How to Remove Grease Stains From Clothes

No matter how neat your family of eaters is, there's bound to be a grease spot or an oil stain on somebody's clothes now and then. Pizza night happens. So does the bike chain, the salad dressing and the burger that dripped on the way to the mouth.

These little reminders of family life don't have to become a permanent memory on your clothes. Here's how to remove grease stains with things you already have, from dish soap to cornstarch, plus what to do when the stain is old and set in.

Method 1: Dish Soap

Tackle a grease stain the same way you'd tackle a sink full of greasy dishes: with dish soap. Dish soap is made to break up grease so it rinses away, which makes it the best first step for grease stains on clothes.

1.     Blot up the excess oil with a paper towel. Don't rub, or you'll spread it.

2.     Lay the garment stain side down on white paper towels. (Printed paper towels can transfer their ink to your clothes.)

3.     Squirt a dime-size drop of dishwashing liquid on the back of the stain. Gently massage it in, from the center of the stain out to the edges. Give it a minute to work its grease-breaking magic.

4.     Rinse the spot under the hottest running water the fabric can take, for about a minute. Hot water works for 100% cotton. Use warm water for blends and synthetics.

5.     Wash it in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric, with your regular laundry detergent. Can't read the care label? Use warm water, or check these laundry temperature guidelines.

Method 2: Laundry Detergent Pretreat

1.     Rub a few drops of liquid laundry detergent into the stain. Let it work for 3 to 5 minutes.

2.     Wash the garment by itself, in the warmest water safe for the fabric. Add a little bleach (for whites) or a color-safe bleach alternative to the wash.

3.     Give it extra time. Choose the heavy-duty cycle or add an extra rinse, so the grease has more time to wash out.

Method 3: Cornstarch and Dry-Cleaning Fluid

For fresh grease spots, especially on delicates or anything dry-clean only, use a one-two punch of absorbent powder and dry-cleaning fluid.

1.     Cover the spot with an absorbent powder: cornstarch, baking soda, baby powder or salt.

2.     Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, until it's absorbed as much of the grease as it can. You'll see the powder darken.

3.     Brush away the powder with a stiff-bristle brush.

4.     Dab on dry-cleaning fluid with a sponge, working outward from the center with light strokes. Do this outdoors or by an open window.

5.     Let it dry completely before you wear or wash it.

Method 4: WD-40 for Old, Set-In Grease

It sounds backward, but it works: a little oil loosens old, dried grease so the dish soap can get it out. This is the method for stains that already went through the dryer.

1.     Lay the garment on paper towels, stain side up. Spray the grease spot with WD-40 Multi-Use cleaner and degreaser. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

2.     Turn the garment over and spray the back of the stain. Let it sit another 10 minutes.

3.     Work dish soap into both sides, blotting with fresh paper towels as they soak up the grease.

4.     Rinse well and wash the garment by itself.

WD-40 is flammable. Use it outdoors or with the windows open, and never put a WD-40-treated garment in the dryer until it's been washed and all the oil is gone.

Method 5: Lestoil for Heavy-Duty Grease

For motor oil, bike grease and work clothes, pour Lestoil Concentrated Heavy Duty Cleaner directly on the grease stain and let it soak in for 20 minutes before washing.

Washing a whole load of greasy work clothes? Add some Lestoil to the wash water to get the entire load grease-free. Follow the label for how much.

Lestoil also lifts grease from sofas, chairs, carpet and the concrete driveway. Test it on a hidden spot first, and check the upholstery cleaning code before using it on furniture. (Here's what those codes mean.)

Check Before You Dry

Grease on Other Surfaces

•      Upholstery: blot up the oil, sprinkle cornstarch and let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum. Then follow the cleaning code on the tag, the same way you would for chocolate on the couch.

•      Carpet: blot up the oil, cover it with baking soda or cornstarch for 15 minutes and vacuum. Then blot with a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of dish soap in 1 cup of warm water, and rinse by blotting with plain water.

•      The garage floor or the driveway: here's how to get oil stains off concrete: Garage Cleaning With Kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

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