Have I mentioned that I hate doing laundry? I HATE doing laundry! Even my pretty laundry closet can’t make me like it. I tried, I really did! And my absolutely least favorite part of doing laundry used to be trying to remove set-in grease stains. I would wash and rewash my husband’s shirts using different sprays and stain sticks, but the grease stains would still be there. Finally a friend of my mom recommended a solution … and OMG, it worked!
I don’t post cleaning tips on the blog very often, but I was so excited to finally find an answer that eliminated some of my laundry woes, I thought I had better share it in case others have been struggling with the same frustration! This post contains some affiliate links.
I seriously don’t know where all of these grease stains come from, but they seem to end up on every shirt my husband owns! Lots of readers have suggested they might come from fabric softener or dryer sheets. I don’t use that, so it’s not the culprit. But if you have these spots, it’s something you might keep an eye on.
Nothing I had tried was working, and we were constantly throwing away his polo shirts and replacing them. I wanted to pull my hair out every time I did the laundry!
My mom’s friend shared a tip to try Dawn Platinum Erasing Dish Foam. It’s made for cleaning dishes by absorbing grease, but she said it did the trick on laundry as well. My mom tried it and said it worked, so I decided to give it a try too. The first few times I bought it at Target, but it’s been hit or miss and they don’t always have it. I think I’m going to start buying the refill bottles from Amazon instead.
This soap foams as you pump it, and a little goes a long way. Squeeze out a small amount onto each of the grease stains.
Use your fingers to rub the dish soap into the fabric, ensuring that the entire stained area is covered.
Let the Dawn Platinum Erasing Dish Foam sit on the clothes for five minutes or so before washing.
Use your normal detergent and wash the clothes on the recommended settings. I prefer to wash all of my clothes in cold water using Tide Coldwater Clean.
If the grease or oil stain isn’t removed, treat with Dawn erasing foam again and repeat. I’ve had just a few really stubborn set-in stains that I’ve had to wash two or three times, but most are removed after just one treatment, even if the stained shirt had previously been washed and dried.
I’ve only tried this on cotton, poly, and denim. If you have a stain on a more delicate fabric, I would recommend testing the Dawn erasing foam on a small, inconspicuous area first.
It’s such a relief to have finally found a way to get rid of all those grease stains and oil! I still don’t like doing laundry, but I have one less frustration to put up with!
What is your favorite laundry tip for stubborn or set-in stains? Please let me know in the comments!
Crystal says
I am so excited to check this out! Some of our clothing has mystery stains that I haven't been able to get out. I will definitely have to try this!
Vickie Crisenberry says
This is what I have used also was going to suggest the Dawn Erasing foam, when first started reading your post. If it doesn't work first time, add little bit of baking soda to it the second time, and have not yet had to try a third time
Angela, Blue i Style says
Thanks for the baking soda tip!
Anonymous says
Actually I can top all of these by telling you something that sounds insane but I swear by it in my bakery. FIRST, spray WD40 – (yes, I said WD40) on the stain. Let it soak a few minutes. THEN put the DAWN on and work in. The principle behind this is that the WD40 adheres to the grease already there, then the soap removes ALL of the grease, including the stain. It works – no matter how old the stain!
mac mckenna says
Great to know ! all my T-shirts 20 have food grease on them.
Sending the wife to the garage now.Better get the economy size.
Thanks again.
Mom was right says
To the person that suggested the WD40…. Thakyou!!!! This has been such an annoying problem for me and your remedy worked like a charm!!!! ����
Kristen Jordan says
Great thank you I will defintly try this
Anonymous says
Some mystery stains may be from fabric softener.
Angela, Blue i Style says
That's good to know! I actually don't use fabric softener at all, so that's not the source of our mystery stains. But I'm sure others have had this problem, so it's good to be aware of.
SANDY says
Liquid fabric softeners can build up in the machine, especially in the dispenser. I remove the dispenser on run it through the dish washer once a month.
blueistyle says
That’s a good tip about fabric softener. I don’t use fabric softener at all, so that’s not the source of our grease stains, but this could help others for sure!
Erin says
Thank you!! I think you may have just saved one of my favorite shirts! I'm thrilled! Going to try it right away.
Anonymous says
I am definitely going to give this a try. Many of my pullovers have grease spots and I've tried several products with little results.
Rita Peters says
I just put a new shirt in the garbage pile. Then I seen this and took it right out lol. I will buy the dawn and try next laundry. Thank you for saving my shirt I liked that one lol..
Anonymous says
I use regular dawn dish soap (just a drop on the grease spot) all the same steps as you said above and grease comes out first time. My husband works on cars and his clothes are always greasy…
Anonymous says
We had the same kind of spots and the source turned out to be dryer sheets. Switched to fabric softener and no more random greasy spots.
Angela, Blue i Style says
That is good to know, but I don't use dryer sheets at all, and the spots only ever appear on my husband's clothes, no one else's… So definitely not the problem at our house ??
Sheila says
My clothes constantly get these spots, but I'm positive it happens while I'm cooking.
Sheila says
I have this problem with tons of my clothes. I'm sure it happens while I'm cooking. My boyfriend gets spots on his from his beard oil as well. Hence the reason I'm here looking for a solution.
Anonymous says
May I just squeeze your face and peck you with all the graciousness this Southern Mommadiva can muster!
I HATE grease stains. But, they adore me!I've added quite a few faves into my "cleaning/cooking/jammie" pile'o'clothes.
I've tried many products and techniques… no luck.
NOW, I'm confident in rescuing so of my lovlies!
Anonymous says
I tried dawn ultra with 3x grease remover and baking soda to remove set in food grease stains and they are still there!
Anonymous says
you're using the WRONG dawn
Anonymous says
Try it with the dawn platinum erasing dish foam she suggested instead. You used a different kind
anonymous says
Oh my goodness, I am so glad that I found your post. This trick has worked 100% of the time. It even worked on one sweatshirt that had been washed and dried 4 times. In this case it took 2 applications. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting!!
Anonymous says
Thank you very much for sharing this! It helped save one of my favorite jackets!
Anonymous says
Anxious to try this on some shirts I've had hiding in the closet a while. I've had random spots appear in years past and it was so annoying, as I had no idea where they were coming from. I'm not a sloppy eater and I don't drink grease and accidentally spill it. I do like bacon, but it doesn't drip on my shirt … every bit of it ends up in my mouth! I recently heard it could be from oil from the transmission or grease for other parts. Seems a logical explanation. Replaced both washer and dryer this year, and yet to have any random grease spots… fingers crossed I will not have the issue again, but looking forward to trying to degreasify the spots on some of my shirts!
Anonymous says
Thank you, I just ordered the soap on amazon and hoping it works. I have a few different pieces of clothing with oil stains that have been sitting in my closet, because I love them and have been hoping there's a solution. I am a messy eater though. Will post an update later. I have a few dresses and shirts
Anonymous says
I made this discovery after watching a commercial for Dawn, how they use it for animals affected by oil spills. I thought why not try it on grease stains. I found the regular Dawn works great but I learned stay away from the Dawn with Oil of Olay (not my smartest moment lol). I leave it sitting for 2-3 says before washing but this works like a charm!
Anonymous says
I must say I was skeptical. I had grease stains on a polyester golf shirt. I had washed and dried it before I realized the stains were there. When I realized the stain spots had set, I used both Resolve and Spray and Wash to try to fix the problem,several times without putting in the dryer, just in the wash cycle. Neither worked. I tried this Dawn Solution and voila stains gone, in one wash cycle. One of my favourite shirts is saved. Thank you so much for this extremely helpful tip. I'll be using it again I'm sure. Canadian, Lady golfer is in red once again!
Linda Darling says
I'ved had pretty good luck using the regular 2X Dawn, but not always, so I am going to look for this product. I think Dawn is the best dishwashing product out there. It seems to last on my sponge much longer than other products and works really well to dissolve grease.
tomwyant says
I had the same mystery stains on my polos and dress shirts for years. I sprayed the spots with Spray and Wash, sometimes with success and sometimes not. Finally, I noticed that the times I didn't use fabric softener in the washing machine, I never got the mystery stains. When I did use fabric softener, there they were. So, I've stopped using fabric softener and started using dryer sheets instead. I NEVER have mystery stains on my shirts anymore.
blueistyle says
I’ve heard that from a lot of people, so that’s great for people to be aware of! Unfortunately our stains remain a mystery because I’ve never used fabric softener.
Lance says
Holy Crap! THANK YOU. THANK YOU…! THANK YOU!!!! THIS WORKS!!! I'd include pictures if I could! My partner has been adamant that once you dry the grease stain, it is there forever. Challenge Accepted. I tried a carpet cleaner and shout. Nothing. I then tried WD-40 and Goo Gone, and it made it worse. So, not the sweat shirt is a write-off. So, why not… Sprayed it with the Dawn, used a brush, and gave it about 10 minutes. Washed it and dried it. and POW! Stains are gone. The caveat in this is that since I used so many other chemical before, that the sweatshirt faded a little. but it is the same all over. THANK YOU AGAIN!
Angela, Blue i Style says
Yay! So glad this saved you’re shirt … and proved you right 😉 !
jgw509 says
Worked for me. Thanks!
TLHartmann says
During my time in the Army as an X-ray Tech and Medic, I had to do preventive maintenance on "my" vehicle, the 5-ton truck assigned to me because it was used to carry my field x-ray equipment, tent, and other medical supplies. So, inevitably I'd get grease on my BDUs (camo uniforms). One of my Sergeants told me to get the grease out of my clothes, I should POUR A CAN OF SODA IN THE WASHING MACHINE after the clothes were in and it filled with water. I thought it would never work, but amazingly it did (and still does)! I've found that Coke and Dr. Pepper work better than Pepsi! I've never tried any of the clear sodas like 7-Up or Sprite. But, it doesn't work to get set stains out if the clothes have already been through the dryer. Only works during the initial washing.
Jamie Lloyd says
I don't believe it!! I have locs, and my stylist treats them with natural oils that can stain clothes when my hair gets too long. I thought a brand-new jumpsuit was ruined, but found this soap at Target and pre-treated the oil stains (which had already gone through the washer and dryer once) before washing them a second time. Presto – it was as if they'd never been there! What a find! Thanks so much for sharing this amazing tip ?
Tara says
Oopsie! I just tried this today. I used the WD40 method with the Dawn Platinum Erasing Foam Soap. Followed instructions and the colored cotton shirts (1 red and 1 gray) came out with white spots on them where I treated the stains. Has this happened to anyone else? I not looking forward to telling my boyfriend that I ruined his shirts. I have throw them in the wash again without treating and hopefully the white goes away.
Angela, Blue i Style says
The method recommended in my post is ONLY the Dawn. I wouldn’t recommend mixing various different chemicals together! I’m really sorry that you had this issue, but following the instructions I provided (Dawn only) I’ve never had anyone report white spots.
Melinda says
So glad I found this!! I am going to order the Dawn. I hope it saves my boyfriend’s t-shirt. Of coarse it is a t-shirt we got on vacation, so we cannot just stop in and get a new one. Fingers crossed!
Jo says
Sounds great I’m going in to try it on my son’s shirt with a huge grease stain that got missed and I have no idea how many times it’s been washed and dried so going to add baking soda to it first thing. If you battle with ring around the collar use your bar soap wet the area enough to get a good lather from the bar soap and scrub it on. If it’s a stubborn o e scrub with a scrub brush a few times. Should remove it all. It’s never failed me.
Dani says
Thank you, thank you!!!! This worked perfectly! I thought I had ruined a brand new shirt. I tried your method (twice), and the stains were gone! Amazing!!!
Leigh Hermes says
I was so happy to come across this site today! I suffer from severe dry eyes at night unless I use an eye ointment when I sleep. The result is, of course, unsightly greasy stains on my pillowcase every morning. I have been at a loss as to how to get these stains to come out; regular treatment hasn’t worked. I used this method and voila, the stains came right out!!! I’m thrilled. Thank you so much for this tip!! I’ll definitely pass it along.
Miranda says
THIS REALLY WORKS!!! THANK YOU!!!
I was so mad at myself when I opened my dryer I saw I have left a roller bottle of my essential oil in one of my pocket, and when I picked it up it’s all empty.. I looked at one of my expensive scrub And it had oil stains all over… i about died.. off to Pinterest and found your post. It’s the most simplest one out there. Went straight Target and get the Dawn and treat the stain and rewash… and tadaaaaa it’s all gone!!!
can’t thank you enough!!!
yolanda vela says
I am glad to hear another solution. Up to today I have always removed stains with baby powder. My daughter brings me the linens from the restaurant and I
have been successful in removing the stains. Today I am having a problem because these stains are stubborn. I will try the dawn. Thanks
Kathleen G. says
I have sometimes had grease stains that weren’t there when the shirt went into the washer. I found cleaning the washer regularly helps with that. On other stains I’ll try the dawn foam. Regular dawn dish detergent hasn’t always worked. Thanks!
Patti Winklebleck says
Since I have entered my 7th decade, I have noticed spots on my clothes,I do not know how they got there. I will try your solution s with the foaming Dawn. I really hope it works. Thank yoy
Sowmya Adibhatla says
Hello!
I came across your blog about removing set-in oil stains. I got a small drop of hashbrown oil on my new light wash jeans. I was luckily at home so I put some Dawn 4X the stain fighting dish soap on the stain but forgot to try to blot/gently rub the stain and instead just threw it in the washer then dryer. Needless to say, I have a faint stain that I can see.
Will your method work on light wash denim (Express jeans), even after they’ve been washed and dried- so with a set-in oil stain? I just want to avoid making the stain worse. And how to suggest going about testing a small inconspicuous area?
Thanks so much!
Sowmya