Removing/Preventing Staining on Clothes 

Getting into the world of natural cosmetics, experimenting with DIY products, and trying out different natural products can sometimes involve staining, in particular, essential oil stains. 

There are many different kinds of stains that can make their way onto different types of fabric. Each stain and each fabric have their own secret tricks for the trade of removing those stains. Many of our natural products and cosmetics include essential oils, like our natural deodorants, moisturizers, and hair products, which are often oil based products. This can lead to oil stains on our clothes, or our children’s clothes. So, how do we prevent oil staining and if our garments do come in contact with oil, how do we safely remove those stains? 

Here are our tips for preventing oil stains and for removing oil that has slipped onto our shirts, towels or fabrics. 

How to remove oil stains and prevent them from setting

Oil stains are unique in the way that they may appear wet, when in fact, they are not. Unlike your ketchup or grass stain, oil stains require a different approach for completely removing before or after the stain has set. 

Step One: Cornstarch, salt, baby powder or talcum powder

Salt, cornstarch, talcum powder or any available absorbent you have around the house will absorb that oil stain so that your fabric doesn’t. The sooner you act, the less time the oil stain will have to set in the fabric. But don’t panic. The absorbent should draw out the oil from your clothing. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, and then lightly scrub off the absorbent.

Step Two: Dish Soap and Detergent

After the absorbent has done all that it could possibly do, you’ll want to reach for either your detergent of choice or dish soap. Spot treat the stain with a small amount of dish soap or detergent and gently brush with a toothbrush. 

Dish soap and detergent should not be used on delicate fabrics. 

Step Three: Wash and Rinse

Wash and rinse out the detergent or soap from the fabric. If the stain is an older stain that has set, you’ll then want to rubber band the area with the stain and leave the affected area in white or distilled vinegar for a few hours. If the stain is tough to remove, let sit in the vinegar overnight, brush the area gently and then rinse the vinegar out completely. 

Step Four: Machine Wash

Machine-wash the garment as usual, but do not put it in the dryer as heat will encourage the stain, or what’s left of the oil to set into the fabric. Let air dry, away from the sun and if the stain is still there, leave the stain, once again, overnight in vinegar and repeat until the stain is removed. 

Then, you can include the garment in your drying cycle as usual, once the stain is completely gone. 

Final Thoughts and Preventative Tips

If you've found you've been over-applying your deodorant and it's caked up on the inside of your shirt, you can easily get it out by rubbing it gently with a pair of tights or stockings. The nylon completely removes it. The trick is not to panic, but act quickly. Some stains can be removed later on, even after washing. 

With our natural deodorant we always recommend not to over-do-it, but to swipe that delicious deodorant only a few times up and down and rub in the careful mixture completely into your underarms. 

We also recommend letting your deodorant dry (or any natural product you’ve applied) before getting dressed to avoid staining your clothing. Another great trick is to dress in your ‘slacks’ around the house and then change into your outfit for the day - preventing any staining on your favorite garments.