There’s nothing worse than getting grease or oil stains on your favorite clothing to find that the unsightly marks don’t come out in the wash.
And despite trying to avoid the mishap in the first place — I always wear an apron when I’m cooking — I still managed to get oil and grease marks on my clothing.
However, besides various attempts using ‘miracle’ off-the-shelf laundry sprays that don’t always work, I’ve discovered my own cure. What’s more, this stain-removing solution uses two kitchen staples that you probably already have on hand.
I recently spotted some grease marks on my favorite pair of shorts, so before putting them in the wash, I sprayed the oily spots with a laundry stain remover. However, much to my annoyance, when I removed the item from the wash, the stain remover hadn’t budged the stain one iota.
Being part of the Homes team at Tom’s Guide means I’m all for trying out laundry hacks, so even though the item had gone through one wash cycle, and I assumed the stain was set in, I didn’t give up. Instead, I tried another stain-removing hack, and I’m so pleased I did.
Two ingredients are all it takes
Using just two trusted and inexpensive household ingredients, I was able to remove the stain and extend the life of my favorite pair of shorts, instead of discarding them to my ‘gardening clothes pile.’
What you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
Method
- Place a couple of squirts of dish soap into a small container.
- Add baking soda to the dish soap to form a paste.
- Take a soft-bristled toothbrush (or your fingertip will do), and gently work the paste into the stain.
- Leave the item to sit for between 15-30 minutes, and longer if possible.
- Pop the item into a normal wash cycle and then leave it to dry as normal.
How does baking soda and dish soap work to remove grease?
You’ve all seen how dish soap can break down the grease on dirty dishes; well, it does exactly the same on clothing. Dish soap acts as a degreaser, breaking down grease by attaching to the oil.
The second part of the equation is baking soda, which is an absorbent and soaks up excess oil. When combined with dish soap they work as a degreasing powerhouse.
I used Fairy Max Power dish soap, but if you’re in the U.S., a good alternative is Dawn dish soap, $3.94 at Amazonfor 22 fl oz, as it's recommended as one of the best dish soaps to remove tough stains.
