How to Get Butter out of Clothing

Co-authored by Rani Gorgis and Hannah Madden

Whether cooking or eating, if you're not careful, you can get a butter stain on your clothes. Butter has oil and milk proteins which leave behind a combination stain that can be particularly difficult to remove. The best thing you can do for your garment is to treat the stain as soon as possible, before it has a chance to really set into the fabric. This article explains three methods to save your butter-stained clothes from the trash bin. The first two methods can be used separately or combined; the third should be attempted only as a last resort, if the other methods fail.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Dishsoap and Spot Treatment

1
Rub dishwashing soap into the stain. Because dishwashing soaps are designed to deal with the fatty, greasy food products that build up on pots, pans, and plates, they’re also a good way to deal with butter when it gets on clothing.^{[1]
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Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.}
- Dampen the stained area with lukewarm water.
- Apply a small amount of dishwashing soap to the stain.
- Rub at the stain gently with your fingers, making sure to spread the soap throughout the stained fabric.
2
Rinse thoroughly. Using a sink or bathtub faucet, run warm-to-hot water over the stained area until the soap had been rinsed from the fabric. Make sure you’re not just catching the soap somewhere else in the fabric of the garment; hold the fabric taut so you can see that the suds have run off and down the drain.

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3
Pretreat the stain with prewash stain remover. If you’re dealing with something as stubborn as a butter stain, treat it with a concentrated stain fighter before running it, finally, through the washing machine. You can purchase prewash stain removers in the laundry aisle at the grocery store, or you can make your own at home.
- If you wish to make your own prewash stain remover, mix the following ingredients together: ^{[3]
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  - 1 1/2 cups of water
  - 1/4 cup of liquid castile soap (if you cannot find this in a store, it can be easily purchased online)
  - 1/4 cup of vegetable glycerine (again, available for purchase online)
  - 5-10 drops of lemon essential oil
- Once the ingredients have been mixed, apply the product to the stain, rubbing it into the fabric gently with your fingers.
- Let the fabric soak for at least an hour (see specific brand instructions if you purchased a product in-store) before putting the garment through the washing machine.
4
Wash the stained garment in the washing machine. The hotter the water, the higher the likelihood of the butter stain coming out, so use the hottest temperature allowable for the fabric of the stained piece of clothing. However, check the garment tag carefully to make sure that the fabric won’t be damaged by high temperatures. If so, use a lower temperature setting.
- Add regular laundry detergent to the wash with the stained garment.^{[4]
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  Rani Gorgis
  Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
  Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.}
5
Check the stain before drying. If the stain hasn’t been removed yet, you don’t want to run it through the dryer; the heat will cause the stain to set more permanently in the fabric. If the stain has not yet been removed, repeat the process of applying dish soap, rinsing, pretreating the stain, and washing one more time before putting the garment through the dryer. After a second round of treatment, the stain should be removed.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Cornstarch or Talcum Powder

1
Treat the stain while it’s still fresh. This method will work best if you get to the stain while it’s still wet, before it’s had a chance to really set into the fabric.
2
Lay the garment out on a flat surface. Choose a location out of the way, where it won’t get jostled or knocked to the ground. You don’t want to make a bigger mess than you already have by getting powder all over the place!
3
Sprinkle the product onto the stain.^{[5]
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Research source} Talcum powder and cornstarch are both incredibly absorbent. When you cover the fresh butter stain with a generous layer of either product, the powder will draw the butter out of the garment.
- Pat the powder gently down into the stain, but don’t rub it into the fabric.
4
Let the powder sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer you let it sit on the stain, the better your chances of the butter being completely removed. At minimum, let it sit for half an hour before moving on to the next step.
5
Scrub the stain with an old toothbrush. Use the toothbrush to loosen the talcum powder or cornstarch from the surface of the stain. Brush it away with your fingers and assess how much stain has been left behind.
- If the stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process until it has.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

1
Sprinkle baking soda onto the stain. Baking soda is super absorbent, so it will help remove any grease that’s stuck in the fiber of your clothing. Sprinkle on a thick layer all over the butter stain and make sure it’s completely covered.^{[6]
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- If the butter stain just happened, scrape off any excess with a knife before starting.
2
Let the baking soda sit for at least 24 hours. Baking soda needs time to work effectively. Try to leave the baking soda in place for about 1 day, or as long as you can. The longer you let it sit, the more time it will have to absorb the butter and the grease from your fabric.^{[7]
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- If you don’t have any time to waste, try to let the baking soda sit for at least 30 minutes.^{[8]
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3
Spray the area with white vinegar mixed with water. In a spray bottle, mix together 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. Spray the baking soda with the vinegar, and don’t worry if it starts to foam!^{[9]
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- As the baking soda foams, it will penetrate even deeper into the fibers of your clothing.
4
Scrub the stain with soap and water. You can use a clean toothbrush or a kitchen sponge. Soak the brush or sponge in a little bit of water and add a drop of dish soap, then gently scrub the greasy area on your clothing. When you’re done, rinse the article of clothing with cool water.^{[10]
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- If there’s any butter still left, you can repeat this whole process over again.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using WD-40 As Your Last Resort

1
Know that you’re taking a risk. Although some people have found success using WD-40 on especially tough grease stains, you run the risk of leaving behind another grease stain that's tough to get out. WD-40 can also leave behind a terrible smell that is more difficult to mask than the original stain.^{[11]
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- Test the product on a small, easily hidden patch of fabric on the garment before applying it to the stain.
- Let it sit for half an hour, then check whether or not the cloth has been damaged in any way.
- If not, proceed to the next step.
2
Apply the product to the stain. WD-40 comes in a spray bottle, so be sure to apply the product from a close range, keeping the spray area constrained to the stain. This will ensure you don’t drench your garment, and you can control the area you wish to treat.^{[12]
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3
Let it sit for a few minutes. WD-40 is greasy, which is why it can work on tough grease stains. Set your clothing aside for about 5 minutes to let it soak in and loosen up the butter in your clothing.^{[13]
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4
Dab the stain with a paper towel. The goal is to transfer the WD-40 from your clothing onto the paper towel. Keep moving the paper towel to a new, clean side as it gets saturated with grease.^{[14]
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- Try to work from the outside in to avoid making the stain bigger by accident.
5
Wash the garment as usual in the laundry. Again, use the hottest possible water setting allowable for the fabric you’re dealing with. The hotter the water, the better the chances of stain removal.^{[15]
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- Check the garment to make sure the stain has been removed before running it through the dryer, as the heat will set the stain even further.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is there anything else that will work to get the stain out?

Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

Rani Gorgis

Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

For heavy butter/oil stains, use baking soda on the stain and rub it in vigorously. Let it sit for half an hour and then brush it away. You can also use a mixture of warm water and vinegar and spray it directly on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes and then drop the item in the wash with warm water and regular laundry detergent.
Question

Can I use Coke to remove butter from my shirt?

Community Answer

No. Coke will make the shirt sticky and probably cause a stain. Follow the instructions in the article, or just throw it in the washing machine and hope for the best.
Question

Will this bleach the shirt?

Community Answer

No. Apply non-colored hand soap, then flush with hot water while giving a little rub. Rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry with a towel. You can gently blow dry the garment to see if it has worked, and then repeat.

Warnings

If a stain sits for too long without treatment, it might not ever come out. Be prepared to part with your clothing.

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