How to remove grease stains from clothes?

Amy
by Amy

I had a flat yesterday and I was in a rush to get my daughter to school, so i got out and changed the tire, riding on the spare until I got to a tire shop. When I got home I realized that although I could get the black off of my hands with some strong soap, my pants were a different story. I ran them through the wash on hot with all the cleaning agents I have on hand, but the grease stains didn't budge. Is there anything I can do to remove grease stains from clothes to save my favorite jeans?

  20 answers
  • Sal3170064 Sal3170064 on Dec 02, 2018

    My go to to get grease marks out is washing up liquid, rub on leave for an hour, then wash on the hottest wash your jeans can take. Hope this works on the oil marks.

  • Ashley Fontaine Ashley Fontaine on Dec 02, 2018

    I use Super Clean found in the automotive section at Walmart. It’s a degreaser and got grease out of the carpet and off my husbands jeans. I also use it for a general cleaner around the house but must be diluted first.

    • Amy Amy on Dec 03, 2018

      Thanks Ashley. Can I use Super Clean and run a full wash together with these jeans, or will it damage the other clothes?

  • RMar RMar on Dec 02, 2018

    My first thought is to use Lestoil. Scrub Lestoil fabric with brush. Let soak for 30 min. Then launder again.

    For more ideas read this: https://www.dickies.com/get-grease-out-of-your-workear.html

    • See 1 previous
    • RMar RMar on Dec 03, 2018

      Yes, I have used Lestoil many times without any problems. The only thing I don't care for is the scent. However, you can rewash to remove scent if it bothers you.

      My older sister introduced me to Lestoil many years ago. She used it for removing grease and grass stains from baseball and soccer uniforms.


      I found this website which many give you more info on Lestoil. : https://www.stain-removal-101.com/lestoil.html

  • Mary Wisnewski Epifano Mary Wisnewski Epifano on Dec 02, 2018

    Dawhn dishwashing liquid has never let me down. Pour a small Dawn on spots and brush it into the spots using a damp rag and wash. That should do it. DAWN FOR GREASE.

    • See 2 previous
    • Lori Lori on Dec 03, 2018

      Mine too! Works every time! Great for greasy ball caps too!

  • Granny Laura Granny Laura on Dec 02, 2018

    You'll most likely think I'm nuts, but sometimes this works (and sometimes it doesn't). Try rubbing the area with a piece of soft cloth dipped in mineral oil or olive oil. Get another piece of soft cloth, pour a some blue Dawn on the spots and rub. Hopefully, the grease spots will begin to dissolve and the area will look like it's saturated with a greyish sludge. Throw it in the washer with hot water and hopefully the grease will be gone. Good luck!

    • See 1 previous
    • Granny Laura Granny Laura on Dec 03, 2018

      Nope, it loosens the grease then the Dawn washes it all out. At least that's what worked for me. Good luck!

  • Judy Judy on Dec 02, 2018

    Get ‘GOOF OFF’ in the paint section of Cdn Tire.

    • See 2 previous
    • JaBro JaBro on Aug 29, 2020

      Homemade goof off: coconut oil and baking soda in equal proportions. Let set 15 minutes or so. I haven’t tried it on laundry, but it’s a treat on sticky labels.

  • Juanita Juanita on Dec 02, 2018

    I use Dawn dishwashing detergent and baking soda. About 1 tbsp dawn to 2 tsp baking soda. It shouldn’t be a paste but thick; use a soft brush to work into material leave for half hour and wash normally.

    • Amy Amy on Dec 03, 2018

      Thanks Juanita. I had not thought of adding baking soda, but I should have. I use it for virtually everything else!

  • Michele Michele on Dec 02, 2018

    For some grease stains, try oven cleaner - spay & let setbefore washing in machine - a trick learned from a kitchen worker which has salvaged some of my garments!

    • See 1 previous
    • Michele Michele on Dec 03, 2018

      You have nothing to lose if the clothing is damaged by a stain and you will not wear it. Many of today’s fabrics are quite sturdy and resistant to damage. It has never ruined anything I cleaned with this method.

  • J J on Dec 02, 2018

    Fels Naptha! That stuff is amazing for stains. My hubby is a trucker and farmer so you can imagine the grease and oil stains he gets sometimes. I take a bar of Fels Naptha and dampen both the stained area and the end of the bar. Rub that bar all over the stain and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Then I take an old toothbrush and gently scrub the area before throwing it in the washer. It is very rare that I have to repeat the process. Try not to throw it in the dryer til you know the stain is gone but I have successfully used this process on set-in stains too. On occasion I've used the old style green Palmolive dish soap (not the new aromatherapy type stuff) if I don't have or can't find the FN and it works really well too. But then I usually have to work at the stain with the toothbrush / rinse, add a bit more Palmolive, repeat til it's gone, rinse then throw in the washer. We can't get FN where I live so I have to wait for hubby to bring me some. A .97 cent bar can last for years if you store it in a ziplock!

    • See 1 previous
    • Amy Amy on Dec 03, 2018

      Thanks! I had never heard of Fels Naptha Laundry Bar and Stain Remover before. Good to hear from someone who has used it (and apparently swears by it). My father in law is a farmer and a mechanic, so I know what you mean by nasty stains. I will have to share this product with my mother in law. Does the Palmolive work as well as Fels Naptha?

  • Cathy Cathy on Dec 02, 2018

    My advice is based on personal experience when I used to work in a greasy area. My clothes would get greasy everyday. When I would do laundry the first step was to spray straight ammonia on the grease, which is a fantastic grease cutter and can be purchased at any grocery or dollar store for cheap. Then after the grease spots are saturated, put some liquid laundry soap on top of the spot. Now set the washing machine for a long cycle with warm water and let it wash the grease out of your clothes.

    • See 3 previous
    • Cathy Cathy on Dec 03, 2018

      Not one bit. It just cuts the grease and washes out.

  • And place a few old towels or a plastic tarp in the trunk of your vehicle with the emergency kit so the next time you will be better prepared.

    • See 2 previous
    • So welcome Amy! Since I work a distance from home, I have a first aid kit, road flares, jumper cables, emergency supplies of protein bars that get rotated every 3 months, dry pet food, water, spare leash or two, dollar store tarp, roll of paper towels, couple of old bath towels, headlamp or flash light, old flannel jacket and a couple dollar store dog bowls. No matter where I go with or without the pets I am prepared. We have in every vehicle. At home we also have "grab and go bags" for us and all the pets as we live in a high fire danger area. Last year I was smack between the Rye and Thomas fires. It was touch and go and luckily I was home when they started and could pack up the vehicles and be ready. We also have window stickers to let first responders know how many pets are in the home in case we are not home or can't get home - they know what to collect for us if they can. You never know . . . And twice I year I double check everything and rotate semi perishable items.


      https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/emergency-kit.php

  • Larry wallace Larry wallace on Dec 02, 2018

    I'm a handy man and get all kinds of stains and dirt on me all the time and the product I use is "Shout it Out" that's sold right in the washing machine soap aisle. This is a spray that I normally spray on when I put the clothes in the washer or if its a tough one, I spray some on when I put the dirty clothes item ion the hamper and just let it perk until it gets washed. I can't remember the last time it didn't work.

    • See 1 previous
    • Larry wallace Larry wallace on Dec 03, 2018

      I use the spray bottle, on Amazon its called "Shout Advanced Trigger", I only see it as a three bottle pack for $15.00 but look in your local grocery store because a couple squirts is all that's needed so three bottles would probably last me a couple years! By the way one of the other reasons I like this is because it works most times even if I didn't notice the stain and washed the item first and "set in the stain". Good luck.

  • SANDRA MOORE SANDRA MOORE on Dec 02, 2018

    My go to products for grease are either kerosene, lighter fluid or mineral spirits. Lay stained area face soiled side down on something absorbent. I use an old towel. Saturate with solvent. Use another old towel to force solvent through garment into the lower towel. Repeat until stain is gone. Then launder as usual. I hope that the stain wasn't set in with your first attempt at removing it.

    • See 1 previous
    • SANDRA MOORE SANDRA MOORE on Dec 03, 2018

      All three work about the same. Just be sure to use in a well ventilated area away from any kind of flames. Like most solvents and stain removers they work best on fresh stains.

  • Alberta Coulter Alberta Coulter on Dec 02, 2018

    Mix blue dawn dishwashing liquid with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Pour some on the spot and scrub it in with an old tooth brush. Let it sit for a few minute and launder as you normally would. Hopefully that will get the stain out. Please remember that if the stain is still there or not completely out, DO NOT put the pants in the dryer. The heat in the dryer sets the stain and you may never get it out. Never dry anything you are trying to get a stain out of before you have actually gotten the stain out.

    • See 1 previous
    • Alberta Coulter Alberta Coulter on Dec 03, 2018

      Hydrogen peroxide is clear, the bottle is brown because light weakens it. It has a slight bleaching action but it's not strong enough to make a lighter spot on the garment. When I was a girl we used it to bleach sun streaks in out hair!

  • Deb K Deb K on Dec 02, 2018

    Hi Amy, I use spray nine then sunlight bar soap, I uses a scrub brush to get the cleaner to penetrate the stains, rinse and repeat, use warm water for this, pretreat with the bar soap and don't rinse then throw into wash. If it does not come clean repeat the process, check it BEFORE you toss it into the dryer - heat sets stains

    • See 1 previous
    • Deb K Deb K on Dec 03, 2018

      I use the original spray nine cleaner for everything, I dilute it for wall washing a full strength for stains etc.

  • Barbara C Barbara C on Dec 02, 2018

    I use Shout and if needed ,Dawn dish soap. let sit a while, then wash.


  • Pennie Pennie on Dec 02, 2018

    l use Lestoil its my go to for grease gum permanent marker paint etc im 60 and been my go to for 45 yrs

  • Lana Hassell Lana Hassell on Dec 02, 2018

    I use undiluted Simple Green. It is a degreaser normally used in the kitchen. I just spray it on the clothes, let it set for a while, then throw the clothes in the washer on hot water and wash as usual. Done.

    • Amy Amy on Dec 03, 2018

      Thanks Lana. You mean Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner? You use it on hard stains or you always add it to your wash? Are you sure it's safe for clothing?

  • Lana Hassell Lana Hassell on Dec 03, 2018

    Amy, yes, that Simple Green. I spray it on the greasy spots. It has never ruined anything yet. I had a restaurant and that is where I learned about it. Now, I keep it in my laundry room and use it there and for sure use it in my kitchen. I swear by that stuff - love it. Undiluted and diluted.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Nov 04, 2022

    Blue dawn dish soap and baking soda are my go to's for grease stains, make a light paste, rub it in and let it hang out for at least 1/2 hour. Launder as usual.