How to remove grease stains from clothes at home: extreme treatment with gasoline and a trick with an iron and paper

Expert: Sofia Borisovna Fridman

It is easy to put greasy stains on clothes, but they are difficult to remove. Fat molecules penetrate deeply into the fibers of the fabric and are not removed after regular washing. Old stains are even more difficult to remove - you cannot do without the help of aggressive agents and powerful stain removers. Our employees have learned the most effective ways to remove traces of grease from clothing and are ready to share them. All proposed cleaning products are available and experimentally tested by our employees. They are guaranteed to help solve the problem of removing grease stains from your favorite things made from different materials.

Features and rules for removing grease stains

Grease stains are perhaps the most common stains on clothing. In everyday life, you constantly have to deal with fats of various origins, careless handling of which will certainly leave a noticeable mark on fabrics of any color and texture.

Grease stains can appear after eating, as well as from face cream or cosmetics, oil paint or wax candles. Men often have to deal with technical oils and liquids, traces of which are extremely difficult to remove.

Plant and animal fats, when they get on clothes, quickly spread over the surface and are deeply absorbed into the fibers. Within a few hours, a dense structure forms at the site of contamination, which is difficult to treat with ordinary washing powder - even after washing, a dark mark remains.

Whatever the origin of a greasy stain on clothing, the most important rule for removing it is to treat it as quickly as possible with a product that neutralizes or absorbs grease. The sooner this is done, the higher the likelihood that no marks will remain after washing.

Our experts offer some more advice

, allowing you to make the stain removal process more effective, safer for fabric and human health:

1. Place a folded cotton napkin or diaper under the area of ​​fabric to be cleaned so that the grease and detergents are absorbed into it.
2. When choosing a method for cleaning clothes from grease, you need to act based on the type and color of the material and the age of the trace left.
3. The concentration and aggressiveness of the products used for cleansing should be increased from less to more.
4. Strong solvents should first be tried on an inconspicuous area of ​​the product so as not to spoil the item. If the fibers of the fabric do not unravel and the color does not lose, then they can be safely used.
5. Contamination should be cleaned by moving from its edges to the center - this will help avoid the spread of stains.
6. After pre-treatment of the stain, soiled clothing should be washed with any detergent manually or in an automatic machine at a water temperature of 600C or more (if the type of fabric allows).
7. When treating old greasy marks on clothing with strong solvents with a caustic or unpleasant odor, it is necessary to wear durable rubber gloves, long sleeves and a mask (respirator). You should not neglect your health and safety, even to save your favorite thing.

What is important to consider

• The item cannot be washed without first treating the greasy stain. Otherwise, the contamination will become even more entrenched. At the same time, increasing the amount of powder and increasing the water temperature will not help the situation either. Only pre-treatment will save you from a greasy stain.
• Before cleaning, it is important to clean the fabric from dust. To do this, just shake the product well or walk over it with a coarse brush.

• Any product is tested on an inconspicuous area of ​​the product. It is advisable to choose a place on the wrong side of the item. There should be no reaction when applying the product. Checking is required before exposing the entire item to the product.
• Treatment begins with a clean area around the grease stain. The cleaning agent is applied from the edge to the center. This way, all the spreading fat is collected and its further spread is prevented.
• It is easier to remove any stain while it is fresh. Therefore, there is no need to delay cleaning.
• Apply the cleaning agent into dense or rough fabric with the back of a sponge or a medium-hard brush. Soft, delicate fabric is treated with your hands or rubbed with the fabric itself, simulating washing.

How to remove fresh grease stains

The fresher the greasy stain, the easier it is to remove it from clothing. There is a high probability that it will be removed by one of the remedies suggested below. All of them are safe for the structure of the fibers of the material and will not spoil the color of the item, therefore they can be used both for cotton fabrics and for synthetic or delicate ones: silk, wool, velvet, chiffon.

Fat neutralizers

It is most effective to immediately treat the surface of the fabric with a substance that dissolves molecules of animal or vegetable fat immediately after the oil gets on the surface. You can use any of the means available in every home:

1. dishwashing liquid;
2. shampoo for oily hair;
3. foam or shaving gel;
4. toothpaste

Proceed as follows:

1. apply a sufficient amount of product to the stain so that it completely covers the stain (before applying foam or paste, you can first moisten the cloth with warm water);
2. wait 5 minutes;
3. rub the stained area with a toothbrush or napkin (sponge, cotton pad);
4. wait another 10-15 minutes;
5. Rub the cloth well again in the area of ​​contamination.

After these steps, you need to thoroughly rinse the item or wash it with washing powder.

Fat absorbents

If there is no possibility of instant washing or laundering of clothes, you can use an equally effective way to remove fresh greasy stains - apply one of the powdered products:

1. potato starch;
2. talc;
3. dentifrice;
4. baby powder;
5. mustard powder;
6. grated chalk;
7. salt;
8. soda

Powders have fat-absorbing properties, so when applied to fabric they quickly absorb it. You just need to pour a small amount of any powder onto the stain, press it into the fabric with a spoon, and after 20-30 minutes shake it off with the absorbed fat. After treatment, the item can be washed or the area wiped with ethyl alcohol or any alcohol-containing liquid - eau de toilette or vodka.

If you preheat starch, salt or any other powder to 50-600C in a frying pan (or in the oven or microwave), then the time it acts on a greasy stain can be reduced to 5-10 minutes without loss of effectiveness.

The advantage of adsorbents is the ability to remove fresh stains from items that require dry cleaning only. After treatment with powder, alcohol should be used to completely remove any greasy residue.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap (brown color 72%) copes well with many types of dirt. It also removes greasy stains perfectly. You should moisten the stained area with warm water and soap it generously with soap. If a large area of ​​the product is dirty, you can soak it for 2-3 hours in a basin with ½ a piece of soap grated. During this time, you need to periodically rub the fabric with your hands or a brush.

Ammonia

An ammonia solution (dilute ammonia in a 1:1 ratio with water) removes greasy stains quite well. The item should either be soaked in this solution for 1-2 hours, or ammonia should be applied to the contaminated area for the same time and rubbed with a brush.

Micellar water

The micelles in the product for removing makeup and impurities from the face perfectly attract fat molecules and dissolve it without leaving a trace. To be more effective, you can scrub the stained area with a brush. Micellar water can also remove residual fat after treatment with adsorbent powders.

Tracing paper (parchment paper) and iron

You can avoid using any detergents and cleaning products at all and iron the dirt through blotting or parchment paper or tracing paper (you can use paper towels or, at worst, toilet paper).

Mode of application:

1. turn on the iron at the highest possible temperature for this type of fabric;
2. put paper folded in several layers on both sides of the fabric;
3. iron with a hot iron on the front and back of the fabric until the fat is completely absorbed into the paper.

This method is also good for fabrics that can only be dry cleaned.

A large amount of vegetable oil spilled on clothes can be quickly removed using bread crumbs. The fresher the baked goods, the higher their absorbent properties. The crumb should be carefully applied to the stain, and finally press down firmly on a clean piece for 5-10 minutes to remove any remaining fat. Next, the soiled item can be wiped with alcohol and washed in the usual way.

How to remove old grease stains

3 hours after clothes are contaminated with grease, it is already more difficult to remove it without leaving traces. It is even more difficult to remove stains from items that have already been washed and dried.

But don’t despair – you can still cope with this difficult task. The same available tools available in every home will help with this. But to remove old stains, we recommend combining them with various solvents: gasoline, turpentine, acetone.

Old grease stains should be steamed before cleaning. It is best to use a steam generator or an iron with a steam function for this purpose. But you can hold the soiled item over a pan of boiling water or a kettle for several minutes. This will soften old fat - it will move away from the fabric fibers faster and better.

You can start removing greasy marks from clothes using the least aggressive means. To do this, we use laundry soap and dishwashing detergents, but enhance them with additional components.

Method 1: laundry soap + sugar

How to use:

1. wet the area stained with grease with warm water and soap it well;
2. wait 4-6 hours;
3. rinse the treated area under running hot water;
4. soap the fabric again;
5. sprinkle granulated sugar on top;
6. wait 5-10 minutes;
7. rub with a brush;
8. put the item in a plastic bag and tie it tightly;
9. leave for 8-10 hours;
10. Rub the problem area well again;
11. wash the item in the washing machine.

Sugar in this case is used as an abrasive - it enhances the effect of laundry soap. But when cleaning delicate fabrics, you need to be careful not to rub too hard so as not to ruin the item.

Method 2: dishwashing liquid + baking soda

How to use:

1. drop a few drops of “Fairy” onto the stain;
2. sprinkle soda on top;
3. rub with a toothbrush;
4. leave for 3-4 hours;
5. Rub the stain thoroughly again;
6. rinse and wash the item.

Soda enhances the grease-dissolving properties of dishwashing detergent, acts gently on fabric, but effectively cleans it of greasy traces.

Both methods are suitable for removing old fat from any material, for colored and white things. If necessary, repeat the cleaning procedure several times until the stain completely disappears.

If the previous methods did not help, we use heavy artillery. To remove traces of grease from light-colored cotton and linen fabrics, you can use 3 methods.

Ammonia + turpentine

Ammonia perfectly removes fresh grease stains, but to get rid of old ones, you need to add turpentine to it. After mixing the products in a 1:1 ratio, apply with a napkin to the stained area and rub in. After waiting 15 minutes, rinse off under running water.

This method is well suited for removing grease stains from denim, leather, bologna, and knitwear.

Gasoline or acetone

These products are strong solvents and do a good job of removing grease stains. To remove it, you need to moisten a napkin or cotton wool in one of the products and carefully, using blotting movements, moving from the edges to the center, treat the stain. Residues of fat and solvent can be removed using absorbents or bread crumbs.

After cleaning, the item is washed with the addition of conditioner to get rid of the unpleasant odor. You can first rinse it in a basin or rinse it under running water.

Potato starch + gasoline

A powerful product for removing stubborn greasy stains - a mixture of starch and gasoline:

1. mix 1 tsp. starch with 1 tbsp. purified gasoline to a paste-like state;
2. Apply the mixture with a cotton swab and rub it into the contaminated area;
3. wait 15-20 minutes;
4. rinse with warm water.

Then wash the item as usual in the washing machine.

The above cleaning products are not suitable for delicate fabrics and colored items. They can irreversibly damage the structure of the fabric and discolor the treated area. You can use the following methods to remove oily marks.

Glycerin + ammonia

Glycerin and ammonia are sold at any pharmacy. They are inexpensive (15-20 rubles), but they cope with greasy stains very effectively.

Instructions for use:

1. Heat glycerin to a temperature of 400C and apply with a cotton pad or gauze to the problem area of ​​the tissue;
2. wait 30 minutes;
3. rub the dirt with a toothbrush;
4. remove any remaining glycerin with a clean napkin;
5. wipe the mark with cotton wool soaked in ammonia.

After treatment, you need to wash your clothes as usual. Before washing, it is advisable to soap the stained area with laundry soap.

Hot brine

This method can restore the original appearance of any clothes made of delicate fabrics that can be soaked. You need to do this:

1. dissolve 1 cup of salt in a bowl of hot water;
2. soak soiled clothes in it for 40-60 minutes;
3. Rub the cloth thoroughly, paying attention to the contaminated area.
4. machine wash with detergent.

Saline solution can be used to remove stains from silk, guipure, wool, and chiffon.

General recommendations

The main thing is not to put off cleaning until later. The sooner you get to work rescuing your favorite pants, the more effectively you will deal with the enemy. After all, greasy stains are the hardest to treat.

It will be more difficult to clean trousers made from natural fabrics: cotton or linen. It is much easier to deal with stains on synthetic fabrics, because fat is washed out more easily from artificial fibers.

To remove grease stains from trousers without leaving a trace, wash them in warm or hot water. The higher the temperature, the more efficiently fat dissolves. But you also need to take into account the properties of the fabrics themselves. For example, in hot water, wool or microfiber shrinks, and after such treatment you will no longer be able to fit into your trousers. It is optimal to use a temperature of 40 degrees. And jeans can be safely machine washed at 60 degrees. To effectively remove grease stains at home, use the information from the table.

Industrial household chemicals

Manufacturers of household chemicals have developed many different universal stain removers that are designed to remove a wide range of stains. You can choose the right product for white and colored items, for natural or synthetic fabrics.

If oil gets on your clothes, immediately moisten the stained area with any of the popular stain removers:

1. Vanish Oxi Action;
2. Antipyatin;
3. Amway;
4. Ecover Ecological Stain Remover;
5. ACE Oxi Magic.

But most of them only remove fresh grease stains well, and cannot cope with old ones. To solve this problem, you need to use stain removers specially designed for removing greasy stains or products based on bile soap:

1. Dr.Beckmann Expert fats and sauces – perfectly removes stains based on vegetable and animal fat;
2. Lion Top for removing stains from collars and cuffs;
3. Frau Schmidt “Double action formula”;
4. Dr.Frash for removing stubborn stains of various origins;
5. stain removal gel based on Dr. Beckmann gall soap;
6. Heitmann Liquid bile soap.

These stain removers remove the most stubborn stains from white and colored items very delicately, without causing harm to the product. Unfortunately, products are rarely sold in household chemicals departments in supermarkets, but they are easy to purchase by placing an order in an online store.

The nuances of cleaning sports and dress pants

Classic office trousers require delicate handling . Such items cannot be cleaned with chlorine-containing compounds or gasoline (trouser fabric sheds a lot). Steam cleaning is also prohibited (high temperatures cause the fabric to shrink and smooth out the creases on dress pants).

In order to get office trousers in order, grease stains are first rubbed off with laundry soap or covered with salt, and then sent to the wash.

Cleaning sweatpants from grease stains is much easier. This type of clothing is made from wear-resistant fabrics that can withstand washing with any powders and stain removers.

The easiest way to clean sweatpants from greasy stains is to use special chemical compounds called stain removers.