Butter and margarine
Short answer: Scrape off the solid part, blot up the rest and treat with washing-up liquid. Butter is fat, and fat needs a product that can bind it to water. Check the stain before the garment dries.
First the solid part
Scrape gently with the back of a spoon, so you do not press the fat deeper into the fabric. Then blot up the rest with kitchen roll without rubbing. The more butter you lift from the surface before adding any product, the easier the rest of the treatment is for you and the fabric.
Why butter sets in
Butter and margarine are fat, and fat soaks into the fibres of the fabric. Water alone cannot loosen it, because fat and water do not mix. That is why you need a product that can bind the fat to the water, so it can be rinsed away in the sink.
Then the product
Put washing-up liquid or liquid detergent directly on and rub in lightly with a finger. Leave it for about twenty minutes, so the product has time to loosen the fat from the fibre. See bamboo t-shirt for women if you want a soft t-shirt for everyday wear.
The wash
Forty degrees if the label allows it, otherwise thirty with a slightly longer working time. Check the stain before you hang the garment up, because drying makes the rest permanent. Always read the care label first. See bamboo tennis socks for women and bamboo bedding.
No warm water at the start
Do not rinse in warm water before the product has worked, because heat can set the fat in the fabric. Let the product do its job first, then wash at the temperature the label allows. That gets the best out of both product and machine and does not make the stain harder.
Flour on the stain
Flour can soak up excess fat if the stain is fresh. Sprinkle it on, leave it for a few minutes, then brush it off gently before you add any product. Flour does not remove the stain on its own, but it takes some fat, so the product has less to do.
If a shadow shows
That is fat left behind. Treat again with washing-up liquid while the fabric is still damp, and wash the garment as described. Repeat if needed, because an old or heavy grease stain often takes several rounds, and it is easier before the garment has been in the tumble dryer.
Butter at the breakfast table
Butter and margarine often land on clothes at breakfast, when you spread bread. The stain often looks worse than it is, and it can be treated at once at the sink. If you have a spoon and washing-up liquid close by, you can lift the stain before you leave the house.
A simple routine
When butter hits the fabric, scrape, blot, add product and let it work. After that the garment can go in the wash when you have time. With a fixed order the stain becomes easy to handle, and your clothes look good for longer without you having to worry.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use warm water straight away
Do not rinse in warm water before the product has worked. Heat can set the fat, so let washing-up liquid or liquid detergent work for twenty minutes before you wash according to the care label.
Does flour on the stain help
It soaks up the excess fat. Remove it before adding any product, and use washing-up liquid to loosen the rest of the fat, which flour cannot remove from the fibre on its own.
Why does a shadow show afterwards
That is fat left behind. Treat again before drying, because heat from drying makes traces permanent. Use washing-up liquid again and repeat if needed until the shadow is gone.
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