gelatin and sherbet.

Grease Stains

Step 1

Cooking oils and other greases do not come out with regular laundering.

Set the stained area of the fabric on top of absorbent paper towels if the fabric has a severe stain.

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Step 2

Apply dry cleaning solvent to the stain over the absorbent paper towels.

Step 3

Let the stain dry.

Step 4

Rinse the stain.

Step 5

Soak the stain with a pretreatment stain remover and let it sit for about a minute.

Step 6

Wash the garment as usual using the hottest water safe for the fabric, as Ohio State University experts suggest.

Fruit and Beverage Stains

Step 1

Fruit and wine stains usually come out with detergent, vinegar and alcohol.

Soak the fabric in cool or lukewarm water with 2 tsp. liquid detergent and 1 tbsp. white vinegar. Do not use regular soap, which can set the stain into the fabric.

Step 2

Blot the stain with alcohol.

Step 3

Soak the stain in a quart of water mixed with 1 tbsp. of an enzyme presoaking product.

Step 4

Bleach the stain if the above steps did not remove it, but first check the garment label to see whether the fabric is bleach-safe.

Protein Stains

Step 1

Protein stains from dairy come out better with cold rather than hot water.

Soak the stain for 15 minutes in a mixture of 1/2 tsp. hand dishwashing detergent, 1 tbsp. ammonia and 1 quart lukewarm water.

Step 2

Rub the stain to loosen it.

Step 3

Soak the stain for 30 minutes in an enzyme presoak product.

Step 4

Launder the clothes normally.

Step 5

Bleach stubborn stains if the fabric is bleach-safe.

Warning

Do not attempt to rinse a protein stain in hot water, because the hot water can cook the protein and make it set into the fabric.

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