5 Home Remedies for Removing Oil and Grease Stains from Clothes
Oil and grease contribute to the most stubborn stains known to mankind, and they look absolutely hideous. No matter how expensive or enzyme enriched your laundry detergent is, the marks do not completely disappear after several washes. While oil and grease are not quite noticeable on dark colored attire, they sure can render white and other light colored garments unusable. A clean and crisp appearance at work or school is compulsory for many of us. What would be more embarrassing than someone pointing out the unsightly yellowish blotch on your blouse? Saying that you consumed fried snacks the other day and failed to eat in a civil manner is not a dignified criminal defense indeed.
While grease and oil are rather difficult to get rid of once they’ve tarnished your clothes, nothing is impossible. Making a trip to the dry cleaners is a bit costly but convenient solution; the money is worth it if the outfit in question is a dear and lavish one. On the contrary, your everyday clothes can be taken care of by applying one or more of the following home remedies. The key to effectively removing oil and grease stains is to attend to them immediately; allowing them to dry up adds to their rigidity.
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is one those household ingredients that never cease to amaze us with their potential. It is a popular cleaning agent that lacks toxicity present in commercial chemical cleaners. Dampen the stained area on your garment with water and generously cover it up with the white powder; let it sit for a day or overnight. The alkalinity of baking soda allows it to dissolve grease and oil, thereby erasing the stain,
2. Corn Starch
If you don’t have baking soda lying around, corn starch is a another promising substitute to fend off greasy spots. The granular texture of the starch gives it abrasive properties and it is highly absorbent. Scrub the affected area with cornstarch, let it stand for about an hour, and witness the miracle.
3. Dishwashing Soap
Dishwashing soap is designed to dispel oil and grease from food on utensils, thus using it on cloth for the same purpose makes sense. Allow the stained part to soak in the soapy solution for 30 minutes, rub, and rinse.
4. Shampoo
Most of us oil our hair once in a while, and shampoo is certainly effective to wash it out afterwards. Shampoo is meant to dispel natural and artificial oils from the scalp and hair, which is why it can do the same for fabric.
5. Lemon or Vinegar
The acidity of lemon and vinegar is useful for digesting fatty compounds. Soak your stained clothes in diluted vinegar or lemon juice for several hours before loading them in the washing machine.
When any of the above fails, remember your professional dry cleaner has commercial-grade chemicals and advanced tools to remove those pesky oil stains without harming your delicate garments.
Author Bio
John Adams is a lifestyle blogger who creates content focused on food and fashion. He believes that wholesome cuisines and stylish dressing are the secrets to a happy life. He cannot stress enough that looking good translates to feeling good. John is rather adventurous for his love for food, always eager to try exotic dishes in strange places and then recreate them (with a twist) at home.