Blot the grease immediately with paper towels, then work dish soap directly into the stain — grease on cotton needs surfactants, not just water [S1]. After the dish soap loosens the oil, soak in warm water with Sil Fleckensalz (Grade 2.4) for 30–60 minutes, then wash hot. Unlike protein stains, grease actually benefits from heat: hot water keeps the oil liquid so detergent can emulsify it out of the cotton fibers.
How to Remove Grease Stains from Cotton
⏱️ Treat Today — Grease Spreads Over Time
How to Remove Grease from Cotton — Step by Step
- Blot excess grease. Place paper towels or a clean white cloth on both sides of the fabric. Press firmly to absorb as much grease as possible. Replace towels as they saturate. Don't rub — this spreads the oil into a larger area.
- Apply dish soap directly. Put a drop of dish soap (Spülmittel) directly on the stain and work it in with your fingertip using small circular motions. Dish soap contains surfactants specifically designed to break oil-water tension [S1]. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes.
- Rinse and check. Rinse with warm water. If the dark spot is still visible, the grease has penetrated deeper into the cotton's cellulose structure — proceed to step 4.
- Soak in oxygen bleach. Dissolve 1–2 tablespoons of Sil 1 für Alles Fleckensalz in warm water (40°C). Submerge the garment for 30–60 minutes. Sil's lipase enzymes target fat molecules specifically, breaking triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids that dissolve in water [S2].
- Machine wash hot. Wash at the maximum temperature the care label allows. For white cotton, 60°C is ideal. Hot water is essential — it keeps grease fluid so the detergent can fully emulsify it.
- Inspect before drying. Check the stain area while the fabric is still wet. If any dark spot remains, repeat the dish soap + soak treatment. Never put a grease-stained garment in the dryer — the heat polymerizes the oil, making it permanent [S3].
What Not to Do
- Don't use cold water. Unlike wine or blood stains, grease needs heat. Cold water solidifies grease within cotton fibers, making it harder to extract.
- Don't rub the stain. Rubbing forces grease deeper into the cotton weave and spreads it outward, enlarging the stained area.
- Don't use the dryer until the stain is gone. Dryer heat polymerizes (hardens) grease molecules, bonding them permanently to cotton cellulose [S3].
- Don't sprinkle cornstarch and wait. The old "cornstarch absorbs grease" trick works on fresh surface oil but does nothing once grease has penetrated the fiber. You need surfactants.
Why Grease Stains on Cotton Are Stubborn
Cotton is a cellulose fiber with a naturally porous structure — tiny channels between microfibrils that wick up liquids through capillary action. Grease exploits this structure: it flows into the spaces between fibers and fills them. Once there, it resists water because oil and water don't mix (they're immiscible). That's why plain water does nothing to a grease stain [S1]. You need surfactants — molecules with a water-loving head and an oil-loving tail — to bridge the gap and pull grease into the wash water.
Best for Grease
Sil 1 für Alles Fleckensalz
Grade 2.4Why Sil works for grease on cotton: Sil's formula contains lipase enzymes that specifically target triglycerides — the fat molecules in cooking grease, body oils, and butter [S2]. Unlike dish soap alone, lipase breaks the ester bonds in triglycerides, converting them into water-soluble glycerol and fatty acid salts. The oxygen bleach component then lifts any remaining discoloration. This dual-action approach (enzymatic + oxidative) is why Sil outperforms single-mechanism cleaners on grease.
For grease stains specifically: Use warm water (40°C) to keep grease fluid. Soak for 30–60 minutes. For heavy or dried grease, make a paste with Sil powder and a few drops of water, apply directly to the stain, and let sit 20 minutes before soaking.