I’m thrilled to share this tip for how to remove set-in grease stains from clothing with all of you. Seriously, how many times have you pulled a top or some slacks from the dryer, only to discover those dark, tell-tale stains?
You’ll never guess, but that happened to me just this week. It all started when I was seriously delayed in traffic during a grocery-shopping trip. I called my marvelous husband and asked if he could throw something together for dinner.
He did a great job putting a meal on the table (I love this guy!), but he did mention that he spilled grease on his pants while cooking. I wasn’t too concerned. After all, who wouldn’t trade a hot meal (that you didn’t have to cook, by the way!) for a tiny bit of scrubbing on a little bitty stain?
Of course, I forgot all about the grease stain, only to remember it while I was pulling the clothes from the dryer. Turns out, the stain wasn’t itty bitty, either. Good grief!
Rather than throw my hands up in despair (or throw the trousers in the trash), I searched the Internet for a solution. I decided to give this laundry tip a try. Simply pour some Dawn dishwashing liquid on the set-in grease stain, rub it in, and let it soak for at least one hour. Then wash as usual.
I did read that you want to be careful not to let it soak too long, because the dishwashing liquid can potentially lighten the fabric. I let the Dawn soak in for three days, simply because that’s when I was washing the next load.
Sure enough, the Dawn removed all but the teansiest remnants of the set-in grease stains, and the fabric didn’t fade at all. Good enough for me! No more grease-stained clothes finding their way to the “these-are-only-good-for-working-in-the-garage” pile at our house.
Anybody else have a laundry tip to share? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments section below.
SaveComments We independently select these
products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. As you know by now, we are officially in burger season. And that means every
last one of us is bound to end up with a grease stain or three on our favorite summer pieces. It’s a dance you’re familiar with: Overjoyed with excitement, you take a bite into a fresh-off-the-grill burger that’s stacked high with all sorts of fixings. You get a mouthful. And, out the opposite end, drips some grease. Right onto your best summer dress! But it’s not like you’re gonna stop eating burgers. The good news is that you don’t have to. And you don’t have to resort to
wearing a poncho, either. Because there are three very simple tricks to getting grease stains out of clothing. This method makes perfect sense when you think about it. Liquid dish soap was designed to cut through grease, so what’s stopping it from cutting through grease on a shirt
versus a baking sheet? Nothing! Just squirt a bit of dish soap right onto the stain and let it sit for a little while before washing. Once the wash cycle is done, check for the stain. If you don’t see it (you likely won’t!), you’re clear to send the item through the dryer. Bonus: This trick even works for old stains. Ones that have been washed and dried repeatedly! We’ve had great success with this method, but in case you want others, here goes.
Credit: Ghazalle Badiozamani/Kitchn If the stain is fresh — like, just-happened-kind-of-fresh — baking soda can its part to absorb and lift the stain. Just sprinkle the baking soda on top of the grease and wait for five to 10 minutes. Then, use a brush to scrub the baking
soda into the stain. The baking soda will change color (read: turn brown). Once it’s all brown, scrape the baking soda away and repeat until the stain is lifted and the baking soda no longer changes color. You can then do the dish soap trick from above to be extra thorough. Consider adding a can of Shout Advanced Grease-Busting Foam to your laundry line up. Buy it now and you’ll have it on hand when an emergency strikes. While you’re eating, sprinkle the stain with salt (it
works like baking soda to absorb and lift the stain). When you can do the laundry, spray the stain with this foam wash the garment in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric and make sure the stain is gone before you dry the item. Do you have any sure-fire tricks for removing food and grease stains from clothing?Our Favorite Method for Getting Grease Stains Out of Clothes: Dish Soap
Method 2: Baking soda
Method
3: Salt + Stain remover
More on Stains