Fat stains on woollen clothing

[liberatordeluxe]

What detergent is best for getting out fat stains on cashmere woollen clothing? Tried the Ecover Wool mark approved detergent and was useless. Anything else I can use? Should I buy a branded detergent or just supermarket own version for this? Need something powerful without wrecking jumper and Ecover doesn't cut it!

 

[foraloysius]

Try pretreating it a bit and handwashing directly after that with Johnson baby shampoo.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Thanks for that tip. Will give it a go

 

[maytagbear]

I am

rather surprised that you didn't try original blue Dawn/Fairy washing-up liquid. Wildlife rescue organisations here in the States use Dawn to safely remove petroleum from waterfowl.

When I am asked about fat/petroleum stains, I always and only recommend Dawn. Put some Fairy on the stain, let it soak in, put the stopper in the basin, and gently wash.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[aquacycle]

laundry soap! Morrisons and Wilco's sell it in bars, it's fab stuff!

 

[jamiel]

Just dry clean it.

 

[launderess]

You want a solvent based stain remover.

Something like this: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/24040/Dry-Clean-Stain-Remover-Spray

See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/3324221/Household-plc-stain-removal-part-three.html

Essentially you're looking for "dry cleaning solvent" in a small bottle. Sadly out of health concerns many countries have banned the good stuff (benzene, carbon tetrachloride), but substitutes can be found.

We use solvents for oil/fat marks because they are hydrophobic (repel water) making them hard to remove via laundering in water.

Another old school trick is to use an absorbent powder such as starch or Fuller's earth. You rub the powder onto fat/oil mark and let it sit for a bit, then brush off. Ideally the absorbent does just that taking much of the stain with it, though sometimes you have to repeat. Have had better luck with this method when a oil/fat mark is fresh, such as splotches of salad oil than when things have been sat sitting.

If all else fails yes, as noted above take the thing to your local dry cleaner making sure to point out the mark.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

@Aquacyle Persil soap bars? Have you got a link?

Thanks to all the other forum users for tips

 

[rolls_rapide]

ACDO might do the trick

I am sure that ACDO powder states that woollens can be washed in it, but to use a gentle squeezing action in cool water. No enzymes are present.

Silks are not to be washed in ACDO, though. Probably the product is too harsh (alkaline) for such fine delicates.

 

[launderess]

Thing about trying to "wash" out an oil/fat based st

Is that often you cannot achieve a high enough level of surfactant/water level that will overcome the natural tendency of fats/oils to be hydrophobic. That is the stain by nature is going to resist water, and if the water/soap or detergent cannot get to the mark fully, it won't break it up to be removed.

Many of us notice this when getting say salad, cooking or any other oil spot on an item of clothing. You put it into the wash and after drying the stain in total and or its shadow still remains. However if you pre-treat the same mark first, it often is gone after washing.

Of particular worry to wool and silk is that the traditional methods of coping with oils/fats in the wash (use of highly alkaline substances) cannot be tolerated.

Sadly (if that is the proper word) many of the better spot removers of past (Energine, Carbona, Aftra, Guardian, etc...) are either gone or have been reformulated. This is just as well as they contained what we know now are some pretty nasty substances (benzene, carbon tetrachloride), but for most small spots, the new stuff should work fine.