Stains can ruin your favourite garments, but you do not need a shop-bought cleaning product to tackle them. For those who prefer a natural remedy, one cleaning enthusiast has shared her go-to tip — and it does not involve baking soda.
Chalk as a Stain Remover
Cleaning fan Georgia, better known as Clean with Georgia on TikTok, revealed that rather than reaching for baking soda or vinegar to shift stubborn stains, she swears by something else altogether. In a video, Georgia recommended using chalk to banish troublesome oil stains.
How to Clean Grease Stains with Chalk
Once you have dealt with any excess liquid, apply the chalk directly to the stain. Georgia advised rubbing the chalk firmly into the affected area. Chalk works as an absorbent agent, drawing the oil out of the fabric and into itself.
It is worth leaving the chalk to sit for a while, giving it sufficient time to soak up all the liquid, reports the Express. Bosch recommends reapplying chalk if you notice it beginning to clump together. Keep repeating this process until the chalk no longer clumps, as this indicates there is no remaining oil left to absorb.
Once you are satisfied that all the liquid has been absorbed, brush away any excess chalk and put the garment in the washing machine on your usual cycle. This method works best on smaller stains.
Why Chalk Works
Kathy Cohoon, from Two Maids & a Mop, told Homes & Gardens: 'The chemical makeup of chalk and its open-cell structure makes it incredibly absorbent. Chalk is able to zap up moisture and liquids easily.' Jill Koch of Jill Comes Clean shares the same view. Jill explained: 'Chalk is typically made from a form of limestone called calcium carbonate. As you apply the chalk to the oil stain, it will absorb the oil and essentially hold onto it. Then you can brush the chalk away and the oil along with it. Chalk today [usually] includes other ingredients, too, but calcium carbonate is often still the main ingredient.'
