My mom taught me this trick to get oil stains out of clothes with 0 effort. Here’s how it works

To use this trick, you’ll need just a few items: cornstarch, a spoon for application, and a soft brush or cloth for removal. Optionally, you can use a paper towel to blot any excess oil before applying the cornstarch, which can help speed up the process.

It’s also helpful to have a good quality laundry detergent on hand for washing the garment after the cornstarch has done its work. This will ensure any remaining residue is thoroughly cleaned.

1. Blot the excess oil: Use a paper towel to gently blot and absorb as much of the oil as possible. Be careful not to rub, as this can spread the stain.

2. Apply cornstarch: Generously sprinkle cornstarch over the stain, covering it completely. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best for maximum absorption.

3. Brush off the cornstarch: Use a soft brush or cloth to gently remove the cornstarch from the fabric. You should see that a significant amount of the oil has been absorbed.

4. Wash as usual: Launder the garment according to its care label instructions. The stain should be significantly reduced or completely gone.

6. How To Rescue Old, Set-In Oil Stains

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My 9-year-old daughter baked 300 Easter cookies for the homeless — the next morning, a stranger showed up at our door with a briefcase full of cash. My daughter, Ashley, has always had a heart too big for her chest. Since my wife died, we’ve barely been making ends meet. We spent everything we had trying to save her from cancer. But when Easter came this year, Ashley told me she’d been saving up her own money to buy ingredients. “For the homeless,” she said. Her mom used to be one of them. She was thrown out by her parents when they found out she was pregnant with Ashley. When I met her, she had nothing — but she had the brightest smile and the sharpest mind I had ever seen. I fell in love with her. I took her and Ashley in. And from that moment on, Ashley became my daughter in every way that matters. So when Ashley said she wanted to help people like her mom once was… I didn’t stop her. For three nights straight, after school and homework, she baked. Her little hands worked nonstop. She found her mom’s old cookie recipe. She rolled every piece of dough herself. She decorated every cookie. She made three hundred cookies. On Easter, she handed them out one by one. She looked people in the eyes. She wished them a Happy Easter. Some of them smiled. Some of them cried. I stood there thinking it was the proudest moment of my life. I thought that was the end of it. The next morning, I was washing a mountain of dishes when the doorbell rang. I opened the door. An older man stood there in a worn-out suit, holding a scratched aluminum briefcase. His eyes were locked on Ashley. Before I could ask anything, he set the case down and opened it. I froze. Stacks of hundred-dollar bills — more money than I had ever seen in my life. “I saw what your daughter did yesterday,” he said, his voice shaking. “I want to give all of this to her.” My heart skipped. Then he added: “But you have to agree to ONE CONDITION.” My chest tightened. “What condition?” I asked. He stepped closer. He lowered his voice. And what he asked for in return made my blood run cold.