# Help me remove an old grease stain, SVP.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 22, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646 "2003-06-22T23:00:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/1 "2003-06-22T23:00:31Z")
My stupid cow room-mate borrowed my shirt without asking, got grease on it, washed and dried it, and has left me an old nasty grease stain on the front.
Soo - how do I remove it? The shirt is unwearable in it’s present state so I’m willing to try just about anything - it’s one of my favorite shirts and I haven’t been able to find a replacement.
So far I’m letting is soak with Dawn on it (Dawn takes grease out of your way!) but it’s not working very well so far.
Soooo - any suggestions?
I also tried soaking the area with WD-40 to “loosen up” the old grease, although that didn’t do much either. Perhaps I didn’t leave it on long enough? (~ 2 min).
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### Author:  [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/2 "2003-06-23T00:54:35Z")
Try oven cleaner or mineral spirits. How about steaming the spot over a tea kettle?
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### Author:  [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/3 "2003-06-23T01:49:08Z")
I believe there is a potent stain revover called Carbona still available.
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### Author:  [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/4 "2003-06-23T02:10:39Z")
I often work in restaurant grease hoods and can come out a real mess at times. The best grease remover I found quite by accident was plain old Borax added to your regular detergent. Don’t know how or why it works but there can’t be anything worse than restaurant grease.
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### Author:  [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/5 "2003-06-23T02:51:25Z")
Try taking it to the Dry Cleaners.
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### Author:  [@kunoichi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kunoichi)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/6 "2003-06-23T02:57:02Z")
Also, warn the stupid cow roommate that the next time she borrows something without asking, she’ll be trying to remove bloodstains from her own clothing… 😉
But seriously… I hear that cornstarch or flour helps to soak up some of the extra grease… so you could try the WD-40 trick to re-wet the stain, soak up the excess with corn starch, and wash.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/7 "2003-06-23T14:56:07Z")
For grease I use hand cleaner from the auto parts store.
Test on a small area first.
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### Author:  [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/8 "2003-06-23T15:29:46Z")
Have you tried oxyclean? I had grease on a very fancy skirt and was surprised it came out.
I’ll try the other methods listed here on other clothes that have resisted the power of the Oxy.
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### Author:  [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/9 "2003-06-23T16:18:52Z")
When I get automotive grease on my clothes, I douse the area with cocoa nut oil and let it sit for a bit, then wash out the area with dishwashing detergent, then throw it in the washer. Works every time. Don’t know why though. I think it’s because the cocoa nut oil is “thinner” then the grease.
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/10 "2003-06-23T18:34:56Z")
Isn’t putting WD-40 on a grease stain like pouring port on a red wine stain? I mean, the stuff’s basically oil.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/11 "2003-06-23T20:04:49Z")
Humm - ok, it looks like the WD-40 removed the stain, but now there’s a WD-40 stain all over the shirt - so how do I get rid of that? I tried dishsoap (which kinda worked), the the stuff is shmooded all over - I’m thinking the washing machine is going to be the way to go, but I don’t know what to put in there.
Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/12 "2003-06-23T22:38:46Z")
Any sort of spirits or petroleum based product is a possible fire hazard if washed and dried with all the rest of the clothing.
I’m afraid WD-40 falls into that category.
Take it to cleaners and tell them specifically what is on it.
Please do not dry it in your dryer. Any fire hazard, no matter how small, is too dangerous to play with.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/13 "2003-06-24T01:24:48Z")
Even if it’s a small fire hazard?
Just kidding - I never dry this particular shirt anyhow - only my stupid cow roommate did. (I really have to boot that girl’s ass.)
So - washing it is hazardous too? I would be washing it by itself.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/14 "2003-06-24T01:42:51Z")
No, it’s the dryer that’s the concern.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/15 "2003-06-24T01:46:32Z")
Ah.
So, um, do you have any suggestions as to how to remove the WD-40?
The drycleaner won’t touch it. This problem is in my hands.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/16 "2003-06-24T01:55:53Z")
Anything I suggest might ruin it.
I would try an overnight soaking in a bath of regular laundry detergent first. Like in the tub or sink. Then, rinse, rinse, rinse.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remove-an-old-grease-stain-svp/183646/17 "2003-06-24T02:51:23Z")
Humm - I think I **MAY** have got it.
I washed it in super hot water with ABC liquid detergent and a large scoop of OxyClean - so far it looks pretty good, but I’ll have to wait until it’s dry…