Q&A for How to Remove Oil Stains With Baking Soda

On its own, baking soda will only absorb odors. You'll need to add water to the baking soda and scrub the stain to see any benefit in terms of removing the stain.

Leave it sitting on the oil overnight so it has time to soak it up. Then, you can remove the baking soda.

It's especially tough to remove oil stains from synthetic fabrics! Cover the fabric with a thick layer of baking soda and let it sit overnight. The next day, spray it with a mixture of vinegar and water, then gently scrub with a little dish soap and water. If that doesn't work, try an enzymatic cleaner followed by a stain pre-treatment.

Just using baking soda won't lighten clothes. However, if you combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, it could lighten some fabrics.

For fabric stains, try making a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, smear over the grease stain and leave to dry. Brush off with your fingers, then add laundry stain remover/prewash according to instructions on packaging. Machine wash, hot if possible. For grease stains from dishes, kitchen countertops, stove tops and backsplashes, etc., just make a small paste from baking soda with a little water added, then apply to the greasy area. If needed, use a toothbrush or suitable rubbing cloth to rub in, then wipe away with a sponge or paper towel.

Yes, baking soda can remove a wide range of stains from clothing, fabric, countertops, cooking equipment, and much more. It is a good idea to find specific instructions pertaining to the stain you wish to remove but generally, baking soda is added as paste (made from baking soda with a little water added), then rubbed in to absorb the stain matter, sometimes allowed to dry, then brushed and/or washed off.

Isolate the stain area, placing some cardboard under it to protect the rest of the fabric. Spray WD-40 onto the set-in stain, then liberally sprinkle baking soda over the sprayed area. Using a toothbrush, scrub the baking soda into the stained area, and as you do so the baking soda will clump and lift out the oil. You may need to repeat this a few times; the oil should be removed once the baking soda no longer clumps. Then just wash the item as usual, baking soda is easily removed with water.

To make your own WD-40 substitute, try mixing 1 part water with 3 parts olive (extra virgin is best), grape-seed or sunflower oil. Place in a spray bottle. Other things people have used successfully in place of WD-40 include silicone spray, Pledge spray, vegetable oil, orange oil, mineral oil, etc. For stuck hinges, drawer rollers, etc., wax and graphite may also be suitable alternatives.