Grease oil on paper is something we never want to encounter when working with important documents. However, some careless moments can lead to a disaster when our report is stained with grease. What can we do then? Throw it away?
The good news is, we can remove the grease oils from paper with help from cleaning solutions. Read on, as we will discuss how to get grease out of paper. We will also go over a few different methods and provide helpful tips to make grease removal easier.
Contents
Method 1: Remove Grease From Paper with Baking Soda
If the grease is fresh, try to stop its spread with a paper towel first. And if it is already dry, you can use baking soda to remove the stains. You need to prepare: some paper towels or absorbent cloth, baking soda, and a thick book.
- Blot up as much grease as possible with a paper towel or absorbent cloth
- Next, put two paper towels or clean pieces of cloth on both sides of the grease stains. Lay the whole thing on a flat surface and place the heavy books on top of them
- You can leave the whole thing there for several hours
- As the oil is absorbed into the paper towels. You can gently remove the pieces
- Put some baking soda to cover the grease stain areas. Let the substance do it work for several hours. Then, you can gently brush it off
- Finally, take the paper towel or cloth and blot the grease stain if needed
Method 2: Remove Grease from Paper with Vinegar
Wetting the grease with vinegar and water is another way to remove it.
- You can create the cleaning solution by mixing clean water and vinegar with a 1:1 ratio
- Then, you can use the paper towel to dab the solution on the grease stains to absorb and remove them. Just make sure not to soak the towels with the solution since excess liquid can ruin the paper
- Just use another piece of absorbent cloth to dry the paper afterward. You can repeat the whole process if the stains are still visible
Method 3: Use Dishwashing Detergent
Dishwashing detergents are grease solvents themselves, so using them can help remove grease from paper.
- You will want to make a water-detergent solution by mixing the soap with warm water. Then, you can wipe it off gently on both sides of the paper if need be
- Rubbing won’t work as well for this method due to how oily dishwasher detergents tend to be
- There may still be some grease left over after trying these methods. So you may try repeating one or two of them until all grease is gone
Method 4: Remove Grease with White Chalk
If you have some white chalk and a small paintbrush with a soft bristle, then eliminating grease stains should be easy.
- Just use the brush to dabp the chalk powder onto the grease spots gently
- Then, you can use two pieces of paper to cover both sides of the stains
- Next, you should turn on your iron at a low heat level and apply it to the stains parts. This method will help the chalk powder absorb oils better. Do this several times, and each period should be 4-5 seconds to avoid burning the paper underneath
Tips for Getting Grease Out of Paper
Try using a paper towel or cloth instead of your bare hands if possible. You can also use gloves to protect your skin from grease and cleaning agents.
Be sure that you are wearing old clothes while doing this because grease stains are tough to remove entirely even after getting them out,
If water doesn’t easily wash away the grease, but soap seems to do the trick, consider adding some salt into it as an abrasive scrubber before rinsing with warm water. This is most effective when used immediately following grease removal. Do not wait for when any residue has dried up.
Be patient in trying these methods, as it may take more than one application to get rid of all grease present on the paper.
Be sure to test any solvent on an inconspicuous area of the paper before using it, as some solvents may cause damage.
When using a grease solvent, always be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
When removing grease from large items such as notebook or painting paper, try using a sponge rather than your hands. This is to ensure less risk of rubbing too hard and damaging the item’s appearance further.
Conclusion
Just keep in mind that when removing a stain with an option, one thing must always be kept in mind: grease stains are stubborn and often require a bit of elbow grease! However, with the right products on hand, you can get rid of grease from paper.
The above tips are just some general guidelines that should help remove grease from paper. However, please know that grease stains can differ in size, shape, and severity. Therefore, always consult your product’s instructions before starting any cleaning project!