Spots on Clothes After Washing

Updated on January 17, 2010
J.K. asks from Cedar Park, TX
21 answers

Sometimes after doing a load of laundry, I'll notice spots on some of the clothes that weren't there when I put them in. Unfortunately, I don't notice the spots until after they've gone through the dryer, too. They look like grease spots, and I'm sure I'm the only one doing the cooking around here. :) Any idea what this is and how to get it out?

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all the great responses! Looks like to culprit may be the dryer sheets since I already stopped using liquid fabric softener when I first noticed the spots. I'll take those out of the mix and try to pretreat the spots.

Featured Answers

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R.B.

answers from San Antonio on

Go to HEB and on the detergent isle look on the top shelf and you will see small yellow bottles with white caps. Theyare about 2.50 a bottle and the one for gease is a must to have. It really works just put some on the spot and let it sit a while and then wash with other items and presto the stain is gone. Love this product.

2 moms found this helpful
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G.H.

answers from San Antonio on

I have experienced this before. Usually the stains come out but takes several washes. I think it comes from the fabric softner. I started diluting it with water. It still does it's job and I dont have the spots.

1 mom found this helpful

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Y.G.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,

I had the same problem!!!! Fortunately, my Mom came to the rescue. She put those clothes with spots to soak in water with lots of pinesol. Yes, Pinesol. Sfter a while, we threw them to wash and they came out spotless. I now use pinesol to wash my laundry, especially whites. You just have to add it to the load with your regular soap. Or what I do with my whites is, I first wash them with just pinesol and leave them soaking for a while. Then I wassh them a second time with regular soap. Also, make sure you always put the water with the soap first in the washer, then add your clothes.
Hope it works!!!!

You can also first scrub the spots first with the lysol alone instead of soaking them. It has worked great for me and several friends I have told.

2 moms found this helpful
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E.B.

answers from Houston on

If it's the liquid fabric softener or fabric sheets, the spots should come out on the next wash. Another culprit not mentioned previously could be if you have a Kenmore Front Loader washer- they are notorious for having the ball bearings break down and grease gets on the clothes from that. That also means it is the beginning of the end of that machine. I'm sure it can happen with other front loaders also but I have just had the expereince w/ the Kenmore. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.O.

answers from Austin on

I can't tell you where the grease is coming from, but if you presoak the spot in Dawn dishwashing liquid before your next wash, it'll lift it.

GOOD LUCK.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Liquid Fabric softener can do that.

DH

1 mom found this helpful
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D.J.

answers from Houston on

To prevent this in the future, I suggest cleaning out the washing machine. It may have residue of something that gets on them during the wash cycle. Also could try switching your pre-wash stain treatment product; I think I heard that hte "stick" kind sometimes does more harm than good - I use the spray bottle kind. Do you have small children? They are prone to putting things in their pockets which have to be checked thoroughly to prevent anything melting and getting on other things

1 mom found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Houston on

Dryer sheets usually are the culprit at my house. Take a little dab of liquid detergent and rub it in gently and rewash.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.R.

answers from Longview on

I have been going through the same problems for two years now! The spots mostly show up on my four year olds clothes. We stopped using liquid detergent, fabric softer, and dryer sheets, but the oil spots continued to show up. We had a washing machine guy come out and he replaced the transmission, thinking that it was leaking oil. The spots continued. He then told us to put some special tablets in the wash every 10-15 washes and to wash with warm or hot water. He claims that the spots are built up body oils that are not getting removed because we wash with only cold water. Anyway, we are still seeing the spots. I don't know what else we can do besides get a new washer. Hopefully some of the other ladies' suggestions will work for you and you won't have to go through the wringer like we have!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Houston on

I have had that happen to me too and I found out the cause was dryer sheets. I have no idea how to get the spots out though. I hope someone out there knows!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Austin on

This happens to me too and I have no idea why. I never notice it until after I have dried the clothes. I just spray Shout on the spots and throw them back in to be washed the next time around and the spots usually come out.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Austin on

If it's oil or grease, try putting a little dawn dishwashing liquid on the spot and rewashing.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.D.

answers from Austin on

I recently heard that the normal, every day use laundry detergents (I'm assuming Cheer, Tide, and other big name brands) use oil in the detergent that will after a while build up and leave spots you describe on clothing. I also heard that something called Charlie's Soap is supposed to help remove that said build up. Maybe it will also remove the spots from your clothes?
This is their website:
http://www.charliesoap.com/
I hope you find something that helps!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

I'm not sure what it is. Check your washer and dryer maybe even wipe the inside down. If you have dried them in the dryer the stain may not come out the heat has a tendency to set the stain in. If not wisk works really well on grease and many other stains if pretreated before washing. Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

i love the products that Shout puts out. It gets weird stains out that I have no idea what they are. I usually leave the shout on the fabric overnight or for several hours. The bottle says not to but I did! Also if your using a powder based ( no liquid ) laundary soap you need to let the powder and water mix up before putting clothes in the wash. I learned that the hard way...used liquid all my life but switched in recent years. Hope you find your answer.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Houston on

Look for a piece of melted crayon or chapstick in your dryer. Don't ask me how I know this. ha ha ha

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Houston on

It could very well be little grease spots from eating or cooking. Or it could be residue from liquid fabric softener or detergent that doesn't wash all the way out. I don't use fabric softener or liquid detergent, so I know mine comes from grease.

I use Shout spray or the bottle with the brush. Put a little on there and re-wash. I have found with Shout you can pre-treat and it doesn't fade your clothes before you wash them.

I used to use Spray-and-Wash for stains, but I ended up ruining too many clothes because I would pre-treat. By the time I got it in the wash, the Spray-and-Wash had faded the fabric on the area I treated. I have not had this problem with Shout.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.F.

answers from Odessa on

Yes, liquid fabric softener. It doesn't do it too all the clothes and fabrics just some. What I do is wait until the rinse water has filled the washer and then add the fabric softener. Its a pain but it's worth not having those spots!!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.H.

answers from Brownsville on

hello J.
I read your story and think it maybe the detergent do you use liquid because if so that is the problem just try to find the right detergent for you and your clothing and it will be fine as far as the the stain being taken off all i can say is dye it to the color it should be or try a lemon,soda, and scrub as hard as you can then put it to wash again.I cant say if it will work or not but it has for me in the passed.

Your friend
L.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.D.

answers from San Antonio on

I'm sorry to be the bearer of unwanted info, but I had this problem many years ago -- with my LAST washer and dryer. I cannot tell you exactly where the oil leak was coming from (because too much water has passed through the laundry since then, LOL). But, I CAN tell you that it was a mechanical problem in either the washer or dryer (washer, I think.) Unlike your other responder who suggested a front-loading washing machine problem, my machine was a top-loading washer. My solution was to purchase a new washer/dryer pair and, of course, the problem was solved. I hope your problem is something less onerous than mechanical, but if you try the other remedies and STILL have the spots, then you may have to consider the problem being in the machine(s). Best wishes. -- K.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.A.

answers from San Antonio on

The spots may be caused by liquid fabric softener.

1 mom found this helpful
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