How to get engine grease out of clothes

Download Article

Download Article

If you got grease stains on your clothing, don't panic. There are a variety of common household products you can use to get unsightly grease stains out of your clothes so they look clean and new again.[1] Your favorite shirt will be back in the rotation in no time!

1. 1

   Cover the entire grease spot with liquid dish detergent. Grease-fighting detergents may be helpful, but are not necessary. You can use shampoo in this manner, as well, it's designed for body oils, so should work effectively in this application. Alternatively, use bar soap, any hand or body bar soap will do (make sure it hasn't got any additives that may hinder its cleaning, i.e. one like Dove would not be suitable), or for very tough grease, look for bars labeled Laundry Soap. Dampen with water (or ammonia for extra grease removal), then rub the bar onto the stain until sufficient soap has transferred to foam up amply. You can also grate the bar soap and apply the resulting powder/pieces onto the stain after wetting.

   • If using colored detergent, be sure to dilute it or the detergent may stain the clothing.
   • For stubborn stains, using an old toothbrush will help you attack the stain better than you'd be able to with your hand. Old foot brushes or nail brushes can also serve, as well as small scrub brushes available for cleaning.
   • For butter and oil stains, you can use a mixture of mild dish soap and warm water.[2] Add a few drops of soap to the water, let the garment soak for about five minutes, and then rub the stain against itself gently.[3]

2. 2

   Work foam from the soap or detergent or shampoo into the stain. You should see it dissolve. Dish detergents and laundry bar soaps have special agents that fight grease, so does shampoo.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Rinse the area with water first, then optionally, follow with a vinegar rinse. Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent used in a wide variety of applications, however, it reduces the alkalinity of soaps or detergents, making them less effective, so do not use detergents or soaps along with any vinegar. If you wish, mix one part vinegar with two parts water and soak the article of clothing in the water and vinegar, then rinse out the vinegar and use the detergent/shampoo/soap method as above.

4. 4

   Wash the clothing, alone, with laundry detergent. Follow washing instructions on clothing label exactly.[4]

   • When ready to dry, allow the clothing to air-dry. Drying in the extremely hot mechanical dryer may cause any lingering oil or grease to set into the clothing.

5. 5

   Repeat steps for a persistent grease stain.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Use a spot remover such as Shout to hit any grease and/or oil stains. Spray the spot remover liberally onto the area and scrub with a toothbrush.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Allow the spot remover to set while you start this step.

3. 3

   Remove the boiling water from the burner and carefully pour the water onto the stains from up high. A couple things to remember as you perform this step:

   • Place your garment in a tub, washbasin, or other safe area. It's not recommended to place the garment on the floor and splatter extremely hot water all over it (and potentially your feet)
   • Try to lift up the pot of water as high as possible. This method works for two reasons:
     • The water is really hot, helping to break the grease and/or oil bonds.
     • The water forcefully hits the grease/oil stain. The higher up the water is when you pour it over the stain, the more force it will generate as it hits the clothing.
   • Be careful! You're using scalding hot water. Be sure to aim the water onto the garment. Try to avoid any splatter than might come back and hit you.

4. 4

   Repeat steps for each area of grease/oil. Turn the garment inside out and attack the stain with another round of spot remover/boiling water if method doesn't work first time.

5. 5

   Wash the clothing, alone, with laundry detergent. Follow washing instructions on clothing label exactly.

   • When ready to dry, allow the clothing to air-dry. Drying in the extremely hot mechanical dryer may cause any lingering oil or grease to set into the clothing.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Blot away any excess grease or oil with a paper towel. Try to get as much grease or oil away from the clothing as possible before you move on to the next step.

2. 2

   Cover grease or oil stain generously with baby powder. You can use generic baby powder if you like. If you don't have baby powder, try using these other absorbents:

   • Cornstarch
   • Salt

3. 3

   Remove the baby powder from the clothing with a paper towel or spoon. Do this carefully, avoiding any spillage onto other parts of the clothing.

4. 4

   Work a small amount of hand dishwashing detergent and water into stain with your thumb. Once the detergent begins to foam up, take an old toothbrush and begin rubbing the stain using circular motions.

   • Be sure to attack the stain from both sides of the fabric (inside the shirt and outside the shirt, for example).

5. 5

   Wash the clothing, alone, with laundry detergent. Follow washing instructions on clothing label exactly.

   • When ready to dry, allow the clothing to air-dry. Drying in the extremely hot mechanical dryer may cause any lingering oil or grease to set into the clothing.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Instead of detergent, spray a little WD-40 or lighter fluid onto the clothing. WD-40 is effective in removing grease from some surfaces, as are some lighter fluids.[5]

   • Perform a spot test on an inconspicuous area of your clothing before attacking the stain with the WD-40 or lighter fluid. It's better to be safe than sorry.

2. 2

   Let the WD-40 or lighter fluid set into the clothing for 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Wash out the WD-40 or lighter fluid by thoroughly soaking the clothing in warm water.

4. 4

   Wash the clothing, alone, with laundry detergent. Follow washing instructions on clothing label exactly.

   • When ready to dry, allow the clothing to air-dry. Drying in the extremely hot mechanical dryer may cause any lingering oil or grease to set into the clothing.

5. 5

   Finished.

Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  How do I get butter stains out of clothes?

  Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

  Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

  Expert Answer

  Wipe away as much of the stain as possible with a paper towel. Use mild dish soap and warm water to wash the stain in the sink, and then place the item in the washer with regular laundry detergent on a warm water cycle.

• Question

  How do you get rid of thick oil stains?

  Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

  Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

  Expert Answer

  Apply baking soda to the stain and rub it in vigorously. Let it sit for half an hour and then brush it away. You can also spray a mixture of warm water and vinegar directly on the stain—just let it sit for a few minutes and then drop the item in the wash with warm water and regular laundry detergent.

• Question

  How do you get a grease stain out of jeans?

  Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

  Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

  Expert Answer

  Mix some baking soda with a little bit of warm water. Using circular motions, brush the mixture into the stain with a small bristle brush until you see the stain subside. Then, wash the jeans in a warm water cycle with regular laundry detergent. You can also add vinegar to the wash cycle to make sure that the stain is completely removed. To finish things off, dry the jeans on a low heat dryer cycle.

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• liquid hand dishwashing detergent (preferably clear)
• white vinegar.
• old toothbrush (optional)

References

1. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 12 April 2021.
2. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 12 April 2021.
3. ↑ Safir Ali. Professional Dry Cleaner. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
4. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 12 April 2021.
5. ↑ //wd40.com/products/

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To remove fresh grease or oil stains from clothing, first blot the stains on both sides with a cloth or paper towel to soak up as much of the oil as possible. Then, apply dish soap to the stains and let it sit for 30 minutes, which will help loosen the remaining oil so it comes out in the wash. Finally, machine wash your garment with laundry detergent. If the stains are still there, repeat the process. Don’t dry your garment until the stains are gone since the heat will cause the stains to set. For grease or oil stains that are already set, you can remove them with WD-40, baking soda, and dish soap. First, place a piece of cardboard under the stains so they don’t transfer to another part of your garment. Then, spray each stain with WD-40 to loosen the oil so it’s easier to remove. Next, pour a liberal amount of baking soda over the stains, and scrub it in with an old toothbrush. The baking soda will absorb the oil so the stains are easier to remove. Keep pouring more baking soda and scrubbing it into the stains until no more clumps form. Now, brush off the excess baking soda, and pour dish soap onto the stain. Work the dish soap into the stain with the toothbrush, then let it sit for 30 minutes. Finally, machine wash your garment on a normal setting with laundry detergent. To learn how to use baby powder or a stain remover to get rid of tough grease stains, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 5,342,602 times.

Reader Success Stories

• "I work at a laundromat, and used the dishwashing method to remove axle grease from a blanket. It worked perfectly...." more

Did this article help you?

What will remove engine oil from clothes?

Does car grease come out of clothes?

How do you get black grease stains out of clothes?

Is motor oil hard to get out of clothes?