How to save your outerwear from grease and soot.

This is how I saved my friend's padded pants, which had gotten both soot and hot frying grease on them from a griddle.

 

Hot grease penetrates significantly deeper into both textile fibers and the weave than cold grease, which more often sits on the surface rather than penetrating deeply. Add to that the fact that the fabric is light pink, and every little grease and soot stain becomes extra visible.

 

I started by making sure all the pockets were empty. Then I soaked the pants in warm water and soap. I didn't hold back here—the water should feel slightly “greasy” from the soap and foam up properly. The pants were then left to soak overnight.

The next day, I treated the stains with a laundry brush, more soap, and hot water.

Then we get to the point where you need to "take a bit of a gamble". The garment's care label says 40°C, but that simply isn't enough in this case. You have to make a choice: follow the care instructions to the letter and risk the stains remaining—or raise the temperature and save the garment. As things stood, the pants weren't usable anyway, so I decided to take the chance.

So I washed them at 60°C. Clothing manufacturers often play it a little safe with washing instructions and recommend a lower temperature than the garment can actually withstand, precisely to reduce the risk of complaints caused by careless washing.

After washing at 60°C, the stains were still visible, although faintly, once the garment had dried.

The pants then received another treatment. I carefully applied a little all-purpose detergent (from Soapa) directly to the stains with a small, soft brush. I then placed the garment on a sturdy stainless-steel laundry sink and heated some water—the kettle is perfect for this. Treat each stain with the hot water. The detergent already applied now gets a "super boost." Brush lightly with the laundry brush, and then put them in the washing machine again.

⚠️ Be careful at this step.

I treated each stain with really hot water, but only exactly where the stains were. Then I brushed them again and washed the pants once more on the same cycle in the washing machine (60°C).

And tadaaa—the stains were gone!

In short:

- Soak in soapy water overnight

- Work on the stains with a washing brush and more soap

- Wash at 60 °C (if your machine has a stain-removal program, use it)

If the stains are still visible:

- A new treatment with all-purpose detergent directly on the stains

- Pour boiling-hot water on the stains

- A new wash in the machine at 60 °C

And yes—it actually worked!

In a situation like this, you have to take a little tough action and it is a classic “win or lose” scenario. The alternative was to throw the garment away anyway, so it is worth taking a small chance to save the situation—and avoid buying a new one.

However, if you have very expensive or delicate garments that have suffered something similar, dry cleaning or other professional help is a sensible option. But if you feel like trying it yourself, this is an effective method.

The soap's fat, combined with its natural surfactants, warm water, and mechanical agitation, dissolves both grease and soot. The detergent, together with very hot water, then took care of the last remaining dirt in the fabric.

Remember that in all cleaning, whether washing clothes or cleaning, you have 4 parameters to adjust to achieve the desired result: Time, Temperature, Mechanical cleaning, and Chemicals. You can always find stronger and more dangerous chemicals, but that should never be the first thing you adjust. Instead, adjust the time = Leave it to soak overnight. Heat = Use hot water on the stain itself. Mechanical cleaning: Use a washing brush or sponge. Chemicals: Wash with soap and a gentle detergent. 

Color variation in the images is due to poor and varying lighting. If you have read the text, you know this took time, so the pictures were not taken on the same occasion. Daylight in December is rare in Vilhelmina.


Order natural cleaning products here: Soapa