removing ointment stains from clothing

goodmorning

Mon, Feb 11 2013, 1:48 pm

Are there any tried and true remedies for ointment or diaper rash cream from clothing? I have destroyed several pieces of clothing already and the stains don't come out in the wash or with standard pretreatment.

Thanks!

zaq

Mon, Feb 11 2013, 2:33 pm

If you mean zinc oxide ointment, which is white (think: Desitin), it's like white oil paint. You may need to go to a dry cleaner or use dry-cleaning solvent. Other ointments without zinc oxide should be treatable as grease stains. They may need several treatments. Try rubbing cornstarch, talc or fuller's earth into the stains and leaving them to absorb the grease overnight or several days. Brush off and wash. Repeat.

You can also try rubbing alcohol or vodka. place a pad of white cotton fabric under the sdtain, dribble just a bit of alcohol on the stain, and tamp it with a pad of white cotton till the stain vanishes.

You can also try desorbing the grease by placing brown grocery paper, blotting paper or cotton rags on both sides of the stain and ironing over it. The grease will in theory melt and soak into the paper or rags. Press, then move the paper or cloth to a clean spot. Try this method last as it could set the stain.

If you have been unwise enough to machine-dry the garments, you could be out of luck. Also, some fabrics, especially synthetics, are grease magnets and it may be impossible to remove the stains.

sandyish

Tue, May 31 2022, 9:01 am

zaq wrote:

Will sending a dry clean only suit to the cleaners “set” in the Desitin stain??

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, May 31 2022, 9:08 am

Try St. Moritz degreaser spray. Wear a mask and gloves.
Spray generously and leave for a few hours. Then wash on machine as usual.
No small children around when you work with a degreasing spray!!!

sandyish

Tue, May 31 2022, 9:09 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Try St. Moritz degreaser spray. Wear a mask and gloves.
Spray generously and leave for a few hours. Then wash on machine as usual.
No small children around when you work with a degreasing spray!!!

TY for the reply but the desitin cream is on a dry clean only suit so I won’t be able to “machine wash as usual”. Will this still work? Or something similar, like GooGone?

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, May 31 2022, 9:50 am

sandyish wrote:

TY for the reply but the desitin cream is on a dry clean only suit so I won’t be able to “machine wash as usual”. Will this still work? Or something similar, like GooGone?

If it's dry clean only the staff at the dry cleaners should know what to do.