Best way to get food oil/butter out of clothes?

nym10/23/2004

I have several shirts that have tiny stains from oil (usually olive oil) or melted butter that has splashed on them while I was eating. What is the best way to get these stains out?

NCV2

Put dish washing liquid, Dawn cuts the grease,  right on the stain.  Rinse in sink, repeat if needed.  

Next time as soon as it happens you can use baby power or flour to soak up the oil if you are not home and can't take your shirt off.  Try to treat ASAP.

Aliwen82

try Lestoil.  It is an old school laundry pretreater. my Gramma turned me on to it as a teenager when I got my first waitressing job. the smell is borderline terrible, but it works so well that I don't care!

http://www.amazon.com/Lestoil-Concentrated-Heavy-Duty-Cleaner/dp/B002BX6T36

jen5-03

Dawn if it's a fresh stain. Soaking in oxyclean if it's been through the dryer.

dairygirl19

Ditto the dishsoap.

Also, if it's more set in, spray with the cheapest hairspray you can get with high alcohol content. Spray, let sit and launder. Repeat if necessary.

lshoes32

Carbona makes a line of targeted spot treatments. One of them is labeled for "Fat, Grease & Oil". Works like a champ. They come in small yellow bottles, I think Target & most largish grocery stores carry them.

jaymers99

lighter fluid...weird, but it works!

Life&Gwen

Try the above methods and then when you rinse, have a bucket (or sinkful) solution of arm&hammer washing soda, which will help the soap work better, but use gloves because it's harsh on skin.  Have you tried a castille soap? Like Kirk's or Dr Bronner?  I find these plant-oil based soaps have the best effect on oil-based stains on cottons, never tried on synthetics. Good luck!

eitaknna9

I've used a paste made with baking soda and water, then applied some liquid laundry soap (but as PP said, Dawn is great too), let it sit for a while and then wash. GL!

Jasmine19

Lestoil is what I used when I was a waitress and would get oil all over my clothes.  Smells awful and is probably horrible for the environment, but it works great on oil stains.