I Tried 5 Methods to Get Grease Stains Out of Garments — Right here’s How It Went

It doesn’t matter for those who’re a dainty diner or an enthusiastic eater: Grease will ultimately discover its approach onto a chunk of your clothes. Be it by bacon or a scrumptious French dressing, it can discover a approach, and try to assert your clothes for the darkish facet of the closet. As a result of it may be so laborious to raise a grease stain — and everybody appears to have a recipe for what works finest — I made a decision to place 5 in style strategies to the check. The excellent news is that one methodology actually stood out, and a really, very shut combo platter took second place. Let’s have a look.

I examined 5 equally sizable splatters of bacon grease on a 100% cotton costume shirt. I waited quarter-hour for every stain to set (I used that point to eat the bacon!) after which received to cleansing.

The rankings: Every methodology acquired a ranking of 1 to 5, with 5 being the perfect methodology general and one being the least favourite methodology. Together with the ranking you’ll discover notes on how simple or troublesome the tactic was, how a lot elbow grease it took (pun supposed), and the way a lot time it took to take away. 

The tactic: Lay the dirty clothes on a paper towel and saturate the stain with hairspray. Let it sit for half-hour, then launder in sizzling water. In case you can nonetheless see the grease stain, spray once more and let sit for one more half-hour. Don’t dry the merchandise till the stain has been lifted.

The way it went: I saturated the stain with TRESemme non-aerosol hairspray and let it sit for about half-hour. In accordance with my analysis, I ought to have began to see the stain raise at that time. As a result of the realm was saturated, although, it was troublesome to inform if what I used to be seeing was grease or hairspray — so I went forward and laundered it in sizzling water. After eradicating it from the washer, it appeared as if the stain was fully gone, however the cloth was moist (clearly), so it was truly laborious to inform. I went forward and tossed it within the dryer. Mistake! I used to be bummed to study that the stain hadn’t lifted a lot in any respect and I had set it into the material deeper. Out of all of the strategies examined, this was the least efficient. 

I might see the way you may use this methodology for those who’re out and about and want one thing to intercept the stain till you possibly can launder your clothes, however I wouldn’t suggest hairspray being your solely line of protection. Undoubtedly use dish cleaning soap, or a stain-fighting agent to identify deal with your garment earlier than laundering at house. (Extra on this beneath.)

The tactic: Rub chalk over a grease spot and let it take up the oil, then brush the chalk off and launder. If stain persists, proceed rubbing chalk on the material till the stain lifts. The thought is that the chalk will take up the oils that maintain grime in. 

The way it went: I positively noticed the chalk take up the grease (it turned brownish and received gross fairly shortly), however I additionally observed that rubbing the chalk appeared to maneuver the stain round and make it larger. As soon as the shirt got here out of the washer, it appeared just like the stain had disappeared, however as soon as it was dry, the stain was clearly seen. 

I would use this methodology as a Band-Assist of kinds, to soak up the grease stain till I might take the clothes merchandise house and correctly deal with it with a stain-fighting agent, however wouldn’t suggest chalk by itself to struggle grease stains. 

The tactic: Squeeze a dab of dish cleaning soap onto the stain and let it sit for quarter-hour or so. Place the stained garment within the washer and as soon as the cycle is completed, verify to make certain the stain has disappeared. In case you don’t see it you possibly can switch the merchandise to the dryer; if the stain persists, repeat with extra dish cleaning soap. 

The way it went: I dabbed the dish cleaning soap proper over the stain and let it sit for about half-hour earlier than popping it into the washer on sizzling. (Extra time is healthier than much less time, proper?) As soon as the cycle was completed, I held up the moist material and couldn’t see the stain anymore, so into the dryer it went! I pulled it out of the dryer with excessive hopes (dishwashing detergent is a degreaser, in any case!) and was disenchanted to search out that the stain hadn’t fully disappeared. It did work at eradicating fairly a little bit of it, however I feel it’s essential to first absorb the grease with baking soda (see beneath), then deal with it with dish cleaning soap. (I used Daybreak by the way in which!) 

The tactic: Sprinkle baking soda on a recent stain and let it take up the grease for five to 10 minutes. Subsequent, use a brush (a toothbrush or a clear kitchen brush can be nice) and scrub the baking soda into the stain. As soon as the powder modifications to a brown coloration, scrape it off and repeat till the soda now not modifications coloration and the stain is lifted. 

The way it went: I sprinkled the baking soda on the stain in a pleasant little mound and let it sit, undisturbed, for about 10 minutes. I shook the surplus soda into the sink, grabbed my cleansing toothbrush, and began scrubbing. I positively noticed the baking soda flip a dingy brown coloration, so I scraped all of it off, poured extra soda on the stain and let it sit for 15 extra minutes. After the second go there was a lot baking soda pressed into the material that I actually couldn’t see a lot of the stain in any respect, so I went forward and popped it into the washer on sizzling. 

When the shirt got here out of the wash I couldn’t see any of the stain in any respect, so I fortunately chucked it into the dryer, feeling victorious. As soon as out of the dryer it appeared just like the stain was fully gone — till I took a photograph of it with my cellphone, then I might see the faintest ghost of the stain. I used to be nonetheless actually proud of this methodology, however suppose it might be perfected if utilized in mixture with Daybreak dish cleaning soap, after the baking soda step. It’s positively the perfect/least harsh methodology! 

The tactic: Instantly sprinkle salt on the grease stain (it really works like baking soda to soak up the grease). After the salt absorbs the grease for a couple of minutes (or when you make it again house) use Shout Superior Grease-Busting Foam as a spot therapy earlier than laundering the garment in sizzling water. As all the time, make sure that the stain is gone earlier than drying the garment. 

The way it went: In virtually each kind of gentle, the stain appeared prefer it’s fully gone. Even when photographed there’s simply the slightest, faintest ghost form of the stain. This methodology labored only a bit higher than the baking soda methodology, though I’m unsure how efficient the salt actually was.

I preferred this methodology a lot, I additionally tried it on a yellow dinner serviette. I observed that, as soon as once more, the grease got here out, but it surely emerged from the dryer trying a bit worn, which tells me that this therapy is fairly harsh. I’m giving this the very best ranking as a result of it did the job and I might 100% use it once more. However solely on an all-white garment. I might not suggest utilizing it on black, or something colourful.

Additionally, for those who hesitate to make use of additional chemical substances or merchandise in your family, go together with the Daybreak and baking soda combo.

Do you’ve got a technique for lifting grease stains out of clothes? Inform us about it within the feedback beneath.