While you are eating or cooking, if you are not careful, you may stain your clothing with butter. Butter contains milk fat and protein, a combination that leaves behind stains that are particularly difficult to remove. The best thing you can do to save your clothes is to intervene in a timely manner, treating the stain before it has a chance to set on the fabric. This article discusses three ways to avoid having to throw away a garment after staining it with butter. The first two can be used separately or in combination, while the third should only be considered as a last resort should the first two fail.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Detergent and Clean Only the Stained Part
Step 1. Try scrubbing the stain with dish soap
Since it has been formulated to remove grease and grease from dishes, it is also useful for removing butter from clothing.
- Moisten the stained area with warm water.
- Apply a small amount of detergent directly to the stain.
- Gently rub it with your fingers trying to get it to penetrate between the fibers.
Step 2. Rinse with plenty of water
Run the jet of hot water from the tub or sink over the stained fabric until there is no soap left. To prevent the detergent or foam from reaching other parts of the garment, hold it so that the water seeps through the stained fibers and falls directly into the tub or sink.
Step 3. Use a pre-wash stain remover
When dealing with stubborn stains, such as butter stains, it is best to pre-treat them with a concentrated stain remover before washing the garment by hand or in the washing machine. You can buy a ready-made one at the supermarket or you can follow the instructions below to make it yourself at home.
- Mix the following ingredients to make a DIY pre-wash stain remover:
- 360 ml of water;
- 60ml Marseille liquid soap (if you can't find it at the supermarket, you can easily buy it online)
- 60 ml of vegetable glycerin (readily available online)
- 5-10 drops of lemon essential oil.
- After you've combined the ingredients, apply your pre-wash stain remover to the stain, then gently rub it into the fabric with your fingers.
- Leave it on for at least an hour (read the specific instructions if you bought a stain remover at the supermarket) before washing the garment in the washing machine.
Step 4. Wash the stained garment in the washing machine
The warmer the water, the more likely the butter stain will come off during the wash, so use the maximum temperature indicated on the stained garment's label (it's important to read it carefully to avoid damaging the fabric). If necessary, you can also use warm or cold water.
Step 5. Check that the stain is gone before placing the garment in the dryer
If it is still visible, allow the garment to air dry otherwise the heat will further fix the stain on the fabric and risk it becoming permanent. Repeat the process if necessary: applying dish soap, rinsing, pre-treating the stain, and washing the garment a second time before putting it in the dryer. After the second wash cycle, the stain should be gone.
Method 2 of 3: Use Corn Starch or Baby Powder
Step 1. Treat the stain while it is still fresh
This method is most effective if you do it while the stain is still damp before it has a chance to set on the fabric.
Step 2. Lay the garment out on a flat surface
Choose a place where no one can bump it or drop it. You certainly don't want to have to clean the surrounding area as well because you spilled cornstarch or baking soda!
Step 3. Spread the chosen product on the stain
Corn starch and baking soda are both incredibly absorbent. Covering the butter stain with a generous layer of one of the two products will be completely absorbed.
Gently press the powder against the stained fabric, but don't scrub
Step 4. Wait for it to work for at least 30 minutes
The longer it stays in contact with the stain, the more likely it is to absorb it completely. You should let the dust stay in contact with the fabric for at least half an hour before moving on to the next step.
Step 5. Scrub the stain with an old toothbrush
Use it to loosen cornstarch or baking soda dust from the surface of the stain. Move it with your fingers, then see if the stain is gone or how much it has shrunk.
If the stain persists, repeat the process until you are sure you have completely removed it
Method 3 of 3: Use WD-40, Hairspray or Liquid to Refill Lighters (like Last Beach)
Step 1. Understand that you are taking a risk
While some people have had success using WD-40, spray hairspray or liquid to refill lighters to remove stubborn grease stains, you could damage the fabric of your garment irreversibly. For example, the liquid used to refill lighters could discolour it. In addition, these products can leave an unpleasant odor, often more difficult to mask than the original stain.
- Test the selected product on a small area of easy-to-hide fabric before applying it to the stain.
- Let it sit for half an hour, then see if it has damaged the color or fibers of the garment in any way.
- If it didn't leave any unwelcome traces, proceed to the next step.
Step 2. Apply it to the stain
The WD-40 and the lacquer must be sprayed, the important thing is to keep the spray nozzle of the can very close to the stain to avoid applying them to the surrounding area as well. Generally, the liquid used to refill the lighters tends to come out with a copious jet, so it is best to pour it on a sheet of absorbent paper or on a rag before rubbing it on the stain. This way you can be sure that you only apply it to the stained area, without affecting the surrounding tissue.
Step 3. Scrub the stain with an old toothbrush
Do not rub hard otherwise you risk damaging the fabric, but still try to get the product to penetrate the fibers and dirt.
Step 4. Wait at least an hour
You need to give it enough time to melt the butter stain. Put the garment in a place where no one can bump it or drop it, then forget about it for about 60 minutes.
Step 5. Wash the stained garment in the washing machine as usual
Again use the maximum temperature indicated on the label as the hotter the water, the more likely the butter stain will come off during washing.
Check that the stain is gone before putting the garment in the dryer, otherwise the heat will further fix it on the fabric and risk it becoming permanent
Advice
- Treat the stain as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove it.
- Take the stained garment to a dry cleaner if you can't get it clean by yourself.
