Hard to deny how thick n’ rich gravy can be poured on just about any meal. Easy to make and a favorite at the dinner table, you really can’t go wrong – that is, until you spill a dollop on your favorite shirt. Gravy stains are tricky – we’re not going to lie – but they’re also completely removable, as long as you take the proper steps to rid the stain entirely.
Should you end up with an unfortunate gravy spill, Grab Green Home’s eco-friendly cleaning products have got you covered, including our eco friendly laundry pods and natural dish soap which make stain removal a breeze. Let’s find out how it’s done, so that you can get rid of that tough stain without having to rely on toxic chemicals to get the stain out completely.
Getting Rid of a Gravy Stain
Unsurprisingly, gravy stains are easier to resolve the quicker you get to work. Letting them sit only allows the gravy to soak deeper and deeper into the fibers, making for a more stubborn stain overall. There are two culprits when it comes to gravy: the proteins of the meat, and the grease from the butter. Fortunately, both can be removed. We always recommend opting for non toxic cleaning products that are already in your house, for an easier and a cleaner stain removal process.
Step #1: Scrape Off the Excess
Once you notice that stain, remove the garment and grab a blunt knife to scrape the excess gravy off of the surface of the clothing, before it soaks deeper into it.
Step #2: Brush and Flush
Next, you will need to apply a pretreatment directly to the stain, like the Grab Green Liquid Dish Soap which is a nontoxic dish soap formula that cuts grease effectively while removing the proteins. Apply soap directly to the stain and grab a clean toothbrush, brushing the soap into the fibers of the material in small, circular motions. Do this for about 30 seconds and let the soap sit on the material for another 15 seconds. Then, turn the garment inside-out and flush it under cold water, to push the gravy back out of the material rather than deeper into it.
Step #3: Time to Wash
Now, you can throw the garment into the washing machine. Use the hottest water setting permitted on your care label, because the hotter the water, the more effectively it will remove the grease. Use natural laundry pods with enzymatic stain-fighting properties – ideally nontoxic laundry pods like our 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Pods, which are fully sustainable laundry pods that can get the job done.
Step #4: Check and Dry
Of course, you want to check your garment to ensure that the stain is gone – if not, repeat the above steps all over again. From there, you can go ahead and dry your clothing in the dryer along with some natural dryer sheets like Grab Green Classic Laundry Dryer Sheets, sustainable dryer sheets like Stoneworks Dryer Sheets, or even Grab Green Dryer Balls that prevent cling and soften clothing.
If it’s an Old/Dry Gravy Stain
The good news is that even if the gravy has dried, as it’s been hours or days since the spill first happened, then you can still effectively remove the stain using the same exact process as above, paying close attention to scraping all that dried, crusty gravy off the surface of the clothing, followed by the remaining steps.
If the Clothing is Delicate
Some clothing items can’t be washed or dried using traditional methods. If you’re dealing with an air-dry garment that can’t go in the dryer, then air-dry it as you usually do, since this won’t impact the success of the stain removal process. If you have to hand-wash the item, do so in the same detergent you’d use in the washing machine. Plus, if it’s a dry-clean only garment, then you can drop it off at your dry cleaner’s, asking them to treat the stain for you as they have various methods for all kinds of stains.
To summarize:
- Cotton clothing will offer the most stain removal options.
- Wool is more delicate than cotton and cannot endure repeated washing and also needs to be spread flat to dry.
- For silk clothing, it’s recommended you take it to a professional dry cleaner, due its extreme delicacy.
Ride the Gravy Train, Not the Gravy Stain
