Scrape off the solid butter with a dull knife, then work dish soap directly into the greasy mark — butter is ~80% milk fat (triglycerides) that cotton absorbs instantly [S1]. After the dish soap breaks the surface tension, soak in hot water with Sil Fleckensalz (Grade 2.4) for 30–45 minutes. Unlike pure cooking oil, butter is an emulsion of fat, water, and milk proteins, which actually makes it slightly easier to remove — but you must treat before the dryer sets it.
How to Remove Butter Stains from Cotton
⏱️ Treat Today — Scrape Off Solids First
How to Remove Butter from Cotton — Step by Step
- Scrape off solid butter. Use a dull knife, spoon edge, or credit card to lift any solid butter from the surface. Scrape gently — don't press down, which would push butter deeper into the cotton weave.
- Blot with paper towels. Place paper towels on both sides of the fabric and press firmly to absorb melted butterfat. Replace towels as they saturate.
- Apply dish soap directly. Work a generous drop of dish soap into the stain with your fingertip. Dish soap is designed to cut through kitchen grease — it emulsifies the triglycerides in butterfat, making them water-soluble [S1]. Let sit 10–15 minutes.
- Rinse with hot water. Flush the treated area with hot water. Heat keeps the butterfat fluid — if it solidifies, it re-deposits into the cotton fibers. Check if the dark spot is gone.
- Soak in oxygen bleach. If stain remains, dissolve 1–2 tablespoons of Sil 1 für Alles Fleckensalz in hot water (50°C). Soak for 30–45 minutes. Sil's lipase enzymes specifically target the ester bonds in butterfat triglycerides [S2].
- Machine wash hot. Wash at the maximum temperature the care label allows. For white cotton, 60°C is ideal.
- Inspect before drying. Check while wet. If any greasy shadow remains, repeat the dish soap + soak treatment. The dryer will set any remaining fat permanently.
What Not to Do
- Don't use cold water first. Cold water solidifies butterfat within cotton fibers, making it harder for surfactants to reach. Use warm/hot water for grease-based stains.
- Don't rub the stain. This spreads melted butter into a larger area and pushes it deeper into the cotton weave.
- Don't tumble dry until clear. Dryer heat polymerizes butterfat, bonding it permanently to cotton cellulose.
- Don't ignore the milk protein. Butter contains casein (milk protein). If you use very hot water immediately without pre-treating, you risk cooking the protein component, which creates a secondary stain.
Why Butter Stains Have Two Components
Butter isn't pure fat — it's an emulsion of approximately 80% milk fat, 16% water, and 4% milk proteins (mainly casein) [S1]. This creates a two-part stain challenge on cotton. The fat component absorbs into cotton's porous cellulose fibers through capillary action, creating the classic dark, translucent grease mark. The protein component can coagulate if exposed to high heat before treatment, leaving a whitish residue. The correct approach — dish soap first (for fat), then enzyme soak (for both fat and protein) — addresses both components systematically.
Best for Dairy Fat
Sil 1 für Alles Fleckensalz
Grade 2.4Why Sil works for butter on cotton: Butter requires both lipase (for fat) and protease (for milk protein) enzymes — and Sil's multi-enzyme formula contains both [S2]. Lipase cleaves the ester bonds in butterfat triglycerides, converting them to water-soluble glycerol and fatty acids. Protease breaks down the casein protein into peptide fragments. This dual enzymatic action is why Sil outperforms dish soap alone, which only handles the fat component.
For butter stains specifically: Use hot water (50°C) to keep fat fluid during enzyme action. Soak 30–45 minutes. For dried butter stains, extend to 2 hours. Pre-treat with dish soap before soaking for maximum effectiveness.