13 Tips to Remove Stubborn Grease Stains From Fabrics

We will be looking at how to remove stubborn grease stains from washable fabrics such as:

• Clothing
• Carpeting
• Bedding
• Upholstery
• Curtains
• Towels

Always pretest fabric remover solutions on a hidden part of the item for color-fastness (test in an inconspicuous place).

The grease involved in the stain may be machinery grease, cooking oil, butter, mayonnaise, bicycle grease, etc.

Of the methods listed below, you may need to try several, to find the one that totally lifts the stain out. There are so many different combinations possible concerning fabric types, and grease stain types.

It’s important to know if the stain you are dealing with is a fresh one, or one that’s been set in a while, because treatment will vary. With a fresh stain, the most important thing is to try to get as much of the oil up, as quickly as possible. Try putting cornstarch or talcum powder on the stain, let stand a couple of hours, then try blotting with paper towels, and even repeating. When you’ve gotten up as much as possible using this method, then go on to try some of the others. Do not dry the fabric, until the stain is gone, as you don’t want to set it in further.

Pet stains create unique challenges to clean, try these tips for eliminating pet smells from your home and carpets.

Tips to Remove Grease Stains From Washable Fabrics

1. Take a paper towel and thoroughly blot all excess grease from the fabric, be sure to blot each side of the stain with a clean paper towel.

2. Put some Dawn dishwashing liquid on the stain, as a pre-wash treatment. Let soak 5 minutes, then take a soft brush and gently brush the detergent into the fabric, from the center of the stain working to the outer edges. If the fabric can be in hot water, soak the item in a bowl of hot water 15 minutes, then launder as normal, preferably in hot water. Do not launder with other fabrics, as you don’t want the grease to move to another fabric source, multiplying your problem.

3. Mix equal parts of Simple Green cleaner and Dawn dishwashing liquid, add it to the regular laundry cycle. You can also put some directly on the stain as a pre-wash, similar to Step 2.

4. For a set in stain, try a small amount of shampoo, like Step 2.

5. Make a poultice paste with a powdered laundry soap with grease lifters, a tiny bit of water, and Dawn dishwashing soap. Rub into the stain and let sit 30 minutes, then wash.

6. Try using full-strength Lestoil, on a grease stain and rub into the fabric gently. Rinse and then repeat without rinsing. Wash as normal in the hottest water possible.

7. For an older, set-in grease stain, spray with WD-40, and let stand for 20 minutes or more. Follow with Step 2.

8. Also for an older stain that’s been previously washed, and that are food stains, pour some cola (either brand is fine) onto the stain, let it sit 5 minutes, then wash.

9. Try spraying a generous amount of hair spray to a grease stain and wash as usual.

10. Try the grease hand cleaner found in auto shops, such as Goo Gone or other similar brands. Follow as Step 2.

11. Try using a dry cleaner solvent and K2r spot remover or similar spot treater. Apply a dry spotter on the area; cover the stain with an absorbent pad, dampened with the dry spotter. Let it work a few minutes, and keep changing the pad as it picks up the stain. Keep both the stain and pad moist with the dry spotter cleaner. Flush the stain with the dry cleaning solvent. If the stain persists, repeat again, only this time also apply a few drops of white vinegar to the stain.

12. Soak your fabric in very hot water 10-20 minutes. Rub pure aloe vera into the stain, and wash as usual.

13. Try a product known as Carbona’s Stain Devils or Citrisolve per manufacturer’s instructions; both are powerful de-greasers for fabrics. Carbona’s is good for older, set in stains.

If you’d tried repeatedly, and still the stain won’t come up, there’s a few last resort things you can do. Of course, take the item to a dry cleaning specialist to see if they can get it out. If they can’t, look for a creative way to cover the stain, perhaps a decorative appliqué or patch, embellished would give your item a brand new look. Who knows, you may find you even like that look better than before the stain happened. Perhaps you would need to add one or several identical ‘fixes’ to create overall balance in your fabric object.