How do you get oily stains out of work shirt?

Question

My daughter is a server at a restarant. She gets her polo uniform shirt soiled all the time. I have used spray &wash and also zout, but sometimes I forget and just laundry them. Have the stains set in or can they still be removed? Whats the best spot/soil remover for colored items. Do you always have to brush the solutions in?

Great answers from everyone. I will try all of them.
I'm going to put the vote to the voters since I couldn't decide on one.
Thank you everyone :)

Answer 1

At one time in my life I was an aircraft mechanic. My clothes were soiled with things you or your daughter couldn't even conceive of. I used that orange scented hand cleaner (I'm a bit iffy about the name but it may be "Goop"). It is specifically for mechanics and is very hard on grease of any kind. The set in stains, i.e. the ones that have already been washed may be a problem but most of the others will be gone after the wash.

Apply some to the stain and work the material enough to get the whole stain soaked all the way through. If you can leave it set for an hour or more, so much the better. I'm not a chemist but this stuff seems to be water soluble so most, if not all, of it's cleaning is done before it hits the water in the washer. Then launder as normal, I recommend using the cycle with two rinses. I had GREAT success with it. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me...

Answer 2

When your daughter gets home from work, spray the stains with Shout and rub it in so it soaks through the fabric. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Ideally, her uniform should be washed right away so the stains don't have time to set. If you have a load of laundry ready to go, that's great.

If not, and I seldom did, this works too. Add some of your regular laundry detergent to a bucket of water. Just enough to make it soapy. You can always add more if needed. The water temperature depends on the fabric and recommended washing instructions. Give it an occasional "swish" or two. When you can, toss the uniforms in the washer with the rest of the laundry. You may need less detergent than usual.

For clothes with stains that are set in, try the above method. I've soaked clothes with stubborn stains for as long as 7 days with mixed results.

IMPO- I have found Shout and Tide to be the among the best.

Answer 3

After laundering, stains are usually set in. However, you can try taking a toothbrush and really scrubbing the Zout in and then let it set for quite a while but not long enough for the Zout to dry. Then launder in hot water.

I've done this with fifth-wheel grease and managed to get it out after several scrubbings and washings before using the dryer.

I've also used Zout to get blood out, using COLD water.

The BEST thing to do it treat the stain as soon as possible before washing.

BTW: I use Oxydol laundry detergent and have for over 38 years. I've tried others but keep coming back to Oxydol. And Zout is the BEST I've found for all round stain removal!!!

Answer 4

You might want to check these out. They are the top10 stain removers. There are more on the site I listed below. I've had good luck with some of the products I used ..Good Luck !


1) OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover
OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover removes set in stains on your toughest laundry disasters. Grass, wine, blood, dirt, and soft drinks are no match for the tough quick action of OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover. OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover does a great job on your water washable upholstery, and on kitchen and bathroom grime.

2) Tide Stain Brush
The Tide Stain Brush is a battery operated stain remover brush designed to rub Liquid Tide into stains allowing them to be pretreated and removed easily. This little gadget does a great job on stains and keeps you from having to get your hands as dir


3) Tide To Go
Tide To Go is a marker sized magic pen that removes fresh food and drink stains without the need for water or a washing machine. Tide To Go is handy to have in your home, car, and purse for those unexpected stains that need to be dealt with now.

4) Spray and Wash Dual Power Laundry Stain Remover
Spray and Wash Dual Power Laundry Stain Remover combines the power of a pretreater designed to wipe out oily stains with an enzyme cleaner that increases the ability to remove juice, coffee, and other food stains. This fizzing stain remover breaks down tough stains easily.

5) Oxiclean Stain Remover Wipes
OxiClean Stain Remover Wipes are a great option for on the go stain fighting needs. With the power of OxiClean's cleaner and the convenient form of a wipe, you'll never have to stay embarrassed all day over a little spill from breakfast. Try OxiClean's Stain Remover Wipes on all the little accidents you need to hide.

6) Zout Stain Remover
Zout stain remover is a great product to remove blood and protein stains from your laundry. Effective on all types of stains, Zout comes in a liquid, spray, and Oxy Foam varieties. A long time favorite among many housekeepers, Zout is powerful at knocking out tough laundry stains without a lot of effort from you

7) Spray and Wash Stain Stick
The Spray and Wash Stain Stick remains one of my favorite stain removal products. For busy families, the benefit of treating stains now and washing up to a week later is more than just convenient. The Spray and Wash Stain Stick is a great pretreater with a lot of convenience and ease of use.

8) Shout Gel
Shout Gel has a built in fabric brush that combines with the stain removal gel to make a powerful cleaner. Shout Gel is easy to use and effective on tough laundry stains. The gel works well even in cold water washes and rinses, making Shout Gel a fabulous choice for stain removal.

9) Bio-Kleen Bac Out Stain and Odor Eliminator
Bi-O-Kleen's Bac Out Stain and Odor Eliminator contains natural enzymes that break down organic waste. A super effective cleaner, Bi-O-Kleen is especially effective on smelly laundry stains. Bi-O-Kleen is also effective on carpet stains, drains, garbage disposals, diaper pails, pet stains, and bathrooms. Without any harsh smells or chemicals, Bi-O-Kleen is a fantastic stain and odor eliminator.

10) Clorox Bleach Pen
The Clorox Bleach Pen gives you the ability to bleach small stained areas on clothing without bleaching an entire garment. One end of the Clorox Bleach Pen has a small precision tip, perfect for navigating around a pattern on clothing. The other side of the Clorox Bleach Pen has a scrub brush to provide extra power when needed. Great for laundry, the Clorox Bleach Pen also does a great job in kitchens and bathrooms with bleaching needs
http://housekeeping.about.com/od/product...

Answer 5

i use mechanics waterless hand cleaner. it takes out cooking oil, grease, motor oil, you name it. rub it on the stain and wash as usual. works great.

Answer 6

My mom-in-law swears by Dawn dish washing liquid.