5 WAYS TO REMOVE OIL & GREASE LAUNDRY STAINS

5 WAYS TO REMOVE OIL & GREASE LAUNDRY STAINS

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 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?

While grease and oil are rather difficult to get rid of once they’ve tarnished your clothes, nothing is impossible. 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.