Oily stains on your best clothes needn’t be a nightmare, with cleaning experts swearing by a nifty 8p hack that should help lift even the most stubborn of greasy marks
As any home chef can tell you, cooking oil can and will inevitably end up splashing all over your favourite work top.
Oily stains are known to be particularly difficult to scrub out of clothing, especially if you don’t tend to them straight away. The majority won’t just simply dissolve in water, so you’ll have to get a little more creative when it comes to getting the fabric gleaming once more.
Luckily, there’s no reason to fret if you’ve just ended up with an unsightly greasy mark right down your front. A simple 8p school staple should do the trick in a jiffy, and the smell may well bring back some nostalgic memories…
As previously reported by the Daily Express, powdered chalk applied directly to the stain should help lift it – but you’ll need to leave it to sit for several hours or overnight to ensure full absorption. Experts at Bosch explained: “Apply crushed chalk – sprinkle on enough to completely cover the stain. Let the chalk sit – absorbing oil from your clothes.
“Reapply chalk whenever you see it’s clumped together – keep doing this until the clumping stops, which means there’s no more oil to absorb.”
They continued: “Once you’ve blotted your stain and been through the baking soda or chalk steps of your choice, apply a little liquid dish soap and rub it in gently as a pre-wash treatment. This is where you could also use your old, dry toothbrush to help loosen up any oil that remains.
“Let the dish soap sit for around five minutes before rinsing. Then throw your garment into the washing machine.”
Chalk doesn’t just work a treat with oil-stained clothing. It’s also said to be highly effective when it comes to upholstery, work surfaces, and driveways. Best of all, it’s super cost-effective, and not just because it will help save otherwise perfectly fine pieces of clothing.
If you’re keen to give this a go for yourself, Hobbycraft stocks packs of 12 sticks for £1 a pop – adding up to just 8p each. No need to panic over unfortunate splishes and splashes, and absolutely no need to chuck out that top you love.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]
