Whether it is a cooking stain, an oily handprint on a wall, a ghee drop that has landed on your clothes or even black marks from a bicycle chain, grease stains seem to be everywhere, including unlikely places like our mattress. At some point, we’ve all done research on ‘how to remove stains from the floor’ or ‘how to get rid of grease stains’, in general, haven’t we?
But fret not, we believe that where there is a will to get a stain out, there is definitely a way. Experience has taught us about the best ways to tackle grease stains that appear on different kinds of surfaces. So, here are some tips to help you get rid of all those unwanted and stubborn oil and grease stains that you may encounter in your homes on different kinds of surfaces:
Tips to Remove Grease Stains from Clothing
Understandably, grease stains on clothing are very frustrating, but there is a relatively simple way to get them out. We’ve found that making a solution that contains 50% water and 50% vinegar and applying that liberally on the stain works wonders. But this hack is not enough. One then needs to continue with the normal routine of cleaning with a laundry detergent and water in the washing machine. We recommend using the Surf Excel Matic Liquid detergent, as it works well on stain removal in washing machines.
Tips to Remove Grease Stains from Rugs and Upholstery
Let’s admit it – we’ve all taken our favourite finger foods and chips to our most comfortable couches and sofas and ended up dropping them there too. These undoubtedly leave grease stains on the rugs and upholstery, but there is a simple trick to get rid of them. We’ve figured that dabbing those grease stains with regular laundry detergent and wiping them down with water is usually the most effective way to get them out.
Tips to Remove Grease Stains from Tiled Floors
Most of the grease stains in our homes usually land up on tiled floors and luckily for us, they are also the easiest to clean. When there are little children or pets in the house, we have to be especially careful to clean those greasy stains well to avoid any untoward incidents. Club soda cuts through the grease stain fast, so wash them off with a mixture of club soda and water and see your tiled floors shine!
Tips to Remove Grease Stains from Walls
Grease stains on walls are very common, especially those near the kitchen. More so when there are toddlers around. While different wall surfaces have different finishes, a simple and common hack works well to clean grease stains on most of them. What we do is mix 1/4th teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a cup of warm water and then use a soft sponge dipped in this solution to rub the stains off. We then rinse it off with clean water and leave it to air dry.
Another effective solution for cleaning off new grease splatters from walls is by using a natural degreaser like lemon or baking soda. If you’re using lemon, we recommend squeezing the juice of a lemon into a spray bottle, spraying that onto the grease stain and letting it sit for a few minutes. You can wipe it off with a damp cloth and then dry the surface with a clean towel. Alternatively, you could also use a paste made of baking soda and warm water. We’ve found that using a sponge to run this paste on to the grease stain to scrub it away works well to clean the wall surfaces. (Pro tip: It also works great on stained mugs!)
Tips for Removing Grease Stains from Different Kitchen Surfaces
There’s no escaping the fact that since cooking is done in the kitchen, the greasiest of surfaces in a home will also be found in that area. Cooking oil ends up landing on most kitchen surfaces like backsplash, chimneys, microwaves, etc. and here are some simple tips to give your kitchen a face-lift.
Cabinet doors
Cabinet doors, especially those immediately above the stove are prone to get spotty due to the oil splatters while cooking. So, we suggest mixing a dishwashing liquid (2-3 drops) into a bowlful of warm water. Soak a clean, soft cloth in this liquid, wring it until it is almost dry and wipe away those grease spots. The spots will be gone in seconds!
Backsplash
While most of us keep our kitchen countertops spick and span, wiping them several times a day, the panel behind the sink or cooker, is often ignored. This area, between the kitchen upper cabinets and the counter is equally important to clean else it can lead to the accumulation of a lot of dirt and grease. Here’s what you can do to clean this grease off- squeeze the juice of one or two lemons in a spray bottle. Spray that onto the grease on the backsplash and let it rest for a few minutes. Then wipe it off with a damp fine cloth and finish off by drying the surface with a clean towel. Lemon is a fantastic cleaning agent that will cut right through the grease!
Chimney and Exhaust
Typically, this is where most of the grease accumulates while cooking as it is directly in the line of fire, metaphorically and literally speaking. The first step is to remove the filter of the chimney and soak it in a tub of hot water that has a few drops of dishwashing liquid added to it. Let it sit in this liquid for a while and then we recommend using a clean cloth to wipe away all the accumulated grime. Leave it to air-dry or sun-dry for a while before fixing the filters back on the chimney. It will look as good as new!
Stovetop
While most of us are pretty thorough with stove top cleaning on a regular basis, it’s always recommended to do some deep cleaning once in about 15-20 days to ensure its optimal functioning. For this, you’ll have to remove all the parts of the stove – like the burner tops, knobs, grates, etc. Fill a bucket with hot water and mix in 4-5 drops of dishwashing liquid.
Drop all the removed parts into this bucket and let them soak for a while. In the meantime, we’d recommend wiping down the stovetop thoroughly from the front and back. Put a few drops of dishwashing liquid on the kitchen scrubber and wipe away the grime and grease. To get into the difficult corners and nooks, you can use an old toothbrush. Do the same with the parts that are soaking in the bucket. Once done, leave them to air-dry and then reassemble.
Once all this is done, you will definitely give yourselves a pat on the back for having a sparkling clean kitchen!
We hope these tips work for all of you, just like they have for us and you are able to enjoy your home without any grease stains spoiling the look of the surfaces!
Can cleaning burn off calories? We look at the household chores most likely to help.