How to remove butter stains from clothing

People love butter on their bread and it’s a common ingredient in a lot of recipes. Butter is excellent for baking as it adds good taste and flavor, so getting butter stains on clothing is a common occurrence in many homes.

Fortunately, butter stains can easily be cleaned from clothes through using readily available ingredients you probably already have at home. These include baby powder, dish soap, lemon, salt, baking powder or corn starch.

Baby/Talc Powder and liquid dishwashing soap

It almost goes without saying that baby powder, also known as talc or talcum powder, is amazing at removing oily stains because it is highly absorbent. This includes stains from butter, oil and grease. When you cover a fresh butter stain with enough talcum powder, it will suck all the butter from the garment

You’ll need:

• Baby/talc powder
• 3 tablespoons of liquid dish soap
• An old toothbrush

Follow the steps:

1. Sprinkle the baby powder on the area in question
2. Leave the powder for a few hours so the powder has time to absorb all the oil. The longer you let it sit on the stain, the better your chances of getting the butter completely removed.
3. After a few minutes, come back and brush off the talcum powder from the surface, or vacuum it up.
4. Take 3 tablespoons of dish soap and apply it to the stained area.
5. Use a toothbrush to work on the stain by gently rubbing.
6. Rinse the area with hot water and check if all the butter has come off. If not repeat the process by adding talcum powder again.
7. Once you’re satisfied with the results, transfer your clothing to the washing machine and wash as usual.

Baking soda also works with dish soap

Butter stains on your clothing don’t need to be a problem. They can simply be removed with dish soap and a little baking soda. Liquid dishwashing soap is designed to fight grease on pots and pans, so it also works well for removing oil/ grease/ butter stains on clothing.

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of warm water
• An old toothbrush or a soft-bristled brush
• 1/4 cup of baking soda
• 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap

Follow these steps:

1. Put your clothes on a flat surface.
2. Sprinkle baking soda on the affected area, this will help soak up all the oil from the butter.
3. Use a soft-bristled brush or toothbrush to spread the baking soda evenly over the stain.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of dish soap and a little water, making a paste.
5. Work the paste into the fabric with your brush, continuing to scrub.
6. Let the paste sit for approximately 10 minutes to continue working on the stain.
7. Rinse the paste off your clothing.
8. Throw it in the washing machine and wash on the hottest setting possible.
9. Use vinegar as a fabric softener, which will help get rid of any odors.

Video: How to remove butter stains from clothes with Baking soda

Combine dish soap with lemon juice and salt

As we know, dish soap works very well on greasy butter stains. Adding lemon juice will help cut through the oil completely. The combination of the dish soap, lemon and salt works like a charm for removing butter stains.

You’ll need:

• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap
• 2 tablespoons of table salt
• Cotton balls

Follow these steps:

1. Squeeze the lemon juice in a cup.
2. Apply the lemon juice to the butter stains by dipping cotton balls in the juice and then dabbing it on the stains.
3. Sprinkle salt on top of the lemon juice on the affected areas
4. Squeeze the dishwashing soap over he sprinkled salt and lemon juice.
5. Now that you have the three ingredients in one place, use the toothbrush to scrub the stain.
6. This will make sure the three ingredients penetrate well to get rid of the butter.
7. Once you’re done with scrubbing, let it rest for 10 minutes.
8. Lastly, rinse the clothing with hot water and wash as usual in the washing machine.

Common questions about getting rid of butter stains

Can butter stains be removed from clothing?

Butter stains can be removed from any clothing or upholstery without too much fuss. It’s important that you make sure to treat the stain early enough. Don’t let it set or it will be much harder to get rid of later.

Are these techniques effective for eliminating butter stains on all fabrics?

The solutions we’ve discussed for removing butter stains above should work on most types of fabric. Before going ahead, it’s very important you read the care label on your clothing, especially if you’re dealing with delicate fabrics like silk or leather.

Dish soap, baby powder, baking soda, salt and lemon are natural and very safe, so they shouldn’t bleach or discolor your garment.

How do you remove butter stains from upholstery?

To get rid of butter stains on upholstery, try the following:

1. First cover the butter stain with baking soda, corn starch, or talcum powder. This will absorb the butter’s oil from your furniture.
2. Then apply liquid dish soap to the spot, along with a sprinkle of hot water to form a paste.
3. Scrub gently with a soft-bristled brush.
4. Let stand for a few minutes and the rinse with warm water and a clean cloth.
5. Make sure you completely wipe away any soapy residue.

These are the steps for removing, not only butter, but also oil and grease stains from clothing and upholstery.

Can you use corn starch instead of talcum powder to remove butter stains?

Yes, Talcum powder and cornstarch are both excellent oil absorbents. When you pour a generous layer of either product, they will draw the butter out of the garment completely

Can vinegar be used to remove butter stains?

There is a saying ”when in doubt, use vinegar” that goes for a lot of stain problems. So, yes, vinegar can be used to get rid of butter stains. You can substitute lemon juice for distilled white vinegar. Both are natural degreasers.

Wrapping up

Butter stains are so stubborn because the stain is comprised of oil and dairy. These stains won’t usually be removed in the washing machine alone, so you have to treat the stains first.

As you can see, you do not have to go for expensive commercial cleaners to remove the stains. Readily available natural ingredients in your house will work just fine.

Let us know which of these techniques works best for you.

Happy cleaning!