How to wash a T-shirt from grease stains without damaging the color

Emergency measures

You can significantly simplify the further washing of a T-shirt by pre-treating newly appeared stains.

Do not hesitate - until the fat is properly absorbed into the fabric and does not dry there, spray it with an absorbent agent:

salt;
baking soda;
mustard powder;
starch;
baby powder;
chalk powder;
talc.

Dry small crystals of the above substances immediately trap excess moisture. The sooner the stain is treated, the less grease will be absorbed. Before further cleaning, remove the powder with a soft, clean brush or cloth.

You can save suede boots or a skirt in the same way.

General recommendations

Before each wash, perform preventive inspections of T-shirts to check for grease stains on the fabric. Timely identification of the problem will allow the use of less aggressive methods for cleansing.

First steps if a grease stain is detected on a T-shirt:

If contamination is detected, but the fabric, in addition to grease, has a dried layer of food or other dirt, remove without using excessive friction. It is ideal to use brushes for cleaning.
To remove and prevent further absorption of fat into the fabric, use products that absorb liquids well. Look around for salt, starch, powder, chalk or talcum powder. Apply the product, reduced to a powder, onto the stain and leave for a couple of minutes. Shake the dry mixture off the fabric.
Wash and dry the T-shirt. If a maneuver based on classical actions without the use of special means does not work, all that remains is to resort to heavy artillery.

Before starting military operations aimed at removal, you should familiarize yourself with the washing rules:

Turn the T-shirt inside out.
Place on a flat horizontal surface.
Place a white thick cloth under the T-shirt.
When applying the product, do not rub the composition, do not rub or wrinkle the fabric - such actions can cause an increase in the area of the problem area.
It is better not to rub the fabric with your hands. A brush is better for cleaning.
The direction of movement is from the edges of the spot to the center. This way you reduce the area of spread, preventing the appearance of streaks.

Carefully choose a T-shirt cleaning product - it should be effective, but at the same time safe. Always test fabric compound safety on an inconspicuous area of clothing.

Removing fresh grease stains from a T-shirt

Fresh stains are relatively easy to remove because the fat has not yet hardened into the fabric structure. Below are a few handy tools you can try to remove a fresh oil stain.

Wet wipes

Alcohol wipes are suitable for removing fresh grease from a T-shirt.

It is important to wipe the stain from the edge to the center so as not to smear it on a thin, light-colored fabric. In most cases, it is impossible to completely remove the stain with wipes, but it will significantly discolor it. After wiping, the T-shirt will be much easier to wash.

Dishwashing liquid

Almost all dishwashing detergents contain ingredients that effectively break down grease. Therefore, they are used not only for washing the refrigerator or dirty dishes, but also for caring for linoleum, gas stoves, and washable wallpaper.

For greater effectiveness, the stain is first soaked in warm water. A small amount of cleaner is then applied to the stain and rubbed into the grease with your finger or an old toothbrush until a foam forms.

Attention! This is foam that fights fat; without its formation it will be useless.

After the greasy stain on a white T-shirt has dissolved under the influence of active foam, the clothes should be washed.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is used in several ways.

Soak. Dilute a sufficient amount of soap in hot water until the liquid becomes slightly thick. It is better to grate the bars on a coarse grater for quick dissolution. The soap is soaked in the prepared solution until it cools completely.
Mashing. As with dishwashing detergents, soak the stain in hot water and then rub vigorously into a bar of soap until a lather forms. You can leave the T-shirt in this form overnight.

After applying the soap, the T-shirt or T-shirt can be washed as usual.

Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste contains active particles that dissolve stains, including fats.

You should also create a lot of foam here. To do this, soak the stain in warm water and rub a small amount of paste with your finger, a cotton pad or old toothpaste. The T-shirt is left in this form until the foam breaks completely.

Mustard mixture

Mustard powder is dissolved in a small amount of hot water until a slightly thick liquid is obtained.

It's vague. apply to the stain with a watercolor brush or finger and rinse after drying. The mustard should dissolve and “pull out”, if not all the fat, then most of it, which will greatly facilitate further washing.

Soda slurry

By analogy with the method described above, a solution is prepared from warm water and baking soda; the final consistency should allow the product to be easily applied to the area.

A T-shirt or T-shirt soaked in a baking soda solution is left overnight, after which the remaining baking soda is removed mechanically. For a better effect, you can add a little salt to the prepared solution.

How to remove fresh dirt?

When a stain has just appeared, it is important to try to eliminate it as quickly as possible. The more time passes from the moment the grease gets on the fabric, the more difficult it will be to clean.

In a few hours, the fat has time to be deeply absorbed into the fibers, so it is necessary to act quickly. The main task is to localize the site of contamination and prevent fat from penetrating deeply into the structure of the material.

In this case , improvised means that are good sorbents will help:

rock salt,
starch,
talc,
chalk.

Any of the products is poured onto the stain and distributed by rubbing in a circular motion. As the fat is absorbed, the powder is shaken off the T-shirt and a new one is added.

You can also use dishwashing gel . It is applied from the package directly to the stain and carefully distributed. Leave it in this form for 15-30 minutes, after which the T-shirt is washed.

It is not advisable to use colored dish gels, especially on a white T-shirt, as they can leave behind colored stains.

Removing old grease stains from T-shirts

To effectively wash old grease from T-shirts, you should use stronger detergents.

Alcohol and vinegar

First of all, you need to use ammonia, ethyl alcohol and table vinegar.

These products are available and can be found literally at your fingertips. Due to their solvent properties, these liquids can leave old oil stains on light and dark T-shirts.

Alcohol and vinegar can be conveniently applied to the stain using a cotton pad or piece of clean cotton wool, wiping from the edge to the center. Gradually, the fat dissolves and turns into cotton wool, which is regularly replaced with new, soaked liquid. In this way, you can almost completely remove dirt from T-shirts of different colors.

Acetone and solvents

Paint solvents such as white spirit, 646, etc., as well as acetone, are aggressive chemical solvents that can dissolve greasy stains of any age on any fabric, as well as construction paint and foam. Handle them with care as there is a risk of damaging the color and material of the knitwear.

Tip: Test the liquid first on an inconspicuous area of the T-shirt. If the fabric turns white or loses its shape after contact with solvents, rinse the area quickly and thoroughly under running water and avoid further use of solvents.

Turpentine and gasoline

Purified turpentine and gasoline can completely replace solvents, as they have similar properties.

You can use them according to the instructions above.

The downside for some people may be the unpleasant lingering odor that remains after using turpentine and gasoline. To get rid of it, wash the T-shirt with a fragrant detergent.

Non-standard approach: 5 methods

If you can’t remove a greasy oil stain on clothes or home textiles using traditional means, you can experiment with non-standard methods. Five remedies are of greatest interest.

Carbonated drinks. Coca-Cola descales kettles, removes soap scum from plumbing fixtures, and even unclogs pipes. There will also be no trace left of a greasy stain on the fabric if you make a “compress” with soda for three hours. For white pants and shirts, it is better to use colorless Sprite.
Bread. You can remove oil traces from velvet without damaging it using bread crumbs. Simply press a small piece of fresh produce onto the stained area so that the fat is absorbed into the bread.
Mustard powder. If you are unable to remove an old grease stain from your clothes even after washing and ironing, try using mustard. Dilute the powder with water to form a paste-like substance and apply it to the fabric for half an hour.
Shaving foam. To save a stained down jacket or bologna jacket, apply a little product to the stain and rub in. After five minutes, wipe the treated area with a sponge soaked in clean, warm water.
Shampoo. Minor stains on delicate fabrics can be removed with a product for oily hair. Just apply the composition to the stain for five minutes, lightly rub and wash the product.

Methods for removing stains on colored T-shirts

Removing grease from colored and dark T-shirts is complicated by the need to preserve the color without leaving discolored marks on the fabric. To do this, use special cleaning products.

Starch gruel

A starch solution is prepared using warm water. The final consistency should be paste-like so that the product can be conveniently applied to the T-shirt. In this form, you can leave it overnight, and in the morning, wash off the remaining starch and wash it off.

Dentifrice

Tooth powder can be used both on fresh, not yet healing stains, and on old, dried ones.

If the stain is fresh, simply sprinkle it generously with tooth powder, which should be immediately rubbed into the grease. It reacts with excess moisture to form active foam.

Once the stain has dried, moisten the oily soil with warm water and then apply tooth powder.

Bread crumb

If the stain is old but doesn't look bad, try soaking it in breadcrumbs. The fat is treated with hot water so that it dissolves a little. You need to put a crumb of fresh bread on top, which will immediately start to absorb dirt.

Tip: You will have to use several slices of bread before the dirt is completely gone.

Special cases

When choosing a product for removing traces of fat, it is important to consider the type of fabric from which the T-shirt is made, the presence of decorative elements, and the color of the clothing.

White T-shirt

The difficulty of washing white items without print lies in the high risk of darkening or yellowing on the fabric. For example, “Belizna” and other bleaches should be used only in extreme cases, when other means are powerless.

To remove fat from a white T-shirt:

It is necessary to pour boiling water over the damaged area.
Apply toothpaste, Fairy, soda paste or salt.
If that doesn't help, clean with alcohol or acetone.

White clothes made from natural materials that are not afraid of exposure to high temperatures can be boiled in a thick solution of laundry soap.

Colored things

Fresh drops of fat on colored or dark things can be blotted with bread crumbs, covered with salt, starch, talcum powder or baby powder. Then, wash with laundry soap, soak in dish soap, treat with turpentine or gasoline, apply a mixture of glycerin and ammonia. To remove old grease stains, it is better to use safe, ready-made stain removers from the store.

Delicate fabric

T-shirts made of silk, natural wool, and lace should be washed very carefully. Caustic detergents and chemical compounds can ruin the item. A regular school blotter will help remove fresh drops of grease. Cover the contaminated area with it and iron it.

The heat will absorb the fat into the paper. Another cleaning option is to cover the dirt with starch, talcum powder, tooth powder or fine salt. It is better to take an expensive item with old, stubborn stains to the dry cleaner and entrust the removal of grease to professionals.

Machine or hand wash

After removing the stain using one of the above methods, the T-shirt should be washed. This can be done either manually or by machine. There is no fundamental difference between them, but in both cases it is necessary to follow a few simple rules:

sort things by color: white linen is only white, dark linen is dark, and colored things are by color and shade;
pre-soaking for heavily soiled items;
Wash again if grease or sweat stains are not removed the first time.

How to remove a grease stain immediately after it appears

How to remove grease stains quickly and easily? If you have gotten grease on your clothes and noticed it right away, you can use the quick method and clean the item right away.

Blot up the grease with a paper towel or clean cotton cloth. You should not rub grease stains, as this will only increase the size of the stain, which is more difficult to get rid of.
After the cloth or paper has absorbed the fat remaining on the surface, cover the problem area with salt.
You will have to repeat this until the salt “pulls” the fish, pork or vegetable fat out of the tissue. Afterwards you need to remove the remaining salt using a napkin.
After removing the salt, wash the stain with dishwashing detergent and wash the entire item.
Dish detergent also works on stubborn grease stains and can remove marks left by machine oil.

Rules for removing stains

Fat, getting on the fabric, quickly penetrates the fibrous structure. Here it hardens and is firmly attached to the warp threads. Over time, dust and other contaminants get onto the oily mark. All this sticks and is fixed to the material. Processing must be carried out correctly. We list the important points of the procedure.

You cannot wash an item with an untreated stain. It will only become stronger, but will not disappear. Raising the temperature and increasing the dose of washing powder will not help. Only pre-treatment will help get rid of fat.
Before the procedure, it is advisable to get rid of dust on the fabric. Shake the product several times, if there is dry dirt, clean it off with a brush.
The fabric is laid out on a flat base. Several layers of white knitwear are placed underneath. If the material is rough and thick, you can put a clothes brush under it.
Before you start cleaning, apply a small amount of the selected product to an inconspicuous area on the inside of the clothing. The fabric should not react to the cleaning solution, otherwise it will be easily damaged during the cleaning process.
Treatment begins with a clean area around the fat droplets. Apply the product towards the center of the mark. This will help collect the dissolving fat and prevent it from spreading.

The cleaned material is rinsed well, completely removing the remaining detergent mixture. Only after this can it be washed as usual.

Some tips

Before washing, carefully inspect your clothing for stains. This way you can find fresh contaminants that have not had time to be absorbed and dry. Thus, you do not have to use special tools.
Use a brush to clean. By removing the dried dirt, you will see how much the fibers have absorbed the grease.
Choose your product carefully. It must treat the material with care. Check first how the composition works. Apply it on an inconspicuous part of the item. So, for example, when using a product suitable for a cotton product on a woolen item, its fibers may be damaged. Which will significantly spoil the appearance of the product.
Use methods of increasing effectiveness. Use less aggressive methods first, and if they don't work, move on to more effective methods.
When using a brush, you need to move from the edges to the center. With these movements you will prevent the appearance of streaks, and the oily area will not spread any more.

After using any method, be sure to wash or rinse the item to get rid of odors and product residues.

How to remove grease from objects at home

Falling oily drops damage household items and favorite things.

Cushioned furniture

Grease stains are removed from the soft surface of sofas and armchairs with special preparations containing acids, enzymes, and essential oils:

Unicum;
Pip;
Grass Antigraffiti;
Udalix Oxi Ultra.

The substances pass through the fibers, lifting and removing sticky dirt, leaving a thin protective layer.

Palaces

The oil that has spread over the carpet is covered with a thick layer of sawdust soaked in gasoline. When the smell disappears, the sawdust is cleaned off with a brush (the remaining wood chips are sucked up with a vacuum cleaner, after the procedure the garbage container is immediately emptied and ventilated). The treated area is wiped with carpet cleaning liquid or soap suds.

Carpets are cared for with special sprays

Backpacks, bags

Borsets, backpacks and handbags quickly become dirty when worn every day. Things are saved from greasy blots with substances that do not contain dyes, brighteners, or flavors. Mustard powder, a mixture of salt and soda, and baby powder are often used. If dry methods fail, use dishwashing gel. The product is rubbed into the damaged area and washed off with warm water after an hour. Dry away from the sun and heating devices. Fat stains from leather backpacks and individual parts are washed off with ammonia or vodka.

Additional Information! Patent leather handbags are saved from accidentally spilled fat with onion juice: the head is cut into two parts; Use the cut to carefully wipe away the stain. The wiped area is wiped with a moistened flannel, and finally polished thoroughly with a velvety napkin.

To clean handbags, more delicate products are used first

Paper

Marks can be removed from paper surfaces - book pages, notebook sheets, postcards - using the following home remedies:

Soda is sprinkled on the divorce. Place paper towels on and under the oil; pressed down with a weight from above. Leave it for a day.
White clay (kaolin) is diluted with warm water to a paste consistency and spread on the spots. After drying, carefully remove.
On bleached paper, the greasy mark on the front side and back is wiped with hydrogen peroxide. Place tracing paper or blotting paper under and on the sheet. Iron with a warm iron.

On the passport, oil drips are removed with crushed kaolin, wheat flour or ground oatmeal.

19 Oatmeal, ground in a coffee grinder, absorbs remaining oil

Oatmeal, ground in a coffee grinder, absorbs remaining oil

How to remove stains from different clothes

Everyday items can be cleaned with available stain removers. But when removing difficult stains

Expensive and thin fabrics, synthetics and outerwear can have their color or pattern ruined. Finding the right product becomes a problem because often the compositions include different types of fabrics.

To ensure that dirt is removed and the appearance of your clothes is preserved, it is better to order dry cleaning. Professionals will select a chemical that will clean the stain 100% without damaging the capricious materials.

Coat

Wool fabric is sensitive to aggressive chemicals. When treating coats to remove traces of fat, use steaming or a universal method - a 1:1 mixture of ammonia and glycerin.

Loose sorbents are used with caution: they are difficult to remove from wool fibers, and coats cannot be washed.

Down jacket

If oil or fat gets on the surface of the down jacket, the stain is immediately blotted with a napkin and covered with salt or soda. Remaining oil is wiped off with purified gasoline or turpentine.

Jacket

To clean a leather jacket from grease stains, use laundry soap or detergent with glycerin. Wipe the stain towards the center with a soapy solution. Excess soap is washed off.

Bologna, raincoat fabric

Products made from bologna and raincoat fabric can be washed, so all available means are used to remove greasy stains. Restrictions apply only to bleaches and aggressive compounds that can damage synthetics.

An effective way is to apply a mixture of ammonia and dish soap, rub and wash in the washing machine after 15 minutes.

Collars and cuffs

Collars and cuffs get dirty faster and are harder to wash because they are constantly in contact with the body and absorb skin oils. A proven remedy against such stains is soaking overnight with the addition of laundry soap. Stains with adhered dirt are removed with an industrial stain remover. Recommended products with enzymes that break down fat and dirt are Vanish or Lion Top.

Special means

Manufacturers of household chemicals, of course, could not ignore the problem of stain removal and have developed a large number of stain removers that help fight greasy marks, among other things. The most famous of them:

Antipyatin soap;
Vanish gel;
Amway spray;
pencil from Faberlic;
bleach “Bos Plus Maximum”.

The disadvantage of such chemicals is that they are not always on hand and are quite expensive. And the success of a grease removal operation often depends on how quickly the stain was treated.