Does vinegar get grease out of clothes

Pre-Soak Stains With Vinegar

To remove stains with vinegar via pre-treating, you can dilute the vinegar with water (vinegar 1:3 Water) or soak in undiluted vinegar and allow garments to soak between 15-30 mins or even overnight depending on the stubbornness of the stain.

Here are few pre-treating methods for tough stains you can remove with vinegar:

• Coffee/tea Stain – soak in solution of 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water.
• Grass stain- soak in undiluted vinegar for 30 mins.
• Gum stain- soak in undiluted vinegar for 15 mins.
• Juice stain- soak in 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water.
• Vomit stain- soak in undiluted vinegar.

Spot Treat Stains With Vinegar

For stains that are a little tougher to remove, you can either pour vinegar directly onto the stain and let it soak up or rub the vinegar into the stain and let it soak up. Leave to soak for as long as necessary. You can also make a spot treat paste by adding baking soda to a mixture of water and vinegar.

Here are few spot treating methods for tough stains you can remove with vinegar:

• Tomato stain – apply directly on stain and let it soak in.
• Mustard stain – apply directly on stain and let it soak in.
• Underarm, Collar or Cuff stain – spray vinegar, rub in and leave to soak.
• Blood stain – pour vinegar onto stain and let soak for 15 mins.
• Rust stain – blot stain with vinegar on cotton ball.

Add Vinegar In The Wash

To brighten and make clothes cleaner, just add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. Although not an actual ‘stain’ this is great for getting rid of mildew smells from clothes. It is also great for getting rid of mild yellowing from clothes. 

Remember:

• Always remove as much of the stain as possible and rinse with cold water before pre-treating.
• You can add other stain removers along with vinegar such as baking soda, detergent or washing up liquid.

  Kate Van Pelt is a contributing writer for The Spruce, based in the PNW. Kate has been a full-time digital content creator for nearly a decade, covering everything from home decor to personal finance.

  Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

  Updated on 12/02/22

  Reviewed by

  Katie Berry

  
  

  Reviewed by Katie Berry

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  Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos. She is the author of several books about homemaking.

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  Fact checked by

  Jessica Wrubel

  
  

  Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel

  Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.

  Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

  
  

  The Spruce / Autumn Wood 

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  The method for removing stains with traditional products involves soaking the stain in cool water and then pretreating it with prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, or liquid detergent booster. You can also create a paste of a powdered laundry product and water. Then toss the garment in the washing machine with sodium hypochlorite bleach (provided it's safe for the fabric) or oxygen bleach.

  However, while commercial cleaners promise to remove all sorts of clothing stains, you might not always have them on hand. That's where common household products come into play. They often can remove stains from clothes just as well as the commercial cleaners and at a fraction of the cost. Here's how to get stains out with vinegar, baking soda, and other household products.

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  1 of 2

  What You'll Need

  Equipment / Tools

  • Small bowl
  • Toothbrush
  • Rag/towel
  • Cardboard

  Materials

  • Baking soda
  • Dish soap
  • White vinegar
  • Rubbing alcohol

  Instructions

  

  

  The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  How to Remove Oil and Grease Stains

  Oil and grease stains are tricky to remove, but certainly not impossible. In fact, there are several ways to remove oil stains from your clothes. Sometimes simply rubbing laundry detergent and water into the stain before throwing it in the wash will do the trick. However, if your stain is a little more stubborn, try a combination of dish soap and vinegar.

  1. Blot the Stain

     If your stain occurred recently, blot as much as possible with a dry paper towel. When it comes to grease and oil stains, the sooner you can tackle them, the better.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Add Dish Soap

     Next, lay your garment on a flat surface and add a few drops of liquid dish soap to the stain. Rub in the soap with your fingers until the stain is completely coated.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Scrub in Baking Soda

     Sprinkle a little baking soda over the top of your soaped-up stain and scrub the baking soda into the fabric using an old toothbrush. The combination of dish soap and baking soda should form a paste. Once you’ve scrubbed for a minute or so, let the mix sit for one hour.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  4. Rinse and Wash

     Finally, rinse out the dish soap and baking soda and toss your item in the washing machine. Make sure the stain is completely gone before you move the garment to the dryer.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  7 Natural Laundry Stain Removers

  Sweat Stains

  It's tempting to pitch a shirt or blouse when you discover sweat stains, but there's no need to be so hasty. Odds are you have a jug or bottle of white vinegar in your kitchen cabinet, and that's all you should need to rid your clothes of these unsightly blemishes.

  1. Mix Vinegar and Water

     To rid your clothes of sweat stains, start by mixing vinegar and water in a small bowl. One quarter cup of vinegar with one cup of water should do.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Drench Stain in Vinegar and Water Mixture

     Next, pour your vinegar and water over the stain or submerge it in the mixture. Either way, make sure the stain is fully coated, then allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Rinse and Wash

     Once you've let the mix work its magic, rinse the area with water. If the stain is gone, you can move the article of clothing into the washer. However, make sure it has completely disappeared before you move your garment to the dryer.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  Tip

  If vinegar doesn't do the trick, try a mixture of baking soda and water or hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to test in a discreet area before applying this mixture directly to the stain!

  Grass Stains

  Soccer moms, this section is for you! Grass stains can be common among active kiddos (and adults), and it can be challenging to rid your clothes of these persistent eyesores. Fortunately, a little extra time and effort can pay off in spades.

  Before you bust out the household cleaners, try rubbing the stain with a tough laundry detergent or stain remover. Let the detergent sit for 15 minutes, then rinse and check to see how much of the stain remains. If you're still seeing green, follow the steps below.
  

  1. Soak the Stain

     Pour a cup or two of white vinegar in a small bowl, then submerge the stain in the vinegar. Allow the stain to sit and soak for 30 minutes.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Rinse Thoroughly

     Rinse out the vinegar and see how much, if any, of the grass stain remains. At this point, your garment should be spotless. If so, launder as usual. If not, move onto the final step below.

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Try Baking Soda and Water (Optional)

     If the grass stains you're working with are older and particularly pesky, try creating a paste with baking soda and water, then scrub it into the stain with a toothbrush. Let the paste sit and work into the garment for 15 minutes or so, then wash as usual.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  Ink Stains

  If you've ever swiped the sleeve of your blouse or button-up with a pen, you already know this stain can be a pain to remove. Not to worry—for your average ball-point pen stain, start by scrubbing a little liquid laundry detergent into the area and letting it sit for a few minutes. Rinse out the detergent with warm water and reevaluate.

  If your ink stain is a little more stubborn, grab some rubbing alcohol and follow the steps below.
  

  Warning

  Before you use rubbing alcohol to treat an ink stain, test it in a discreet area of the garment to make sure it doesn't alter the color or damage the fabric.

  1. Grab Some Cardboard

     Before you start, place a piece of cardboard or a rag underneath the stained portion of your garment. The ink will seep through, so the cardboard/rag will catch the ink and rubbing alcohol.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Blot the Stain

     Next, use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot rubbing alcohol onto the stain. The goal here is to gradually dilute the ink and pull it from the fabric.
     

     
     

     The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Rinse and Wash (or Repeat)

     After you've treated the stain with rubbing alcohol, rinse the garment thoroughly. It may take some time to rid the fabric of alcohol completely, and if notice the ink stain hanging on, repeat the process again.

     What removes grease from clothes?

     Gently rub liquid dish soap (for handwashing), stain pretreatment or liquid enzyme detergent into the stain and let sit for 10 minutes. If using liquid dish soap for handwashing, be sure to fully remove the soap by rinsing thoroughly before placing the item in the washer.

     How do you remove grease stains from clothes that have already been washed and dried?

     If your stain is old, sprinkle enough baking soda onto the dish detergent to cover the stained area. Scrub again with the toothbrush. Let the mixture set for 10-15 minutes. Wash the clothing as you normally would, using the hottest water the fabric will allow.

     Can white vinegar remove grease?

     Vinegar's acidity helps cut through grease easily. Spray some vinegar and water mix onto a splattered stovetop, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then scrub down with soapy water. It should wipe right off.

     Will baking soda and vinegar remove grease on clothes?

     Once you know your fabric won't react to the vinegar, soak the stain with a mix of one part water and one part white vinegar. Add some baking soda and rub the solution into the fabric. The vinegar will break down the grease and the baking soda will act as a mild abrasive to lift the stain.