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Discover how to eliminate butter stains.
JoLinKnowing which side your bread is buttered on might help prevent butter from ending up on your shirt sleeve. But if you happen to forget where the butter is, don't worry. By learning how to remove butter from clothes, you'll be prepared the next time hunger strikes.
In this guide, you'll learn how to tackle those tricky butter or margarine stains, which are known to be some of the most challenging stains to remove. Whether you're working with delicate fabrics or tougher materials, these tips will help you get rid of that greasy mess.
What Is the Affected Area?
The initial step in eliminating butter stains is to determine the material that has been stained.
Here are some of the most common materials that can get butter stains, along with instructions on how to remove butter from each:
- Non-washable fibers such as acetate, burlap, carpet/synthetic, carpet/wool, fiberglass, rayon, rope, silk, triacetate, wool
- Washable fibers such as acrylic fabric, cotton, linen, modacrylic, nylon, olefin, polyester, spandex
- Hard surfaces like acrylic plastic, alabaster, aluminum, asphalt, bamboo, brass, bronze, cane, ceramic glass/tile, chromium, copper, cork, enamel, glass, gold, grout, iron, linoleum, marble, paint/gloss, pewter, plexiglas, polyurethane, porcelain, stainless steel, tin, vinyl clothing, vinyl tile, vinyl wall covering, zinc
- Stone surfaces such as bluestone, brick, concrete, flagstone, granite, limestone, masonry tile, sandstone, slate, terrazzo
- Felt
- Leather or suede
- Paint/Flat or wallpaper
- Silver
- Wood
Non-washable Fabrics
To remove a butter stain from fabrics such as acetate, burlap, fiberglass, rayon, rope, silk, triacetate, or wool, follow these steps carefully:
- Use a scraping tool to gently lift off as much solid butter as possible without pressing it deeper into the fabric fibers.
- Apply an absorbent material (corn starch for lighter fabrics, fuller's earth for darker fabrics), but avoid pressing it into the stain. Allow the absorbent time to work its magic.
- Remove the absorbent material and repeat the application if necessary.
- If any stain remains, gently sponge the area with a cleaner like Afta Cleaning Fluid or K2r Spot Lifter (except on acetate blends), using a damp paper towel.
Washable Fabrics
To clean a butter stain from washable fabrics such as acrylic, cotton, linen, nylon, olefin, polyester, or spandex, follow these steps:
- Scrape off any excess butter from the fabric.
- Pretreat the grease stain by applying a stain remover, such as Shout Liquid Laundry Stain Remover, blot the stained area, and wash as usual. If the stain persists, or if washing is delayed, lay the fabric stain-side down on an absorbent pad.
- Flush the back of the stain with a cleaner like Afta Cleaning Fluid, then blot with a clean absorbent pad to lift the stain.
- Repeat the pretreatment process and rinse thoroughly, or wash with laundry detergent.
Hard Surfaces
To remove a blood stain from surfaces like acrylic plastic, aluminum, asphalt, brass, bronze, ceramic glass/tile, chromium, copper, coral, cork, enamel, glass, gold, iron, ivory, jade, linoleum, opal, paint (flat or gloss), pearls, pewter, platinum, plexiglass, polyurethane, porcelain, stainless steel, tin, vinyl clothing, vinyl tile, vinyl wall coverings, or zinc, follow these steps:
- Scrape away as much of the excess stain as possible.
- Wipe the area gently with a clean sponge or cloth soaked in warm soapy water.
- Rinse with clear water and then dry the surface with a clean cloth.
Stone Surfaces
To remove butter stains from stone surfaces like bluestone, brick, concrete, flagstone, granite, limestone, masonry tile, sandstone, slate, or terrazzo, follow these steps:
- Remove any excess stain.
- Mix a solution of washing soda or detergent with water.
- Scrub off any remaining stain.
- Rinse thoroughly with warm water and let it air dry.
Felt
Here’s how to remove butter stains from felt:
- Scrape off any excess butter without pushing it deeper into the fibers.
- Apply absorbent powder to the stain: corn starch for light colors or fullers earth for dark shades.
- Allow the absorbent to soak up the grease for a while.
- Gently brush off the absorbent with an old toothbrush, following the nap of the fabric. If any grease remains, apply fresh absorbent powder.
- Let the absorbent sit again, then brush it off gently.
Leather or Suede
Here’s how to remove butter stains from leather or suede:
- Gently scrape off any excess butter.
- Apply a thick paste made of fullers earth and water to the stain.
- Allow the paste to dry, then gently brush it off. If the stain persists, repeat the process. For leather, use products like Tannery Vintage Leather Cleaner & Conditioner or Fiebings Saddle Soap to condition the leather.
Paint or Wallpaper
To remove butter stains from paint or wallpaper, follow these steps:
- Scrape away any excess butter.
- Rub the stain with a suede stone, or create a thick paste from fullers earth (for dark surfaces) or cornmeal (for light surfaces) and gently dab the paste onto the stain with your palm.
- Let it dry, then carefully brush off with a clean, dry cloth.
Silver
To get rid of butter stains on silver, follow these steps:
- Clean the silver by washing it with warm, soapy water.
- Rinse the silver with hot water, then promptly dry it with a soft, clean cloth.
Wood
To remove butter stains from wood, follow these steps:
- Use a clean, dry cloth to remove excess butter.
- Soak a cloth in warm, soapy water and gently wipe away any grease stains. Rinse thoroughly, then polish or apply wax to finish.
Store the Baking Soda Properly
A few drops of melted butter can be surprisingly costly, unless you know these cleaning tricks. Some of the methods mentioned here might sound unusual, but they are much more effective than regular laundry detergent or talcum powder.
So don’t let greasy stains ruin your favorite clothes or furniture. Use these techniques the next time you experience a butterfingers moment, and save yourself from a lot of stress. After all, it’s better than giving up butter altogether!
