Remove Grease From Carpet With Shaving Cream (And Motor Oil Stains Too!)

Here's how to remove grease from carpet with something you most likely already have in your home, shaving cream.


I recently got this question from a reader, Jamie, and she asked: "Do you know how to get out grease stains from carpet? My (now ex-) roommate ruined the carpets."

Here's the photo she submitted showing the mess that roommate left behind.



My answer to this question -- shaving cream!

How did I find out about this miracle cure? A video (now long lost on the Internet), plus lots of readers have told me how well the tip works (see below for some of the comments they've sent in!)

I ended up with black motor oil on my carpet from a trolley when I was moving in.

I was told by an old mechanic to put shaving cream and lightly rub all over the stain with your fingers, leave for 30 seconds then flood with warm water before blotting off. Then, when finished put something absorbent on it with some books or bricks on top and leave for an hour or two.

This tip worked wonders for me!

Since then I've heard from many people who've used this tip with success (you'll see some of the things they've said below).

I believe this tip works because of the soap within the shaving cream, along with other grease cutters, which helps remove the oil stain from the carpet.

I would caution, however, to only use a old-school type of shaving cream, such as original Barbasol because these more classic creams don't contain lots of additives to them.

For instance, the newer creams may be gentler for your skin, but they contain conditioners and moisturizers, like aloe and other ingredients which themselves could stain your carpet or leave a greasy film on it. Therefore, don't use a moisturizing shaving cream (nor any type of shaving gel) on carpet stains.




Top photo courtesy of katerha

Grease Removal Stain Tip For Carpet - Use Shaving Cream

Here's the video I was talking about above.

It suggests to use shaving cream to get out motor oil and grease stains in your carpet too.

Specifically, it says to put shaving cream on the stained area of the carpet, and then use an old toothbrush to gently rub the shaving cream into the stain.

Afterward, when the stain is removed, it says to wipe up the shaving cream with a damp cloth.

I'd love to hear from anyone else who has tried this technique, to share how it has worked for them. Did it work for you as well as it did for the reader above?

In addition, here is the advice from the A-Z Stain Removal Guide for oil and grease stain removal.



Photo by juhansonin

Help! How Do I Remove These Carpet Grease Stains?

by Danielle

Danielle sent me in these photos, and asked, "It feels like oil, any ideas to get it out?"

I sent her this response.

Oh, that's hard! I've had several people that have had great success with this home remedy of shaving cream for grease stains in their carpet.

However this looks pretty hard core. I suggest trying the shaving cream in a small area to see if it will work. If not, you may want to call a professional.

Another idea might be Lestoil. Technically this stuff is supposed to be used on laundry, and isn't meant for carpet, so use with caution and know you're not using it as intended.

But in general Lestoil is one of the best ways to remove grease and oil stains from almost anything. Make sure to click my review and uses of Lestoil page for more information.

Lestoil Stain Remover & Cleaner {Referral Links}

Good luck, and let me know if these things actually work or not for you. Just whatever you choose to do, try to do a small area at a time to see if it will work -- smearing it around may make it worse looking than it is now, and if possible test in an inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn't harm things worse.

Shaving Cream Worked Really Fast On The Stain For Me!

by Shirley

Shirley used the tips above to work on her grease stain, and then wrote in with her results, as I requested above.

Shirley says:

I used the shaving cream (Barbosal with soothing aloe), a toothbrush and a clean hand towel.

I sprayed the shaving cream onto the grease stain and used the toothbrush to scrub it. I used a circular motion.

When I could see the grease was gone (a minute or less) I used the hand towel to wipe up the shaving cream.

I plucked just a bit at the carpet and it looks as good as new!! I am impressed. I have tried other things and the results weren't as good. GREAT IDEA.

Taylor says:

Great to hear Shirley! Thanks for sharing your results with me.

I am glad it worked OK for you to use the version of the shaving cream with aloe, but again I would caution to be better safe than sorry, and not use the ones with these additional additives. However, maybe I'm just being extra cautious!

Nonetheless, glad it worked out so well for you!

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Stain Removal Tips & Tricks For Busy Moms

Carpet Stain Removal Tips

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