Grease stains can be annoyingly difficult to remove, but this simple item may help (Image: Getty)
There’s nothing worse than having your pristine, clean clothes ruined by an unsightly stain. Stains can be tricky to deal with, especially if they’re oil based.
Cleaning fan and TikTok creator Georgia, better known as Clean with Georgia, recently shared some of her favourite laundry hacks, which she claims will make your life infinitely easier. Georgia said in the video: “These eight laundry hacks will make your life so much easier.” When it comes to oil-based or grease stains on clothing, simply washing on a normal cycle isn’t always enough to remove the stains.
Blot any excess moisture from the stain, then rub the chalk over the stains (Image: Getty)
However, you can do an easy job just before you put blemished garments into the washing machine.
For grease stains, Georgia recommended using chalk for the job. She said: “To remove grease stains, use chalk and then put it in the washing machine.”
Before you even think about applying the chalk to the fabric, it’s important to blot any excess liquid that may be on the clothes. Don’t be tempted to rub the oil as it will just embed it further into the fibres.
If you’re dealing with a proper spill and not just a tiny drop, it’s really important to blot any excess liquid or moisture from the item of clothing. Once the excess liquid has been dealt with, then you can apply the chalk to the stains.
Georgia instructed to simply rub the chalk into the stain. Some time should be allowed for the chalk to absorb the moisture from the stain before washing the clothes on their normal cycle.
Chalk can help remove grease stains as it works as an absorbent, drawing out the oil from the fabrics and into itself. When applied to a fresh stain, it essentially acts like a sponge, drawing the oil out of the fabric fibres and preventing it from setting into the fabric.
It’s best to let the chalk sit for a while to allow all the liquid to be absorbed. You can repeat the process if needed, just give the chalk time to absorb the grease, then remove and blot the stain again.
Bosch recommended reapplying chalk to stains if you see it clumping together. Repeat this until the chalk stops clumping, as it means there’s no more oil to absorb.
Once you’re happy that all of the liquid is absorbed, remove any excess chalk and wash in the washing machine on your regular cycle. This method is best used on smaller stains.
Kathy Cohoon, from Two Maids & a Mop, told Homes & Gardens: “The chemical makeup of chalk and its open-cell structure makes it incredibly absorbent. Chalk is able to zap up moisture and liquids easily.”
She’s not alone in her thinking, Jill Koch of Jill Comes Clean agrees. Jill explained to Homes & Gardens: “Chalk is typically made from a form of limestone called calcium carbonate. As you apply the chalk to the oil stain, it will absorb the oil and essentially hold onto it.
“Then you can brush the chalk away and the oil along with it. Chalk today [usually] includes other ingredients, too, but calcium carbonate is often still the main ingredient.”
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