Delicious and savoury — there's a dark side to butter that you may not have considered. Spill some of it on your clothes, and it could cause an annoying stain that you struggle to remove. It's even worse if you are cooking and the butter is melted. That greasy liquid can work its way into the seams of your clothing and take hold like nothing you've seen before.
So, how do you get butter out of clothes? If you have a small stain, the key to the problem is to act fast. The longer you leave that mark, the more likely it is to stick around. However, there is a way that you can save your clothes and have them look as good as new. In the following guide, we will look at the steps you need to take here.
How to get butter out of clothes: simple steps
Let's say that you have a nasty butter stain on your clothes. What should you do? Butter stain removal doesn't have to be a challenge. However, if you rush and start scrubbing, you might end up doing more damage than good. Luckily, there is another way to go.
Making sure that your clothes are clean can be simple if you know how to do laundry. When you find a butter stain, you should do something about it. The longer you leave the problem, the more likely it is to cause a stain and ruin your clothes. Follow our simple steps to cleaning success:
Step 1: Move as fast as you can
Don't ignore the stain! Sure, you might be busy cooking or eating, but you need to make cleaning a priority if you want to save time and energy doing the laundry. You need to spring into action when you notice a butter stain. Butter is typically composed of milk solids and water. That combination can be highly oily — especially if the butter is melted. With that in mind, you need to get moving pronto.
Step 2: Use cornstarch to soak up the grease
One of the easiest things you can do is use cornstarch to soak up the butter grease. (If you don't have cornstarch at home, look for an alternative!) Talcum powder and even baking soda tend to work well. Sprinkle the powder onto the butter stain and leave it for 10-15 minutes. You should notice that the grease starts to soak into the powder instantly.
Step 3: Remove the powder next
Next up, you need to remove the powder (or cornstarch). You can move the garment over the bin and pour the powder directly into it. Use your hand to brush away any excess gently. Avoid putting any pressure on the area. The last thing you want is to smush the cornstarch into the clothing and create further problems for yourself.
Step 4: Pretreat the butter stain
While the cornstarch will have soaked up much of the grease, it won't altogether remove the stain. That's okay! The next step is to pretreat the area before you wash it. When discussing how to get butter out of clothes, this is an important step you don't want to overlook. Use gentle washing up liquid to pretreat the area. Mix it with some water and then massage it into the butter stain. This will help with the removal process.
Step 5: Wash your clothing
Now that you have done all of the above, the next step is to wash your clothing. Check the item's label to see the exact washing symbols and instructions. These will usually depend on the fabric of the garment. You may be able to throw them in the washing machine with other items. However, check to see if some pieces will also be "hand wash only".
Step 6: Leave your clothes to dry naturally
Generally, you want to leave your clothes to dry naturally. It's essential to make sure that your clothing has a chance to air out. You should not put this item in the tumble dryer. If there is any excess from the butter stain, you may find that the heat makes it stick. Instead, hang the clothing up outside (or in your home) and leave it to dry.
Step 7: Iron your clothing
If you are going to iron your clothing, make sure you check it first. As mentioned, applying heat to an existing stain is never a good idea. You want to ensure the butter stain removal has worked 100% before you do anything else. By doing that, you can be sure that it is safe to iron your clothes without causing any problems!
How to remove butter stains from wool
The above guide is ideal if you want to learn how to remove butter from clothes. However, as a word of warning, you should know that not all fabrics are the same. Some materials are more delicate than others. For that reason, you need to take more care when you are cleaning specific clothes. One example of a delicate fabric is, of course, wool.
You might feel like panicking if you have spilt some butter on a woollen item. Don't worry. The truth is that you can save the clothing as long as you act fast. According to the Woolmark Company, here are the steps that you need to take to get started:
Step 1: Remove the excess oil
Should you find that a greasy mark appears where you spilt the butter, it is essential to get rid of it first. You can use a spoon or a blunt knife to scrape away the excess oil so that the area is as clean as can be. The more you remove, the easier the process will be.
Step 2: Use an iron to soak it up
Place a layer of kitchen roll over the butter stain. Next, you should use a medium-hot iron to soak up the grease. The kitchen roll will ensure you don't accidentally burn the wool. You will also see that the oil starts to soak into it as you use the iron. Of course, you should take extra care when using an iron on woollen clothes.
Step 3: Use a solvent if necessary
If none of the above has removed the stain, you can use a proprietary grease remover or solvent. Grab a lint-free cloth and dip it into the liquid. You can then blot the butter stain with the cloth to remove it. You should be careful when carrying out this step. Repeat this as many times as needed, then let the woollen clothing dry entirely.
Step 4: Hand wash the clothing
Finally, you should hand wash the woollen clothing. Make sure you look at the label on the clothes to see what you need to do. That way, you can ensure you don't damage the material when washing it. You will most likely need to allow the woollen item to dry naturally. Often enough, a tumble dryer will cause these items to shrink.
Butter stain removal can be simple when you know how. In this guide, we have given you the tools to make cleaning your clothes a breeze. Make sure you remove the grease ahead of time to keep your clothing items looking fresh. Of course, you should also take extra precautions when cleaning particularly delicate clothing items.
Q&A
Are you looking for some more answers? We have what you need. Let's take a look at some of the frequently asked questions here.
Does butter stain clothes?
Butter is fatty and oily. Therefore, if you don't treat a spillage quickly, you might find it stains your clothes. The key to avoiding this problem is treating it when you see it.
How do you get oil out of clothes?
Learning how to get oil stains out of clothes is simple. Simply scrape the area to remove excess, pretreat the stain, and then hand wash. As always, you should make sure that you leave the clothing item to dry naturally.
Can you remove butter stains after drying?
If the butter stain has already dried, use a spoon to scrape off as much excess as possible. Create a mixture of distilled white vinegar and water in even portions. Dab this mixture onto the stain, leave for 30 minutes, and then hand wash the item for the best results.
Have you got any tips to share? Leave a comment below!
Leave a Reply