The Tricks I Use to Get Food Grease Stains Out of Clothes

I would say the vast majority of stains I square up against are courtesy of my kids. But I have to admit that after almost four decades of life, I still am convinced I do not need to put an apron on to cook. (I wonder where my kids got their hard-headedness from?) And no, technically I guess you don’t have to wear an apron, but I also don’t love my clothes getting oil splattered. 

Grease stains are sneaky and stubborn. When I’m moving quickly, I don’t always notice I splattered olive oil on myself while whisking a dressing, or the backsplash from laying a chicken breast in a hot pan. But if I’m moving quickly, I’m probably more likely to spill something on myself, which means I often don’t notice the stain until it’s already been washed and dried and already set into the fabric. Even if you manage to catch the stain as soon as it happens, it may require more than one treatment. 

Don’t assume the stain is gone when you pull it out of the wash. It can be hard to tell when it’s still wet. Skip the dryer and let the treated garment hang dry. Once dry, inspect to see if the stain is still there. If so, repeat the treatment of your choice. 

One day I’ll be able to slow down, tie on an apron, and tackle dinner at a leisurely pace. In the meantime, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. 

A tried and true classic mix. This method requires a little DIY mixing-up, but it’s convenient to be able to reach for two products many of us already have on hand.

• Mix together baking soda and Dawn dish soap into a toothpaste-like consistency.
• Use the back of a spoon or a dedicated cleaning toothbrush to work the paste into the stain.
• Let sit at least 15 minutes.
• Wash in cold water and hang dry.
• Repeat as necessary.

A go-to all purpose stain remover. Heavy grease stains may not be a match or require a few rounds of treatment.

• Spray the stain with the product.
• Rub the product into the stain.
• Let the product sit on the stain, five minutes or up to overnight.
• Wash in cold water and hang dry.
• Repeat as necessary.

Specifically designed for grease stains, this spray stain remover gets high marks.

• Shake the can.
• Spray the product directly onto the stain.
• Let sit up to five minutes.
• Do not let the product dry on the clothes.
• Wash in cold water and hang dry.
• Repeat as necessary.

This cleaner is a classic with a distinctive smell. It’s popular for greasy garage cleanups, but works just as well on salad dressing on your shirt.

• Rub the product directly onto the stain. 
• Let sit 5-10 minutes.
• Wash in cold water and hang dry.
• Repeat as necessary.