"Don't worry—there are methods to remove old grease stains from clothes, even after they dry," Buurstra says. Here's what she suggests: Scrape and blot liquid dish soap into the stain and let sit for 10 minutes. Soak in warm or hot water for at least 30 minutes.
FOR SET-IN GREASE STAINS THAT WON'T BUDGE AFTER WASHING
Clean by soaking in a detergent and water solution. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Mix a new solution of detergent and water and repeat treatment until no odor of grease remains. Rinse in clean water.
Oil and grease stains are particularly stubborn, but they don't have to be permanent. If you are faced with oil or grease stain removal, don't throw your favorite shirt away just yet. If you act quickly, you may be able to remove these tough stains.
Since dry cleaning has the ability to dissolve greasy residues, it effectively removes petroleum and oil stains. Make sure that your dry cleaning company isn't using wet cleaning methods, though, because water treatments on oily stains can tarnish the fabric.
Certain types of fibers, such as wool, cotton, silk, and some nylons are particularly susceptible to permanent staining from coffee, tea, wine, etc. Be aware of hot liquids, especially. Of course, bleach and household chemicals (see below) can cause permanent staining as well.
Try to treat the stain as quickly as you can, as the longer it sits, the harder it will be to remove. However, OxiClean™ Max Force™ is powerful enough to remove dried or set-in grease stains. Spray OxiClean™ Max Force™ directly onto the grease stain until saturated. Do not treat the garment while wearing it.
For stubborn grease, use a paste made of baking soda and water or vinegar to scrub the affected areas. Finally, establish a routine of deep cleaning and degreasing to prevent the buildup of burnt-on grease.
For dried, set-in oil stains, first try a clear liquid dish soap, blotting it into the stain before letting it sit for about ten minutes. Rinse with water then soak in warm or hot water for another half hour.
Vinegar will work to remove grease stains from some fabrics. Place an old towel on the underside of the fabric and saturate the stain with a 50/50 mix of white distilled vinegar and water. Scrub the stain with a wet toothbrush and soap until it begins to lift.
Just cover the affected area with talcum powder and wait at least six hours for the talcum to absorb the grease. Then vacuum the stain away. Baking soda, cornmeal, or cornstarch may be substituted for the talcum powder.
Sadly, there is no one-size-fits-all stain remover, so that's why we always ask that you share as much information as possible at drop off. There are some stains that are incredibly stubborn, but place that stain on a delicate fabric, then it becomes even more challenging and sometimes impossible to remove.
Try one of our alternative stain removers for dried-on, tricky marks that don't come out in a regular wash: Baking soda: make into a paste with water and scrub into stains. Leave for a few minutes then rinse. White vinegar: soak clothes in water then scrub with a solution of a equal parts baking soda and white vinegar.
Dried stains should be soaked in cold water (with detergent applied) for about 30 minutes. Then, rinse the stain. Yet another trick is to treat wet tea stains with a generous amount of baking soda. Ideally, the powder will pull the color out of the clothing!
Stains happen to the best of us. But with Dawn® Platinum, it's So Dawn Easy to pretreat most stains—like tomato sauce, blueberries, and grease—giving your clothes a fighting chance. 1. Apply Dawn® Platinum directly to any cotton/polycotton fabric, * covering the entire stained area, and rub it in using your fingers.
Alcohol is the best solvent to dissolve grease. For instance, isopropyl alcohol will quickly break down grease and grime in your home.
Coat the stain with a hydrogen peroxide (20%)mixture (1 part hydrogen peroxide to 6 parts cold water) or apply a baking soda paste (2 parts baking soda to 1 part water). 3. Rinse the garment in cold water before machine washing.
By comparison, OxiClean suggests that you don't leave it on a garment for more than six hours, because it can start to damage the fabric.
Gently pour enough hydrogen peroxide onto the stain to saturate it completely. Add a few drops of dish soap next—two to three drops should be plenty for a small stain! Finally, sprinkle baking soda over the top of the hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Grab your toothbrush or scrub brush and give the stain a good scrub.
Similarly, you should always check a wet garment to see if the stain is gone before putting it in the dryer. The heat of the dryer can set the stain and make it permanent.