Homemade Clothing Degreaser

Whether you dripped the juices of your hamburger down the front of your shirt or you dropped a slice of pizza in your lap, you are going to have a grease stain to deal with on your clothing. Grease stains can be among the trickiest to remove from clothing.

Lemons are a natural all-purpose degreaser.

But with some homemade degreaser you can concoct with common household items, you can treat these stains and remove the clothing from the wash stain-free. Store-bought remedies for grease stains are available, but there are some effective products you might already have around your home.

Baking Soda Paste

Baking soda is a common kitchen staple used for cooking, deodorizing and also for cleaning. You can use baking soda in two ways as a clothing degreaser. For minor grease stains, add a cup of baking soda to a load of laundry; the baking soda will lift the grease from the garments in the load. But if you have a major grease spot on clothing, it is best to add water to the baking soda until it forms a thick paste, then scrub the stain with the paste and a damp cloth prior to washing.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is an excellent product for removing grease from clothing, and it's common to many homes. Many people keep this kitchen ingredient around as a thickening agent and for use in various recipes, and now you'll use it to pull grease out of fabric. For the best results pour cornstarch all over the grease spot, completely covering it, and leave it overnight. Gently brush the cornstarch off the next day and put the fabric into the wash as usual. Using Talcum powder in this way yields similar results.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a nitrogen-and-hydrogen compound commonly used in household cleaners, but it is not commonly thought of as a laundry product. You can use ammonia for pretreating grease-stained fabric directly before washing, or you can pour a small amount of ammonia directly into the washing machine with your regular detergent. The ammonia will help lift the grease out of the fabric -- but it is a hazardous chemical that will be harmful you anyone who inhales its fumes. Always be careful when using ammonia, and be sure there is adequate ventilation.

Lemons

When life gives you lemons, make clothing degreaser. In fact, you can make an effective and pleasant smelling natural degreaser for all purposes out of fresh lemons. Just squeeze the juice from several lemons and use the liquid to pre-treat greasy spots on fabric prior to the wash.

The Drip Cap

Whether you dripped the juices of your hamburger down the front of your shirt or you dropped a slice of pizza in your lap, you are going to have a grease stain to deal with on your clothing.
Baking soda is a common kitchen staple used for cooking, deodorizing and also for cleaning.
Many people keep this kitchen ingredient around as a thickening agent and for use in various recipes, and now you'll use it to pull grease out of fabric.
You can use ammonia for pretreating grease-stained fabric directly before washing, or you can pour a small amount of ammonia directly into the washing machine with your regular detergent.
Always be careful when using ammonia, and be sure there is adequate ventilation.