How To Get Butter Out Of Clothes

While butter adds flavor to some of our favorite foods, it can also spell disaster if it falls onto your clothing. As with many stains, butter can be difficult to remove if you don’t have the know-how. Approaching the butter stain removal process correctly is essential if you want to avoid a permanent blemish on your clothing.

In this guide, we take a closer look at how to get butter out of clothes. We’re cleaning experts and understand that stains have unique removal requirements. Now, it’s time to remove that butter!

Butter Stains Explained

Before we dive into how to get butter stains out of clothes, it’s essential to understand why butter creates such intense stains. The oily texture of butter can insert itself into your clothing and create subtle stains. This can ruin your favorite shirts, pants, and jackets.

Butter is known for staining everything from polyester to linen and cotton, so nothing is safe if this food product falls onto your fabric.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to notice a butter stain, which means you may not realize you have a stain until a few days after the incident occurs. Butter stains can be difficult to see, but with the correct lighting, they become obvious.

Removing butter can be an inconsistent process. If you catch a butter stain early, removing it from your clothing can be easy. However, it can sometimes feel as if the greasy texture in butter is impossible to extract. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of eliminating butter from your clothing.

So, how do you get melted butter out of clothes? Below, we’ll take a closer look at a few different strategies you can use to remove butter from your clothes:

Powdered Laundry Detergent Method

If you use powdered laundry detergent, a special technique can help you remove butter stains from your clothing. Below, let’s take a step-by-step look at how to remove butter stains with powdered laundry detergent:

  • Step 1: Mix a small amount of water and powdered detergent together to create a thick paste. Make sure to use warm water if possible.
  • Step 2: Apply your new paste to the butter stain on your clothing, and rub it into the stain.
  • Step 3: Let your clothing sit with the paste for 30 minutes.
  • Step 4: Put your stained clothing item in the washing machine and wash it as you usually would.

The pre-treatment with the paste is essential if you want to stand a chance of removing your stain.

Liquid Laundry Detergent Method

If you don’t use powdered laundry detergent, you can use liquid detergent to remove butter stains. Again, this process will take more effort than standard laundry.

So, how do you get melted butter out of clothes? Let’s take a look at the steps below:

  •   Step 1: Remove any butter from your clothing (if there is still a layer of butter on the fabric).
  • Step 2: Treat the stain with a stain remover and place the clothing in the washing machine for a regular cycle.
  • Step 3: If the stain is still present after this washing cycle, place the clothing stain-down on an absorbent surface or pad.
  • Step 4: Take your liquid laundry detergent and place it on the back of the stain – allow this to sit for ten minutes
  • Step 5: Re-wash the clothing again

Baking Soda Method

While baking soda is more prevalent in the kitchen than in the laundry room, it can help remove butter stains. Let’s take a closer look at how to get butter out of clothes with baking soda:

  • Step 1: Apply baking soda to the butter stain on your clothing.
  • Step 2: Leave the baking soda on the stain for 15 minutes.
  • Step 3: Use a rough towel or scraper to scrape off the baking soda.
  • Step 4: Repeat the first three steps if the stain is still visible.
  • Step 5: Put dish soap onto the stain and rub it in. Let the clothing sit for 30 minutes.
  • Step 6: Put the clothing into your washing machine and start a normal wash cycle.

WD-40 Method

If you have a butter stain that is already dry, you need a product that can lift a dormant stain from your clothing. While WD-40 is known for its auto-part applications, it can help lift dry butter stains from clothing.

While it might seem counterintuitive to use WD-40, as it also has a greasy texture, the product is an emulsifier, which is useful for lifting stains.

Let’s take a look at how to remove butter stains with WD-40:

  • Step 1: Spray WD-40 on your clothing’s butter stain.
  • Step 2: Allow the WD-40 to soak into the stain for a few minutes – it needs this time to start lifting the stain out of the clothing.
  • Step 3: Lastly, put your clothing item into your washing machine and start a standard cycle.

Hairspray Method

As with WD-40, hairspray is a product that you might not expect to be useful for removing stains. However, this can be a strong tool in the fight against greasy butter stains. So, how do you get butter out of clothes with hairspray?

Start by spraying the stain with some cheap hairspray. Next, add it to your washing machine and wash as usual. This can help you remove the greasy texture from your clothing if it’s stained with butter.

Related: How To Get Chocolate Out Clothes

Other Tips and Tricks

While all the above methods provide a good chance of removing butter from your clothing, there are some other tips and tricks that you can use to improve your chances.

First, make sure that you’re using hot water when you’re trying to remove butter stains. Hot water is much better for lifting stains from your clothing. Whether you’re rubbing in detergent with water or using your washing machine, make sure you’re using warm or hot water.

Secondly, it’s best to air-dry your clothes after you try to remove a butter stain. If you put clothing with butter stains into a dryer, it can permanently cause staining. The heat of a dryer can bake your stain into your clothing, which means you won’t have a chance of removing it in the future.

As butter stains can be very subtle, you won’t be able to see them while your clothing is still wet. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can use your dryer if you don’t notice the stain when you first remove it from your washing machine – the dampness in the clothing might be hiding the stain!

Use a Professional to Get Butter Out of Clothes

While the above tips and tricks can help you remove butter from your clothes, you might be worried that you’ll worsen the problem. If you struggle to remove stains from clothing, there’s always another option: Use a professional cleaning service.

A professional cleaner will have the experience and resources to help you remove butter quickly. If your clothing item is sentimental or important to you, it’s often better to trust a professional cleaning service for the job.

There’s no point risking permanently damaging your clothing or fabric when a professional cleaner can handle the task for an affordable price.

Contact Judi’s Cleaners Today!

While you now know how to get butter out of fabric, you can call our team at Judi’s Cleaners if you want a professional to take care of the problem. We have years of experience providing high-grade cleaning services, and we understand how to effectively remove various stains from all types of clothing.

Not only do we understand how to get butter out of clothes, but we also provide a range of other service benefits that make us the best choice for the job. Our team can pick up and deliver clothing, and we can wash and fold your laundry, too. It’s our goal to make your laundry experience as convenient as possible.

Free Pickup & Delivery