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Bought a new pair of jeans, wore them out to dinner with AJ for the first time last weekend, and got a nice big garlic butter stain on the left leg, right above the knee. Thanks so much, porous restaurant napkin.

Tried washing them with Oxyclean Stain Remover sprayed on then let set for awhile. They're a very dark blue denim (almost black) and though I thought it was out, I noticed it again when I wore them this weekend in the daylight.

They've been washed and hung (not dryer dried) - is it too late to rescue them? Is a better option to take them to a dry cleaner? I know, I know - silly to waste it on jeans, but...like I said, brand spanking new and they actually fit me!

A friend suggested using Dawn with a toothbrush, letting it set, then washing them again.

Other ideas?

TIA,

AJ's MOM

[This message edited by ajsmom at 10:53 AM, November 18th (Monday)]

I might be tempted to try massaging dry corn starch into the stain to see if it will pick up the remaining grease. Brush it out really well after.

dawn dishwashing liquid.

I once got some kind of grease stain out of a shirt that had been washed and dryer dried! came right out.

just squirt it on the stain, rub and wash again.

I keep finding comments that say use dishwashing liquid, a laundry safe degreaser or some stuff called Lestoil.

GOOP, the hand cleaner sold in the automechanics section of WalMart is what I have used for years on any greasy stain. I learned about it from an experienced homemaking mentor years back.

You rub it in, leave it for a while, and then wash it. You may have to repeat. If you let the GOOP dry, it may take a couple of washings to get it all out. Also works for lip stick.

(Don't leave the lid off the GOOP, or it will turn to liquid and be harder to use.) And don't buy the other brands of automechanic hand cleaner, as they leave their own residues and don't work as well as GOOP.

And no, I'm not a sales rep for GOOP

Dawn and Simple Green

After you get it out, if you're noticing any dye run, you can use vinegar to set the dye and keep them dark... I'd worry about the harsh chemicals lightening the dye in that spot.

Dawn to the rescue!
Squirt it on, rub it in, and let it sit for a bit, then wash as usual.

I've gotten old oil stains out of clothes using this (including jeans where movie theather butter had leaked through onto my jeans), so I can verify that it worked for me.

I second the Dawn suggestions. My husband gets greasy oily stains on everything. And Dawn always gets it out.

And here I was worried that your often used comment of "Butter my butt and call me biscuit" led to this.

@ Moo!

Thanks for the help! Think I'm going to go the Dawn route, at least to start. I really don't want any damage done to them. Plus I have the pomegranate scent at home, so they'll smell extra nice!

I figure if it's used to clean petroleum saturated birds in the Gulf, it should work on butter!

I know you've already decided to do Dawn... I was going to say it was the best for getting grease out and was very gentle.

I used Dawn to get sweat bald man's head grease outta pillow cases... works great.

Dawn or Goop should do it.
You want something that will cut the oil. Whisk works too. I'm not even sure they make that anymore though.

Ditto the Dawn. Get the spot wet. Rub some Dawn in. Roll up the jeans and put in a plastic bag, and seal (so that they don't dry out).

Let them sit for a day or two, then wash in the hottest water they will tolerate.

Dawn is a miracle worker.

It took the cooking oil stain out of my carpet when someone mysteriously knocked over the deep fat fryer... and the oil soaked into the carpet for who know how long until my children noticed it. (Did I mention that daughter was sitting right next to the fryer that SOMEHOW overturned on its own for at least 20 minutes before her brother noticed it? Or that said brother then decided to use my household VACUUM CLEANER to sweep up the extra oil. Yeah. That ended up in the trash. But I digress).

I've been told the plain old blue regular Dawn works the best. That is what I used, and it did do wonders for me.

Goo Gone spray gel also works.

I'm sure Dawn is a great if not the best way to go, but I've had good results with Fels Naptha soap.

I'm a Stain Devils fan.

They're not cheap, but I've used them successfully on a variety of stains, sometimes after trying other products and failing.

They have different numbered bottles for different stains. From the chart I downloaded from their web site, I think that for butter you'd need #5 (Fat & Cooking Oil).

[This message edited by Cally60 at 1:33 AM, November 19th (Tuesday)]

Just get a stick of butter and rub evenly over the jeans. That way the color will be even!

^^^