First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape or brush off as much excess as possible without rubbing it in.
- Sprinkle talcum powder on the spot to absorb as much grease as possible, then brush it off.
- Blot, don't rub.
- Keep it out of the dryer until the grease is gone.
Vaseline, lip balm and ointments are all grease, so water alone won't lift them from fabric. Absorb the oil first with a powder, then break up what's left with detergent and the hottest wash the fabric can handle. Creams can also leave a greasy or white residue, and if a stain remains after washing, a second treatment may be needed.
The biggest mistake when you're getting lip balm out of clothes is drying them before the mark is gone, since heat sets the grease. Diaper cream and other zinc creams are thicker, so let the detergent work longer before the wash. Check it in good light after each wash, and keep it out of the dryer until it's completely clear.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Talcum powderAbsorbs the grease before any water touches it. (opens Amazon)
- Clean paper towelsGo under the stain while you treat the back of it. (opens Amazon)
- Dry-cleaning solventThe solvent for heavy stains, applied from the back. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergent or prewash stain removerPretreats light stains before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Hand dishwashing detergentMixed into warm water for the sponge step on grease that remains. (opens Amazon)
- AmmoniaA few drops go into the sponge solution. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid detergentUsed for the final wash in the amount for a normal load. (opens Amazon)
- Detergent booster (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
How to get vaseline out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Scrape off the excess
Lift off as much of the jelly or balm as you can with the edge of a spoon or a butter knife. Keep your pressure light so the grease doesn't get pushed deeper into the weave.
Tip. Work from the outside of the spot toward the middle so it doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 7
Absorb the grease with talcum powder
Sprinkle talcum powder over the spot so it soaks up as much of the grease as it can. Once the powder looks clumped, brush it off thoroughly so none is left in the fabric.
Step 3 of 7
Pretreat light stains
If the mark is light, work a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or liquid detergent booster into the spot with your fingers. If the stain is heavy, skip this and go straight to the solvent step.
Step 4 of 7
Use solvent on heavy stains
For a heavy stain, lay the fabric face down on clean paper towels and apply dry-cleaning solvent to the back of the spot. Replace the towels as they soak through, let it dry, then rinse the spot.
Tip. Swap in fresh towels often, because the grease keeps coming through.
Careful. Use the solvent in a ventilated room away from flames, pilot lights and sparks, and don't smoke.
Step 5 of 7
Sponge out what remains
If grease is still there, sponge the spot with water, then work in 1 teaspoon of hand dishwashing detergent mixed into 1 cup of warm water, with a few drops of ammonia. Keep working as the stain transfers to the sponge or towel, then flush the spot with water.
Careful. Never mix ammonia with chlorine bleach, and flush all the ammonia out before any bleach is used.
Step 6 of 7
Wash in the hottest safe water
Launder the item in the hottest water the fabric label allows, with a heavy-duty liquid detergent in the amount the maker recommends for a normal load. Colors and synthetics need warm or cooler water, so follow the label for those.
Step 7 of 7
Check the spot before drying
Look at the spot in good light before the item goes anywhere near the dryer. If any grease is still showing, repeat the treatment, since a second round may be needed.
Careful. Heat sets the stain, so keep the item out of the dryer and off the iron until the grease is gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for vaseline
A liquid heavy-duty detergent or a prewash stain remover covers both the pretreat and the wash. Pick a liquid, since it works into a greasy spot more easily than powder.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
A stain that's coming out looks lighter and less greasy after each round. If it still shows a shine or a faint mark after the wash, don't dry it; repeat the treatment instead.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen can take the hottest water the label allows, so they get the most from the hot wash. Check the spot in good light after each round, since a faint mark is easier to see on white.
Don't over-soak whites or add more detergent than the amount recommended, because misuse can leave yellow stains that can't be removed.
Colors and denim
Colors and denim can take warm water and most of the method, but hot water is only safe if you know the dye holds. Test any diluted solution on an inside seam first, because colored fabric can bleed.
Use a liquid detergent in a warm wash, not a hot one. Denim is thick, so do the talcum powder step thoroughly before any water touches it.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk, wool and other protein fibers can't take hot water or enzyme detergent, so the wash steps don't fit them as written. Skip the dish soap sponge on silk and velvet too, because it is not safe on those fabrics.
Blot with dry-cleaning solvent on a clean cloth only, and keep the solvent off the rest of the garment. If the mark is still there afterward, take it to a dry cleaner instead of the washer.
Dry-clean-only items
Dry-clean-only items should go to a dry cleaner, since the washing steps aren't safe for them. Tell the cleaner the stain is petroleum jelly or lip balm so they can treat it with solvent before any water is used.
Don't attempt the sponge or hot-wash steps yourself, even if the stain looks light. Bring the item in soon, because oil stains darken over time.
Diaper cream and zinc oxide creams
There isn't a product-specific method for diaper cream or zinc oxide, so use the steps above as your base. Scrape and talcum powder first, because these creams are thick and can leave a white residue as well as grease.
After the talcum powder, rinse the back of the spot with cold water and work in liquid laundry detergent before the hottest safe wash. Brush off any white residue before the item goes in the washer.
Lip balm and tinted balm
Lip balms belong to the same fat-and-wax group, so the lubricate-and-flush treatment below is the one to reach for when the oily core is still there. Scrape and sprinkle the powder first, as with any spot.
Tinted and red balms can leave color behind, and that leftover dye is a separate problem from the grease. Test any solvent or detergent on an inside seam first, and if the color stays, take the item to a dry cleaner.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old grease that has been through a wash or dryer needs the lubricate-and-flush treatment, not just more detergent. Work mineral oil or lard into the spot with a brush or the back of a spoon, or use a dry spotter made from 1 part coconut or mineral oil to 8 parts dry-cleaning solvent.
Keep the spot moist, then flush it with dry-cleaning solvent and repeat until no more grease comes out. Once the item has been dried, the grease sets harder, and oil stains also darken over time, so expect more rounds than with a fresh spot.
If the stain is still there after the wash, let the item air dry, sponge the spot with dry-cleaning solvent, and air it out before trying again. A faint mark that survives all of this is a job for a dry cleaner.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on vaseline?
Most home remedies target other stains, so only one of these fits grease. Melted chapstick is still grease, so the same steps apply to it. The rest are better skipped for grease.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't reach for gasoline or lighter fluid
Gasoline, lighter fluid and carbon tetrachloride are not grease solvents for clothes. Dry-cleaning solvent is the one solvent to use on heavy grease.
Don't use cooking oil to loosen it
Cooking oil seems like a lubricant, but unsaturated oils left in the fabric age into a yellow stain. Use mineral oil or lard in the lubricate-and-flush treatment instead.
Don't scrub silk or wool
Rubbing damages silk, and agitation in water makes wool felt and shrink. Blot with solvent and let a dry cleaner handle anything that's left.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
A dark patch remains after washing.
Repeat the solvent and detergent steps, then wash again in the hottest water the fabric allows.
The stain looks white or chalky.
That is ointment residue. Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent and wash hot.
The solvent leaves a ring.
Work from the back onto fresh towels and feather the solvent outward past the stain edge.
The garment is delicate or dry-clean only.
Skip home solvent work and take it to a dry cleaner, pointing out the grease stain.
When to call a professional
If a faint mark is still there after repeated treatments, or the item is silk, wool or dry-clean only, take it to a dry cleaner. Tell them it's a petroleum jelly stain so they can pretreat it with solvent before any water is used.
Questions
Does Vaseline, Aquaphor, chapstick, or ointment stain clothes?
Yes, all of them leave a greasy mark, and some leave a white residue as well. Oil stains also darken over time, so treat the spot as soon as you can.
Will chapstick stains come out, or are they permanent?
Most lip balm stains come out if you treat them before the item goes in the dryer. Oil stains can reappear just when you think they're gone, so repeat the treatment until nothing else lifts.
How do I get Neosporin or Vicks out of clothes?
There's no product-specific method for these, so treat them like any ointment. Scrape, sprinkle the powder, pretreat, and wash in the hottest water the label allows with a liquid detergent.
What if chapstick stains show up after the item was dried?
Dried-in grease is harder, so plan on the old-stain treatment below rather than one wash. Don't assume it's gone just because the spot looks faint.
Does Aquaphor come out the same way?
Yes, it's an ointment, so it follows the same route as petroleum jelly, with the same powder and detergent steps. Check the spot before drying, since any grease left behind can come back.
What if lip balm melted in a pocket?
Melted lip balm is still grease, so the same steps apply once the wax has cooled. Scrape off the hardened wax first, then add the powder before any water touches it.
Can I wash silk or wool with a chapstick stain?
Not in the washer. Silk and wool can't take hot water or enzyme detergent, so blot with dry-cleaning solvent and take the item to a dry cleaner.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.