How to Remove Bacon and Other Pork Stains From Clothes

How to Remove Bacon Grease and Pork Stains From Clothes

The Spruce / Bailey Mariner

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 10 - 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 - 20 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $0 to 10

If you're left with a bacon grease stain on your shirt after breakfast, we are here to help you clean it up. Pork is a fatty meat, and bacon is a particularly fatty cut of pork, which makes it delicious—but that also means it will leave dark, oily stains if splattered or spilled on fabrics. Even uncooked bacon is more likely to leave grease stains than the protein-based stains of raw poultry or red meats like beef.

Our guide below will show you how to effectively remove a bacon grease stain from any garment. Read on to learn how to remove all traces of bacon and pork spills from clothes.

Tip

Cooked pork meat of any kind—roast, ham, chops, and loin—will also leave oily stains that can be treated the same way as bacon grease.

Stain Type Oil-based
Detergent Type Laundry
Water Temperature   Cold, warm
Cycle Type Normal

Before You Begin

Although bacon grease and other pork stains can be tricky to remove, your best bet is to act quickly. As soon as the garment is stained, be sure to treat it immediately, if possible, with either a to-go stain removing tool or our full washing instructions below.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Dull knife or spoon
  • Old, soft toothbrush (optional)

Materials

  • 5 paper towels or clean, white cloths
  • 1 box cornstarch (optional)
  • 1 slice of white bread (optional)
  • 1 bottle Solvent-based stain remover or heavy-duty liquid detergent

Instructions

Materials needed to remove bacon stains from clothing

The Spruce / Sarah Crowley

How to Remove Bacon Grease and Other Pork Stains From Clothes

  1. Lift Away Food Solids

    Lift away any meat solids with a dull knife or spoon. Be careful not to scrape or rub too aggressively, which will drive the stain oils deeper into fabric fibers.

    Lifting away bacon solids

    The Spruce / Sarah Crowley

  2. Blot and Absorb the Oil

    Blot the stain with a plain white paper towel or white cloth to absorb as much oil as possible.

    If you have a bit of cornstarch handy, sprinkle it on the stain to help absorb the oil. Even a slice of white bread can help absorb the oil until you can wash the fabric.

    Blotting the area with bread and sprinkling baking soda onto the shirt stain

    The Spruce / Sarah Crowley

  3. Apply Stain Remover or Detergent

    • Apply a solvent-based stain remover or heavy-duty liquid detergent like Tide or Persil (these brands contain the necessary enzymes to break apart the oil molecules).
    • Work the detergent in by rubbing the fabric together with your fingers or gently scrubbing with an old, soft toothbrush.
    • Let the stain remover work on the stain for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
    Applying a stain remover to the bacon stain

    The Spruce / Sarah Crowley

  4. Launder as Recommended

    Wash as recommended on the care label using the hottest water suggested.

    Preparing to soak the garment to hand wash

    The Spruce / Sarah Crowley

Additional Steps to Remove Pork and Bacon Stains

  • If you drop raw pork on your clothing, follow the steps to remove blood stains from these fabrics.
  • Many pork spills create combination stains due to the method of cooking and added ingredients. You may need to follow additional steps to remove gravyBBQ sauce, or cheese. 

When to Call a Professional

If you spill greasy pork on a garment that is designated as dry clean only, remove any solids by lifting them away from the fabric with a dull knife or spoon edge. Blot the stain with a white cloth or paper towel. Sprinkle with some cornstarch and, as soon as possible, head to the dry cleaner.