Prepping the Butter Stain
Consult your garment’s care label. Care labels are sewn into garments and provide instructions on how to best launder the material. Find the label sewn into the neckline, and use this wikiHow guide to interpret the care instructions. Be on the lookout specifically for water bucket symbols, which provide wash instructions. If you notice any circle symbols, the garment is likely dry-clean only. Get the stain treated at your local dry cleaner rather than attempting to fix it at home.
Clean away any excess butter. Gorgis notes that “butter and/or oil stains both leave a greasy texture on clothing,” so it’s important to “first use a dry paper towel to wipe away as much of the stain as possible.” If a big clump of butter is stuck on the fabric, use something with a flat edge (like the back of a knife) to clear away the extra grease.
Dish Soap
Apply a layer of dish soap to the surface of the butter stain. With a clean rag (or your fingertips), work the soap into the fabric and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, stick the clothing item in the wash at the hottest temperature allowed by your care label. Liquid detergent, body wash, and hand soap can also work well for this. Give the garment a chance to air-dry once it’s clean. Gorgis notes that “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.”
Baking Soda
If the stain is pretty new, pour a layer of baking soda on top of the butter stain. Wait 5–10 minutes for it to soak up the grease before working the baking soda into the fabric with a toothbrush. Chances are, the powder will turn brown—just clear it off, apply more baking soda, and repeat the same cycle. When the baking soda no longer turns brown, stick the clothing item in the washer at the hottest permissible temperature. According to Gorgis, you can also use “baking soda mixed with a little bit of warm water” to clean butter stains. “Brush the mixture into the grease stain in a circular motion until you see the stain subside.”
Pine Cleaner
Transfer a little bit of pine cleaner to a clean rag and tap it onto the stained portion of the garment. Let the pine cleaner soak in for around 5 minutes, and then put it in the wash at the highest temperature allowed by the care label. Let the clothing air-dry rather than tumble-drying it. Only use this cleaner on fabrics that are washing machine-safe. Materials like spandex, polyester, cotton, linen, Lycra, and canvas are all safe bets.
Stain Remover
Grab the prewash stain remover of your choice and apply it directly to the greasy stain. Then, stick the clothing item in your washer at the highest temperature allowed by the care label. Alternative: Coat the stain with salt before applying the stain remover, which helps absorb the grease.
Cornstarch (for Delicates)
Drape the stained clothing on a flat surface and pour a small mound of cornstarch (or baby powder, alternatively) over the stain (or stains). If the stain is super fresh, let the cornstarch sit for 5 minutes before dusting it off. If the stain is older, wait at least 1 hour (or even overnight) before clearing away the extra powder. Ideally, the powder will absorb and remove the powder without the need for any washing. If the stain is still there, apply more cornstarch to the stain (and potentially let it sit for longer than the first time). If necessary, hand wash your delicate items to remove stubborn stains after treating them with cornstarch.
Pre-Soaking (for Large Stains)
Fill a large bucket or basin all the way up with hot water. Then, add in a scoop of powdered laundry stain remover. Add the garment to the bucket and give it 1–6 hours to soak. Rinse it out with clean water before running it through your washer at the highest temperature permitted by the care label.
What if the stain doesn’t come out?
Treat the stain again before putting it in the dryer. Inspect the damp garment and see if the greasy spot (or spots) is still there after the wash cycle. If the stain lingers, treat and wash it again rather than sticking it in your tumble dryer. Tumble-drying helps set the butter residue into the fabric. When a stain becomes set, it’s a lot trickier to remove.
Bring the garment to a dry cleaner if you’re really struggling. Dry cleaners are pros when it comes to everything laundry-related, and may be able to help get stubborn butter stains out of your clothes. Drop by your local dry cleaner and see what your options are.
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