How to get out grease...

there aren't many common household chemicals that'll take that stuff out. DH uses non-chlorinated brake cleaner, sprays it on a rag, and wipes it out. no evidence left behind (he fooled me anyway and i'm a real compulsive clean person.)

freakin' sears auto center...

 

JillGT02:

You're right, that fabric does look pretty delicate. I am no expert, so the only advice I could give is to give $10 to a professional house/office/carpet cleaner on what would work best. I'm sure they deal with this kind of stuff all the time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JillGT02 @ Jun 28 2006, 08:21 PM) [snapback]278321[/snapback]</div>

The best suggestion I have is baby powder, or any body talc powder. You first put lots on, press it in, put more on if it is all absorbed. Wait for 15 long minutes (longer if you can stand to wait longer) while the powder absorbs the grease. Vacuum the powder up, repeat putting powder on and waiting. Vacuum up again. By now the area should not feel greasy, if it does you didn't use enough powder. Wash with mild detergent and use a clean dry towel to blot up the moisture and left over powder. This works well on all surfaces and even on pets. The powder absorbs the grease, once all the grease is absorbed by the powder you simply remove the powder. Corn starch will also work in place of the powder but isn't as fast in my opinion.

 

Jill I prepare new cars for delivery and what I want you to do is go find a product called AFTA this is what we use if we have that happen on a new car.

http://www.jensco.com/thekitchendrawer/cle...emover4000.html


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JillGT02 @ Jun 28 2006, 08:21 PM) [snapback]278321[/snapback]</div>

 

I'm not too sure how well these ArmorAll Cleaning Wipes work on just plain grease, but I smudged up the cover of my cloth-covered center console after mucking about with my tire pressures--and I am fairly certain there had to be some element of oily crap involved. I wiped 'em down almost immediately and had no remaining marks. Probably/possibly won't work with out and out grease, but definitely worth keeping close at hand for quick cleans.

 

WD40.

 

My mother raves about her quik n brite from the infomercial. Test anything you're going to use in a spot where you won't see it first in case it pulls color out.

And boo to Sears Auto. I took my '96 Camry there in '02 to replace what we believed to be the factory battery so it wouldn't die sitting in the Cage during a Blacksburg winter. They found what was "wrong" that caused my battery to "die" and told me I needed a new alternator or that I would not make it the 30 miles home. Funny...did anyone notice me saying there was a problem with the battery other than age? We told them we'd risk it and to put the car back together. When I sold the car in March this year I was still running the same alternator...and I've never been back to a Sears Auto.

 

Sears will buy you a new, factory armrest assembly; purchased and installed by your Authorized Toyota Dealer, OR you will sue them and the grease monkey that performed the work on your car, for all the costs involved in the replacement as well as court costs. You WILL win. document, keep your bill etc and be firm but cool. ...80% chance the the Service/Automotive mgr. will take care of it before it gets that bad, but if not, if what you say happened really did occur, you will prevail.

 

Here are manufacturer instructions:

http://alcantara.com/

Click on "Americas" then "English" then "Maintenance" then "Stain Removal"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Jun 29 2006, 09:06 AM) [snapback]278615[/snapback]</div>

I would not try WD40 on a cloth surface. It will leave an oil stain. After all, it's oil!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jun 29 2006, 03:14 AM) [snapback]278481[/snapback]</div>

I can't guarantee this will work, but since candle wax is also a hydrocarbon, you might try the scheme for removing candlewax. Take a couple of sheets of paper toweling and press it to the stain. Run an iron over the paper toweling. after about 30 seconds, take a look at the piece in contact with the stain. I should have started to absorb the oil. keep repeating the process, changing to clean sheets often (to prevent spreading the stain). When you can't remove any more, get some AFTA, which I think is Perc. a dry cleaning fluid and remove the last traces. Spraying on carpet cleaner and vacuuming it off repeatedly might also work.

If all else fails go after Sears. They will reimburse you if you are very firm and polite.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JillGT02 @ Jul 2 2006, 12:01 PM) [snapback]280173[/snapback]</div>

I am SO glad to hear these really work for more stuff than I thought they might. I have this thing about buying stuff that looks nifty, but then doesn't work entirely as it seems it is supposed to. As I said, it worked for a nasty thing in my car, but nothing as bad as future ones are likely to be. I LOVE it when stuff really works.

The other suggestions are great, too...but I gotta admit, I really prefer EASY, and the ArmorAll wipes are certainly that.

But WD40 on FABRIC??? :blink: