Oil and grease family: degrease, then hot wash
How to get axle and bearing grease out
Thick, sticky grease with metal fines.
Do this first
Scrape with a dull knife
Fresh stain
- Scrape with a dull knife
- Solvent or degreaser
- Dish soap
- Wash hot
Dried or old
- Repeat
- accept a shadow on work clothes
- Fabric care
- Leather gloves: wipe, don't wash.
- Time
- 30 min
- How to tell
- Look: black-brown smear; Feel: thick; Smell: oily
Where this fix comes from
- Household folk practice, checked against the guides above
- University of Illinois Extension, Stain Solutions
We check every fix against these published guides. We do not run a test lab of our own.
Before you start
- Test on a hidden seam first.
- Never mix cleaners.
- Keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.