Grease doesn't dissolve in water, which is why a damp cloth alone just spreads it. The winning combination is an absorbent powder to draw it out, then a degreasing washing-up liquid to lift the rest.
Don't add water yet. Blot up excess oil, then cover the mark generously with bicarbonate of soda (or cornflour) to start drawing the grease out of the pile. Never rub — rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the pile and frays the fibres.
👆 A real one — a heavily greased lounge carpet we deep-cleaned; the black patch lifted completely. Drag to compare.
- Bicarbonate of soda or cornflour
- Washing-up liquid
- Clean white cloths
- Warm water
- A blunt knife / spoon
Step by step (carpet)
- Absorb the grease by covering the mark with bicarbonate of soda or cornflour; leave 15–30 minutes, then vacuum.
- Treat what's left with a strong squirt of washing-up liquid (a degreaser) worked into a little warm water; dab on.
- Blot gently, lifting the loosened grease — swap to a clean cloth often.
- Rinse with a clean damp cloth and press dry.
- Repeat the powder step for a stubborn greasy shadow.
Warm (not hot) water is fine here because grease isn't protein — the warmth actually helps the degreaser work.
By surface
🛋️ Sofas & upholstery
Check the cushion's cleaning code first: W or W/S means the method above is fine used sparingly; S means solvent-clean only, so leave that to a professional. Use less water than on carpet and blot, don't soak.
🧶 Wool & delicate rugs
Wool holds onto grease stubbornly, so expect an oil mark on a wool rug to take several bicarb-and-blot rounds — and stop if the pile starts to look rough. Use cool water and a gentle touch — wool can ‘brown’ if over-wet and some rug dyes run. Test a hidden corner first, and for an antique, hand-knotted or silk rug, don't gamble — leave it to us.
🛏️ Mattresses
Oil won't evaporate like a watery spill — it just sits in the mattress fabric, so get bicarbonate of soda on straight away and give it hours to draw the grease out. You can't rinse a mattress, so go light: blot, treat sparingly, then use bicarbonate of soda to absorb the rest. Never soak it — trapped moisture leads to mould and smells.
✅ Do
- Absorb with powder before any water
- Use a degreasing washing-up liquid
- Swap to a clean cloth often
- Test on a hidden patch first
🚫 Don't
- Add water before absorbing the grease
- Rub it in
- Use bleach
- Leave soap residue behind (it attracts dirt)
Tried it and the cooking oil & grease mark is still there — or it's a wool rug, a mattress or something you'd hate to ruin? Don't keep scrubbing; that's how a stain turns permanent. We can often draw out what's left with professional hot-water extraction, and we'll tell you honestly what we expect to get up before we start. We usually reply within 15 minutes, prices are fixed with no VAT (rooms from £20, £50 minimum call-out), and we can normally fit you in within two to three days — worth sending that photo sooner rather than later, as the longer a stain sits, the harder it is to lift. Watford family business — 25 years' experience, fully insured — and if you're not happy with the result, we re-clean free. That's our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Get my free quote 💬 WhatsApp us a photo of the stainCommon questions
Why does the grease stain keep coming back darker a few weeks later?
Almost always it's residue, not the original stain returning. Leftover oil — or the soap you used to treat it — stays slightly sticky in the fibres and grabs dirt from everyday footfall, so the patch reappears darker than before. The fix is a proper rinse: professional hot-water extraction flushes both the grease and the detergent out of the pile, so there's nothing left to attract dirt.
Can old, dried-in cooking oil still be removed from carpet?
Often it can be improved a great deal, but honestly not always completely — grease that's had weeks to bond with the fibres and gather dirt is much harder work than a fresh spill. Repeat the powder-then-degrease routine a couple of times before you judge it. If it's still showing, WhatsApp us a photo and we'll tell you frankly whether we think it will come out, before you spend a penny.
Is it cheaper to hire a carpet cleaning machine for a grease stain?
Usually not once you've added up the hire fee, the detergent and your time — and hire machines can leave soapy residue behind, which is exactly what makes a grease patch resoil. Our prices are fixed, from £20 for a small room with no VAT added. We've compared the two honestly in our professional vs DIY carpet cleaning guide.
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Last updated July 2026