How to remove grease & cooking oil stains
Oil needs a degreaser, not just detergent. Dish soap is the household hero.
- Difficulty:
- moderate
- Water:
- Hottest the care label allows — heat helps dissolve oil.
Step by step
- Blot up any excess oil. On a fresh stain, sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch and let it absorb for 10–15 minutes, then brush off.
- Work a little grease-cutting dish soap (or a prewash stain remover) directly into the stain and let it sit 5–10 minutes.
- Launder in the hottest water the care label allows.
- Air-dry and check before any heat — repeat if a shadow remains.
Do
- ✓ Use dish soap as a degreaser
- ✓ Absorb fresh grease with baking soda/cornstarch first
Don’t
- ✗ Don't tumble-dry until it's fully gone
- ✗ Don't assume hot water is safe — check the label
Before you start
- • Act fast. Fresh stains lift far more easily than ones that have set.
- • Blot, don't rub — rubbing drives the stain deeper and frays the fibers. Work from the back of the fabric to push it out the way it came in.
- • Check the care label first. Never exceed the garment's maximum temperature; if it says wash cold or dry-clean only, follow it.
- • Test any treatment (oxygen bleach, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, vinegar) on a hidden seam first — some can strip color.
- • Never tumble-dry until the stain is completely gone. Dryer heat sets most stains permanently — air-dry and check, then re-treat if needed.
Guidance follows American Cleaning Institute — cleaning tips . Always defer to the garment’s own care label.