How Do You Get Taco Stains Out Of Clothes?

  • By: Tiffany Peris
  • Time to read: 11 min.

Some of the tacos might accidentally spill on your clothing when making a taco or munching one. As a result, you might have a taco grease stain on your clothing. Don’t worry, though. You can remove the taco stains from the clothes.

To remove a taco stain, wash the stain immediately with dishwashing soap and hot water. If the taco grease stain is old and has been set in the fabric, you can treat the stain with baking soda, rubbing alcohol, baby powder, or vinegar. After treating the stain, wash the stained clothes in the washer, and the stains will be removed.

In this article, you will learn how taco stains clothes. You will also find out 8 simple methods for taco stain removal. Lastly, you will understand how you can get taco grease stains out of different items such as jeans, a white shirt, and cotton.

Does Taco Grease Stain?

Taco grease can stain clothes quite severely, as will many other greasy foods such as hamburgers, fries, pizza, fried chicken, and even fish and chips. Greasy stains might appear hard to remove. However, you can remove even the most stubborn taco stains using the proper stain removal process.

Tacos are mainly Mexican and comprise a small hand-sized tortilla made of wheat or corn. The tortilla is usually topped with a filling and folded around to be eaten by hand.

Tacos are made with different fillings that, among others, the fillings can comprise of chicken, food, beef, beans, vegetables, cheese, and pork.  In addition, the tacos are garnished with different condiments such as chiles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and vegetables.

Due to the ingredients used to make tacos, tacos are a bit greasy. The grease in the tacos is insoluble in water, implying that the grease will not be easily washed away since anything that cannot dissolve in water will not easily come out in the washer.

That is why taco grease stains can be hard to remove from clothing. However, all is not lost since, with the right stain treatment procedure; taco grease stains can come out of clothes.

Will Taco Grease Come Out Of Clothes?

Taco grease can be removed from clothes when they are treated correctly. As is the case with most fat stains, taco grease could leave dark greasy stains on your fabrics that will not come off in a regular washing cycle. If you use a commercial stain remover, you will be able to remove the stains from your clothes.

However, if you don’t want to use a commercial stain remover for different reasons – maybe you just don’t want to go to the shops to buy one, you can remove the stain by using different household products.

As already pointed out, you will not remove a taco stain with water alone since grease does not dissolve in water. However, grease can dissolve in alcohol, implying that substances with some alcohol content, such as rubbing alcohol, can be used to remove the stain.

Dish soap is made with different degreasing chemicals, and as such, it can be used to remove the stain since the special chemicals in the soap will break down the stain molecules and ensure that they are removed and washed away from the garments.

An absorbent powder such as cornstarch or baby powder can also be used to absorb the moisture and get it out of your fabric.

You need to know that if you have an old taco stain that is dry and has already set in the fabric, the stain will need to be treated for it to come out from your clothes.

There are different methods that you can use to remove taco stains from your clothes.

How To Get Taco Grease Out Of Clothes – 8 Methods

White vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, rubbing alcohol, cornstarch, chalk, baby powder, and Coca-Cola can all be used to get taco grease stains from clothes. The methods demand some commitment and effort.

As with all stains, you should always purpose to remove the stains immediately you see them. Fresh grease stains that are yet set in the fabric can be easily washed away with dish soap or laundry detergent.

However, even if your stain has set in, you can use any of the household products discussed below to treat and remove the taco stains from your fabrics.

1. Vinegar

White vinegar is one of the household product that is readily available in your house and can be used to remove taco grease stains from clothes.

When using vinegar, you can always spot test vinegar on a small spot of your fabric and use it to remove the stain once you are assured that your fabric will not be ruined by vinegar.

Even though vinegar will not ruin most fabrics, you must wash the fabric immediately after removing the stain.

Here is the procedure you should use to remove taco stains out of your clothes

1. In a washbasin, mix two parts of water with two parts of white vinegar.

2. Immerse the stained cloth in the solution of water and vinegar – ensure that your garment is fully submerged in the water.

3. Let the garment soak in the water and vinegar solution for 15 – 25 minutes.

4. After 15 – 25 minutes, take the garment out of the solution and use a soft bristle brush to scrub the stain.

5. Rinse the garment with warm running water.

6. Wash the clothing in a washer using a regular washing cycle.

7. Once the wash cycle is completed, check the clothing to confirm that the stain is indeed removed.

8. If the stains are not completely removed, repeat the process.

9. Air dry the garment in a clothing line. Don’t use a dryer since if the stains are still in the garment, the hot air blowing in the dryer will make the stain permanent.

2. Laundry Detergent

Even if it is not recommended to wash clothes with dried taco stains in the washer, you can use the laundry detergent to treat the stain and get the stain out of the clothes.

Take note that the laundry detergent that you should be should have enzymes in it. In the detergent’s packaging, the manufacturer will indicate whether the detergent is enzyme-based or non-enzyme-based.

Any detergent labeled as degreasing detergent should be considered an enzyme-based detergent. The reason why the detergent needs to be enzyme-based is that the enzymes will break down the bonds holding the insoluble taco grease stain and thus remove the stains from the clothes.

Here is how you should use laundry detergent to remove taco stains

1. The first thing to do is to use an old credit card, a spoon, or a blunt object to scrup off any visible taco grease on your garment.

2. Apply the laundry detergent on top of the stain – the amount of the laundry detergent that you apply will be determined by the scope of the stain. The larger the stain, the more the detergent.

3. Using an old toothbrush or a soft bristle brush, gently scrub the laundry detergent on top of the stain. Ensure you scrub enough so that the enzymes are pushed inside the fibers of the stained clothing.

4. Leave the clothing for about 10 minutes – this is when the enzymes you just pushed inside the fibers of your clothing will break down the stain molecules.

5. After 10 minutes, wash your garment in a washer in a normal washing machine setting.

6. After the wash cycle is complete, check your clothing for any stains. If you can see stains, repeat the process.

7. Air dry your clothes to avoid the risk of having the stain set in your clothing and become permanent.

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda is an excellent absorbent, and as such, it can absorb the moisture from grease stains in the fabric and make it easy to get rid of the stains in your clothing.

Here is how you can use baking soda to remove old taco stains

1. To ensure that the grease stain does not advance to the other side of the fabric as you work on it, put a piece of cardboard at the back of the stained part of your clothing.

2. Apply enough baking soda on top of the stain. Enough baking soda in this content implies baking soda that you will scrub on the fabric in the next phase.

3. Using a soft bristle brush or an old toothbrush, gently scrub the baking soda on the top stain. Continue scrubbing until the baking soda starts to form clumps – the clumps will indicate that baking soda is absorbing the moisture.

4. Remove the baking soda from the clothing by shaking it away and repeat the process until the stain is removed.

5. Inspect the stain and confirm that grease has been removed. If you still see some grease on the fabric, repeat the process.

6. Wash the clothing in a washing machine using a regular or gentle wash cycle.

7. Air dry the clothes and confirm that stain has been entirely removed.

4. Dish Soap

Dish soap is one of the best household products to get taco stains out of fabrics. However, you will need to be ready to hand wash the clothes since it is not advisable to use dish soap in the washer.

Dish soap surfactants can break down the taco grease stain molecules and lift them from the fabric’s surface so that they can be washed away.

Here is the procedure you should use to remove taco stains with dish soap:

1. Apply a fair amount of dish soap on top of the stain. Even though the scope of the stain will determine the amount of dish soap needed, one to two teaspoons of dish soap should be enough.

2. Using a soft bristle brush, old toothbrush, or your fingers, lightly rub dish soap into the stain. Rub enough to ensure that the dish soap is pushed inside the fibers of the stained clothing.

3. Allow the dish soap to set in the stain for 5 – 10 minutes.

4. Rinse dish soap with warm running water.

5. After rinsing the soap, check and confirm that the stain has been removed before air drying the cloth.

6. If the stains are still there, you can repeat the stain removal process.  

5. Cornstarch

Cornstarch is similar to baking soda since it has a good absorbent value. Thus, when you use it to remove taco stains, cornstarch will absorb the moisture and make it possible to remove the stain.

1. Place the stained garment on a flat surface such as the floor or a craft table.

2. Apply a good amount of cornstarch on top of the stain.

3. Leave the cornstarch on the top of the stain for at least 25 minutes.

4. Using a soft brush, scrub the cornstarch into the stain.

5. Remove the cornstarch from the fabric by shaking it off or by using a fabric vacuum cleaner.

6. Check to confirm that the stain has been removed. Repeat the process if the stain is there.

7. Wash the garment in a washer and air dry it.

6. Chalk

Chalk contains Calcium Carbonate, which is highly absorbent. Thus, when chalk is used on the grease stain, the chalk will absorb any moisture and get taco grease out of clothes.

1. Place the stained garment on a flat surface.

2. Cover the grease stain with chalk.

3. Let the chalk set in the stain for 15 minutes.

4. Shake off the chalk on the garment.

5. Check whether you can see the grease stain. If you can see the stain, repeat the process.

5. Wash the garment in a standard wash cycle.

6. Air dry the clothing to dry.

7. Baby Powder

Mothers use baby powder to absorb moisture and minimize skin-on-skin friction to avoid rashes such as diaper rash. The fact that baby powder is absorbent implies that the powder can absorb moisture in a taco stain to remove the stain.

Here’s how you will remove taco bell grease out of clothes using baby powder

1. Dab the sponge or cloth into the baby powder.

2. Rub the sponge on the stain so that baby powder is ‘pushed’ inside the fibers of the clothing.

3. Leave the baby powder on the stain for ten minutes.

4. Remove the baby powder from the clothes by shaking the stained clothes.

5. Wash the cloth in a regular wash.

6. Dry the cloth after you have confirmed that the stain has been removed.

7. Repeat the process if the stains are not entirely removed.  

8. Coca-Cola

Coca-cola has phosphoric and carbonic acid that have strong grease-busting values. Don’t be alarmed that Coca-Cola has these acids. The acids are already naturally present in your body.

Phosphoric and carbonic acids in Coca-Cola are not harmful to your body. However, the acids can effectively eliminate taco grease stains in your clothes.

1. Pour Coca-cola on top of the stain.

2. Leave Coca-cola to set in the stain for two to three hours.

3. After three hours, wash the clothes in the washer.

4.  Air dry your clothes.

5. Check the garment to confirm that the stains are removed.

6. Repeat the process if stains are not fully removed.

How To Get Taco Grease Out Of Jeans

If your jeans have taco grease on them, you can use any of the eight methods discussed in the article. If the grease stain is yet to dry and set in your jean’s fiber, you should immediately wash the jeans in the washer using an enzyme-based detergent.

If the grease has set in the denim fibers, the best method to treat taco grease out of jeans would be to use the dish soap. However, any of the other eight methods discussed in the article will also be effective in getting taco stains from the jeans.

How To Get Taco Grease Out Of Cotton

You can treat the taco grease stain and get them out of your cotton fabric by using any of the eight methods explained in this article. Any of the eight methods will effectively remove stains from the cotton.

I prefer to use the baking soda method since I find it easy and straightforward whenever I am removing grease from my clothes.

How To Get Taco Grease Out Of White Shirt

If you have a grease stain on your white shirt, you should use the procedure below. Even if the eight methods discussed earlier in the article will also be effective in removing the stain, the method below is the best since the white shirt is delicate.

The best method to remove taco grease from the white shirt is to use salt and dish soap.

1. Immediately your shirt is stained by taco grease; sprinkle some salt on the stain. The salt will ensure that grease does not set in the white shirt’s fabric and make it hard for you to eliminate the stain.

2. After a few minutes, brush off the salt.

3. When you get home, take off the shirt and handwash the stained section of the shirt with dish soap.

4. Rinse the dish soap from the stained section and wash the shirt in a regular wash cycle.

5. Air dry your shirt. Once the shirt is dry, check whether the stain has been removed. If you can see some stains, repeat the process.

Conclusions

Taco can leave grease-based stains on your clothes. If these stains are set in your fabrics, you cannot remove the stains by simply washing your stained clothes in a normal wash cycle.

You can treat taco grease stains using dish soap, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, baby powder, vinegar, coca-cola, chalk, and cornstarch.