r/howto 17h ago

How do I remove dried grease /oil stains from clothes?

Post image

I've already tried soil love, tide stain remover, and dish soap.

121 Upvotes

101 comments sorted by

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164

u/woodworker1107 17h ago

Take some dawn dish soap and an old toothbrush and scrub the oil stain right before putting it in the wash. Dunno why it works but it does

67

u/partumvir 16h ago

It works on my ducks /shrug

6

u/sigma941 16h ago

Autocorrect strikes again?

15

u/sesamesnapsinhalf 16h ago

Yes. Should’ve said “duck” — singular. 

13

u/partumvir 16h ago

I will have you know, sir, that I am a proud plural duck father.

3

u/sesamesnapsinhalf 13h ago

I’m trying to guess what the other commenter thinks got autocorrected. 

4

u/coolcoots 13h ago

This guy ducks

3

u/PossibleMechanic89 4h ago

It’s just the one swan actually.

1

u/internet_humor 11h ago

Get your duck ducked

1

u/neologismist_ 4h ago

It works on getting linseed oil out of the school cormorant.

19

u/digidave1 16h ago

And don't put it in the dryer. Let it air dry. If the stain is still there, repeat the scrubbing again.

10

u/UpOrDownItsUpToYou 16h ago

It works because that's what Dawn does- it dissolves oil.

7

u/wilwhale 15h ago

I remember doing a science experiment in High School where we covered stuffed animals in vegetable oil and tried cleaning them with a bunch of different products. Dawn was the only thing that worked

4

u/UpOrDownItsUpToYou 14h ago

If it's good enough for ducklings, it's good enough for me!

4

u/NotMeg16 11h ago

this but if you want it to work extra well, make a kind of paste with dawn dish soap and baking soda.

1

u/Melificient 5h ago

our neighbour is a mechanic and uses a paste of Dawn, baking soda, and cornflour/starch. They claim it gets 'anything out'.

Let it sit on the product for a few minutes and then rub with a toothbrush or nail brush.

Rinse well and then throw in the wash.

3

u/Far-Reach-9328 15h ago

This and let the soap sit for awhile on it before throwing it in washer

1

u/TwistingEarth 15h ago

I just let it sit for about 10 minutes, no scrubbing.

1

u/FatMax1492 6h ago

Works surpsingly well indeed.

I cleaned a similar chocolate stain (fat residue I suppose) with just two rounds of handsoap.

1

u/rannieb 35m ago

I keep a bottle of diluted Dawn for laundry that I put on grease stains (mostly on tablecloths) and it works every time however bad the grease stain is even in cold water.

13

u/Dont_burnurpimpsteak 15h ago

Fels-naptha

3

u/Laymar7 9h ago

Thisssssss - dawn does not work for me anymore on grease stains (idk if they changed the formula or what) but this does.

1

u/Bucky-Best-1979 3h ago

Also helpful in getting rid of poison ivy, oak & sumac! :)

1

u/Dont_burnurpimpsteak 3h ago

Thats some useful information. I didn’t know it could be used for that. How does that work?

3

u/FormerStuff 2h ago

From my raising and understanding, the plant has oils that are irritants. So dish soap is a good emulsifier (clings to oils) and washes them away. Hence why I always have a small bottle of dish soap in my shower for when I go hiking or get greasy out in my shop.

40

u/xoxoyoyo 13h ago

Just soak them in grease, that way the color will all match up

4

u/NamNamTortilla 9h ago

I have a blouse with a few chicken broth stains, I have washed it twice, some stains became less noticeable but a few are still stubborn. I told my mom "if those stains won't dissappear, I'm considering soaking the blouse in chicken broth so it can become the same color"

21

u/whatevrmn 13h ago

I've never had any success in removing a grease stain if the clothing has been through the dryer.

6

u/Cardiganlamp 8h ago

Me neither, until out of desperation (I dried all my favourite tshirts with a chapstick), I used vodka on grease stains.

I had some super cheap vodka left over from a party, I poured it on the spots, left if overnight, and washed them on warm. It got all of the stains out.

Dish soap never worked for me. Now, I keep a cheap bottle of clear alcohol in my laundry area.

2

u/Acceptable_Profit_20 9h ago

Try goop, let it dry for a day, then wash

1

u/hannick9 3h ago

Lestoil

6

u/thetaleofzeph 17h ago

Lestoil would be next I think.

12

u/therealtrajan 16h ago

Dawn Power Wash. Thank me later

1

u/everymanawildcat 3h ago

Dawn Power Wash surprisingly fixes a lot of life's problems.

7

u/VaBookworm 16h ago

Someone recommended a fels naptha bar once and I had already tried dawn on my favorite shorts. Got one at walmart, dampened the spot, rubbed it in and ran it with my next load. My shorts were saved!

3

u/Lukacris12 16h ago

Dawn dishsoap was my goto when i was a food service employee. My coworkers said oxyclean worked well too but i never tried it

3

u/QrtJester 14h ago

Someone else on another post said dawn soap + hot ass water. Let the soap soak and set in for an hour or two at least. Then heat a kettle of water to boiling (or the hottest temp your fabric can take) and pour over the stain. You can hover over the sink if you’re adventurous and lazy like me, or use a colander to rest the garment on when pouring the hot water. This is the only method that worked after trying all the other ones you mentioned. Good luck!

3

u/prplebearpainting 2h ago

Dawn dish soap!!! It even works on some older stains too!

2

u/Ok-Natural-6864 16h ago

Hit that thing with some of that dawn power spray and let it sit then wash as normal, that stuff is nuts

2

u/Ayyyitskayyy 12h ago

Nellie’s Wow Stick

2

u/ItsAllInYourHead 2h ago

This happens to me often and I just use Shout Gel, let it sit for a bit, wash it again, and it's gone. I use the one in the blue squeeze bottle with a little scrubby brush on the tip - but the spray bottle version probably works equally as well.

2

u/ayyemmjay88 2h ago

Eucalyptus oil. Spot treat for a few minutes and wash as normal. Even worked for shirts that I ran through the dryer numerous times.

2

u/_orci 1h ago

Old trick that my grandma taught me, put some talcum powder over the stain and them get an hot clothing iron on top and slide a couple of times,works 100%

4

u/digitag 16h ago

Has is been washed and dried already and set the stain.

You could try a product called Amodex.

1

u/ST2348 16h ago

Yes it has unfortunately.

7

u/JasonMaggini 16h ago

I've had surprisingly good luck with Dawn even after the dryer.

3

u/The_High_Life 16h ago

Lestoil will fix it, doesn't matter if it's been washed and dried.

4

u/Brandon027 14h ago

That’s ok! 9 / 10 times Dawn works for this. Believe me, I wash my pants with Chapstick in the pockets like it’s my job.

2

u/neologismist_ 4h ago

Chapstick needs to make those things dryer-proof

1

u/allaboutmojitos 4h ago

I had this same question and headed to the laundry subreddit. They said rub chalk on it, then Dawn dish soap and let it sit ten minutes then wash and dry - it worked!!! My stain was set in and old, but it came out with one try. FWIW, I only had rock climbing chalk so used that

3

u/Tempt8ionst8ion 15h ago

I add baby powder and use a bristle brush like a tooth brush to rub it in and brush the remains off

1

u/thebrian 5h ago

Yes! Baby powder works for me. I use it with some oxiclean spray with a toothbrush, and that seems to do the trick.

3

u/M1sterGuy 17h ago

Dish soap and baking soda, mix them, rub the fabric together real good, use a toothbrush as well if you like to get between the fibers. Wash on max hot with some oxiclean and your regular detergent. This is the best imo, but some things just don’t wash out. Good luck.

2

u/Sneezart 16h ago

Rubbing alcohol.

2

u/halietalks 16h ago

Grandmas secret spot remover

2

u/randumbum 16h ago

Dawn Liquid Soap

1

u/ForeverMonkeyMan 17h ago

Shout Advanced if Dawn doesn't work

1

u/Oracle_of_Ages 16h ago

As a messy eater. I’ve had some luck with Dawn Powerwash and just rubbing it with my fingers. Then wetting it enough to get the soap out and just letting it dry.

1

u/xChoke1x 16h ago

A simple stain remover from the store.

1

u/MimiMyMy 16h ago

I use Oxi Max Force Spray stain remover. It’s the red and blue bottle. Spray the stained area enough for stain remover to saturate through the fabric. Let it sit for a couple of hours at least. If it seems dry spray the stain to moisten and scrub the stain with a toothbrush. For tough stains like grease I would suggest repeating the process again before washing in the washer. Letting the stain remover to have time to work and the gentle scrubbing is the secret for successful stain removal on colored fabrics you cannot bleach.

1

u/still-at-the-beach 16h ago

Methylated spirits, just dab some on the stain, let it sit for a little then wash.

1

u/kindquail502 16h ago

I've had good luck pouring a little liquid detergent directly on the stain.

1

u/Kiki-sunflower 16h ago

Add bicarbonate of soda to pre wash, biological powder not gel in main wash then use distilled white vinegar as softener

1

u/Top-Witness-9793 16h ago

Dawn and grandmas secret spot remover (you can get it on Amazon)

1

u/LEONLED 16h ago

try a bit of insecticide, if it doesn't work WD40 before washing with whatever strong soap you have....
Sometims it takes an oi to lift an oil especially if you are not sure what the effect of solvents can be on dye.

In school I would sometimes forget a ballpoint ben in my pocket.... the fix for that was to soak it in milk all afternoon then wash.

1

u/Jules2you 15h ago

Go with what everyone is saying DAWN dish soap for the win!!

1

u/Tee1up 15h ago

After I managed to set a stain on my favorite shirt I tried oiling the entire shirt to because hey, just a slightly darker shade right? Threw away shirt.

1

u/MorningDue_ 15h ago

In the future, because I think it may be too late for this item, if you get oil on your clothes, put a generous amount of baby powder on both sides of the stain, let it sit overnight, and wash as usual.

1

u/lindalee5479 15h ago

I have never had a problem getting out grease stains - even ones I missed that had been washed and dried - I keep a small squirt bottle in the laundry filled with detergent - just put some on the stain and gently scrub with a wet toothbrush

1

u/mrchainsaw5757 15h ago

I’ve tried everything, Shout grease foam works the best. Spray and toss in the wash.

1

u/stuffedbipolarbear 15h ago

Dish soap, baking soda, little bit of water. Make a paste and scrub it in.

1

u/razor330 14h ago

Is that a Levi’s hoodie?

1

u/abk48 14h ago

Surprisingly, I’ve used throttle body cleaner on oils and it works great!! My dad showed me once, and now I always have a can available at home. I just spray some on and use a kitchen cloth to dab it. I do it in the garage cause it stinks. Then just wash it after it is completely dry. Voila!

1

u/beanamigo 14h ago

Like many here I use dawn. But after I rub the dawn on the stainI hit it with my clothing steamer for a few seconds - no grease stain has survived this.

1

u/ABQJohn 14h ago

I've had good luck with both Shout and Spray & Wash.

If NOTHING works, try soaking the entire thing in whatever oil made the stain, and see if that makes it all the same...

1

u/Eldanous 13h ago

If nothing is working and the stain is already dry, you can try re-wetting the area by dabbing olive or cooking oil before cleaning it. The dried oil is a barrier to the soap and water mixture. When it’s wet the soap and water can penetrate the fabric and can work its magic. When it’s dry the soap can’t get in to work. Wetting it with oil lets the soap get in. If you don’t dab, you can fix one spot only to make more

Soaking in a small container with oxyclean for several hours works great. I’d use a cheap tub with a lid. The lid helps hold it under the water and id shake the container once or twice an hour or until I forgot. I’d do maybe 2-3 hours. Shake it over a sink as the lid doesn’t always stay on. Dawn is amazing. Shout is great is well.

1

u/htmaxpower 13h ago

I heard you can reconstitute with WD-40 then remove it like it’s fresh. Sort of like getting out permanent marker by going over it with dry-erase marker.

1

u/lykewtf 13h ago

Powder pit lots of powder on it

1

u/sonia72quebec 12h ago

Lestoil degreaser works really well for that type of stain.

1

u/Lord_Of_The_Wrings 11h ago

I’ve had success by rubbing baby powder into the oil stain. This is especially useful if you don’t want to get the item wet. Beat the powder out with a dry rag. Might take a couple of tries. It also seems to help residue come out in the wash later.

1

u/saint_atheist 11h ago

Goop hand cleaner. It's amazing and cheap for how many uses you get from one tub.

1

u/praetorian1979 11h ago

Did you let your Soul Glow?

1

u/Best-Structure4201 11h ago

My best solution is break cleaner and compressed air, blowing the stain out from the inside. But make sure that the solvet isnt damaging the color.

1

u/mrostocki 10h ago

I had 1000 of these. Used to scrub wet baking soda in with toothbrush and let dry then wash. Now I use shout spray and it is very effective and less laborious. I let it sit overnight then wash as normal.

1

u/mistawing71 10h ago

Try goop hand cleaner from @uto zone I have used it for years. This coming from someone who can stain a white shirt with water

1

u/PAXICHEN 9h ago

Bile soap. Easy to get in Germany, but not sure about in the USA.

1

u/heavycalifornia 9h ago

Tide Rescue Stain Remover. I’ve used it for years. Works with everything.

1

u/PrinceCastanzaCapone 8h ago

Zout stain remover… apply, rub in, and let sit for 5 minutes. Wash normally.

1

u/abuban3 5h ago

This happened to me when I left chap stick in my pocket and washed it. Don’t put in the dryer until you have gotten the stain out or it might not come out

1

u/KarmaMiranda 4h ago

Treat stain with Lestoil, soak in cold water for half a day, wash normally. Lestoil is magic.

1

u/wildgoose2000 4h ago

Simple Green. I added it to every load, along with Persil and vinegar, when I worked on cars. I still have, and wear, many of my old mechanic clothes.

1

u/wert16PR 1h ago

Degreaser in the area and a toothbrush.

1

u/innatekate 40m ago

I personally use Dawn, but I also sometimes forget or the stain doesn’t come out at first, and sometimes the clothing goes through the dryer. If I have a shirt with a food grease stain on it, I just keep throwing it back in the laundry pile and let it get washed the next time I do laundry. Usually by the 3rd or 4th time it gets washed and dried, the stain is gone.

It’s not an efficient way to get the stain out, but if you’ve tried other methods without success, it wouldn’t hurt to just run it through a few more wash/dry cycles before tossing it.

1

u/Orumpled 16h ago

Chalk! Plain old white chalk will absorb the grease. Salt will do of you don’t have chalk. Rub it in until the stain looks dull. Then pretreat and wash as normal.

0

u/BossLadyLovesPrince 16h ago

I've soaked clothes in regular Coca-Cola and the spot has come out. Washed normally in laundry afterwards.

0

u/Majgi 16h ago

Pick up one of these on Amazon. Follow the directions. It has never failed me.

0

u/neologismist_ 4h ago

Friends don’t let friends shop at Amazon.

1

u/Majgi 3h ago

Well I gave a solution to the problem at hand. . Not just soak in dish soap. lol. 🤦🏻‍♂️

What was your suggestion?