Cooking oil stains look terrible as they ruin the fabric but they are easy to remove. The set-in stains are tougher to remove but are are possible to remove, with a little bit of effort.
Let’s check out how to remove oil stains from different types of fabric, including wool. Below are listed some of the most trusted methods to remove cooking oil stains out of the clothes.
- Removing Cooking Oil from Regular Fabric
- Removing Cooking Oil from Sweaters and Wool
- Removing Set-in Stains
Removing Cooking Oil from Regular Fabric
- Fortunately, they are simple to remove. Here is a list of what you will need:
- Paper towels
- Baking soda
- Old toothbrush
- Dish soap
- Blot the excess cooking oil out with a paper towel, white paper towel, or you will transfer dye to the garment.
- Cover the stain with baking soda with a thick layer. You may use some cornstarch too.
- Let the baking soda sit for 30 to 60 minutes, then scrub it out with an old toothbrush.
- Some baking soda residue will still be left over. Just get it washed out.
- Repeat the baking soda step for tough stains by adding more baking soda, waiting 30 to 60 minutes, then scrubbing it out.
- Pour dish soap over the baking soda and gently work the dish soap into the baking soda with the fingers.
- Wash the garment in the washing machine.
- Follow the instructions on the cloth care tag.
- Hot water helps remove oil stains but something is always left after washing in hot water.
- Try adding 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle to make the detergent more effective.
- Ensure that the stain is completely gone before using the dryer. Don’t put the garment into the dryer, you will risk setting the stain.
Removing Cooking Oil from Sweaters and Wool
- Pick your supplies. Hot water is ideal for removing stains from fabric, but it can destroy a sweater, so you will need the following:
- Cornstarch
- Dish soap
- Cold water
- Sink or tub
- Sheet of paper larger than the sweater
- Pencil or pen
- Large towel
- Cover the stain with cornstarch and brushing it off after 30 minutes. Repeat this 2-3 times. If the need be, remove the oil stain that may persists little longer.
- Put the sweater down in water.
- Fill a sink with cold water. For a large, bulky sweater, try using a tub or large basin instead.
- The sweater requires completely submersion, so ensure that the water is deep enough.
- Add a few drops of dish soap into the water. Do not agitate the water so much that you get frothy bubbles.
- The dish soap will help break up the stubborn stain, and remove it.
- Put the sweater into the water and gently swish it around.
- Do not wring or twist the sweater or it may ruin the shape and fibers.
- Let the sweater sit for two to three minutes before pulling it out.
- Drain the dirty water and fill the sink with fresh water so that you can rinse the sweater.
- Dry the sweater by rolling it up in a large towel.
- The towel will help soak up the excess water. Unroll the towel and take the sweater off.
- If you got a woolen skirt, suit, or pants stained with oil, try using a solution made from 1 part dish soap, 1 part white vinegar, and 6 parts water. Cover the stain with the solution, and tap it gently with an old toothbrush. Wait a few minutes, then blot everything dry with a clean towel. Clean off any residue by tapping the area with a damp towel. Finish by dabbing the area dry with another dry towel.
- You may need to follow up the washing instructions on the care tag. Check before whether you could use a dry cleaner, hand wash it, or put it in the washing machine.
- Do not leave solution for too long on the wool, or it will discolor the fabric.
Removing Set-in Stains
- Pick your supplies. Hot water is ideal for removing stains from fabric, but it can destroy a sweater, so you will need the following:
- Cardboard (recommended)
- WD-40
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
- Old toothbrush
- Small bowl and Q-tips (for small stains)
- Washing machine
- Put a piece of cardboard inside the garment, behind the stain.
- The cardboard will prevent the stain from sinking into the back of the garment.
- Spray the stain with WD-40, spray the WD-40 into a small bowl, and apply it to the stain using a Q-tip and it will help break the oil stain down and make it easier to get out.
- Use an old toothbrush to scrub some baking soda into the stain. Pour some baking soda over the stain and WD-40.
- Repeat the baking soda treatment until you have no more clumps. Keep scrubbing, dusting, and adding new baking soda until you get no more clumps.
- Pour some dish soap onto the baking soda. Gently swirl the dish soap so get it into the fabric.
- Wash the garment in the washing machine according to the tag. Do not rinse the dish soap off; it will come off in the washer.
- Ensure that the stain is gone before using the dryer. You can take the item to a dry cleaner only when the stain is gone is it safe to put it into the dryer.
Trying Other Solutions
- Be gentle with delicate fabrics. Some fabrics, such as silk and chiffon, will not hold up well to harsh scrubbing and hot temperatures. Instead, cover the stain with baby powder, cornstarch, or talcum powder.
- Know how to handle dry-clean-only fabrics. Dry-clean-only fabrics should not get wet, as their name suggests.
- Treat the stain with cornstarch and dish soap. Sprinkle some cornstarch over the stain and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.
- You can also try using cornmeal or cornstarch on its own, without the dish soap.
- Use some hairspray to dissolve the stain. Simply cover the stain with some hair spray.
- Try using hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. Soak the stain with some hydrogen peroxide, then sprinkle a thick layer baking soda over it
- Hydrogen peroxide should not stain dark fabrics. It might be a good idea to test it out on an inconspicuous area.
- Use some aloe vera, dish soap, or shampoo as a pre-wash stain remover. Blot any excess oil using a clean cloth or a paper towel.
- Try using a store-bought pre-wash stain remover. Start by blotting up the excess oil, then cover the stain with the stain remover. Wait 30 minutes, then wash the garment according to the tag.
Happy Cleaning and De-staining.