No one would choose to wear clothes that smell like fast food grease, but this is what many people must deal with on a daily basis. When they work around airborne oil, those with the task of washing their uniforms feel like they are fighting a losing battle. The oil sticks to absolutely everything, especially the fibers of clothing. They can come out of the dryer smelling almost as bad as they did before going into the wash. Read on to find out how to get fast food grease out of clothes, and learn effective ways to wash greasy work shirts, pants and restaurant uniforms.
Precautionary Statement
This method to get fast food grease out of clothes should be used from day one. Otherwise, the grease and the accompanying odor is probably already imbedded in the fibers of the material. Also, clothing labels are not going to suggest that fabrics should ever be washed in hot water, but if they are not 100% cotton and already tight, this should not harm the clothes. Use commonsense, and proceed at your own risk when trying to get fast food grease out of clothing.
My son works at Burger King, and I have washed his maroon uniform shirt and black cotton-blend dress pants in hot water. They were a little big to begin with, and they did not shrink beyond use after using this method to get rid of the fast food grease.
Wash the Clothes in the Hottest Water Deemed Safest for the Fabric
When fast food grease is embedded in the fibers of work clothes, it takes more than grease-cutting products to remove the smelly oil. Plan on using the hottest water possible when trying to get fast food grease out of clothes. It will help melt it away, and the detergents and degreasing products will help dissolve the fast food grease and keep it from ending up back on the fabric before it can be rinsed away.
When in doubt, do not use straight hot water when washing a fast food uniform. Instead, begin filling the washing machine with hot water, and after a few minutes switch it to warm. Do this before adding the clothes to the machine to avoid damaging or shrinking the clothes.
Special Additions to the Wash Clothes Embedded with Fast Food Grease
Ordinary laundry detergent is not enough to get fast food grease out of clothes. For a small load, add one teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid in addition to a little less than the recommended amount of your usual detergent. Increase this amount by one teaspoon for a medium load, and add one tablespoon of Dawn when washing a large load. In addition to the dishwashing liquid add one-quarter cup of white vinegar for a small load, one-half cup for a medium load and three-fourths of a cup for a large load.
Once the washer begins to agitate, stop the machine from operating, and allow the clothes to soak in the hot soapy water for about fifteen minutes. Do not allow it to soak any longer because the water will cool. This is important when trying to get fast food grease out of clothes. The water must still be hot when it drains from the washer.
The clothes that were once laden with fast food grease should smell much cleaner and fresher. Dry them outdoors on a line whenever possible. Fresh air will help remove the scent left behind by embedded fast food grease. Wash the clothes after each shift, and they will look and smell as clean as possible.