Question: How to Remove Oily Spots on Silk
Table of Contents:
Stains 
on silk can be difficult to remove, but luckily, oil is one of the easier stains to remove. Oily or greasy stains can be caused by salad dressing, fried foods, or even fingerprints due to the oils on our hands. Follow the steps below to remove the stain.
You Will Need:
- An absorbent powder, such as:
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch
- A dry cleaning kit
- Dish liquid
- Distilled water
- A cloth
Steps to Remove the Oil Stain:
- Lay the silk item on a flat surface.
- Cover the stain with a thick layer of an absorbent powder, such as baking soda, cornstarch or salt.
- Leave the powder on the stain for several hours. The powder will absorb the oil.
- Brush off the powder.
- If any stain remains, repeat the process. This method works best on fresh oil stains, though it could work on older oil stains as well.
- If the stain is stubborn, you have two options.
- The first option is to dry clean the spot. This can either be done by a professional, which is not recommended for silk ties as pressing can ruin their rounded edges, or it can be done using a home dry cleaning kit. These kits are available in the laundry aisle of most supermarkets. Follow the instructions on the label of your selected product.
- The second option is to rub a little dish liquid into the stain, then rinse it out. It is best to use distilled water to avoid getting a water stain. Drying the silk with a hair dryer on cool air or in front of a fan can also help to prevent a water stain.
How do I remove a stain from a chair upholstered in silk?
Thanks so much. Spot happened last night! I placed salt on it
this morning, but am looking for a next step.
Thanks for your help!
My table runner had candle oil on it; without knowing, I washed it, but it has a large area of oily patch. How to get rid of this since it’s been washed already?
Hi Irene,
Use one of the methods for stubborn stains: either an at home dry cleaning kit or rubbing some dish liquid into the stain, then washing again. As a last resort, applying some liquid glycerin (or even just some cooking oil) onto the area can work to freshen the stain so that it can be removed along with the fresh oil/glycerin. Only a small brush of the oil onto the stain is needed to freshen it, not a lot. Good luck!