How to Remove Set-In Grease Stains from Laundry

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!