The Clever Reason You Should Keep A Stick Of Chalk In Your Kitchen

There are plenty of things you should keep in your kitchen that aren't always obvious choices. You want white vinegar on hand for cleaning, for example, and some paper lunch bags to help ripen your bananas. A stick of chalk is also worth keeping in the back of your junk drawer, and not just to write on a blackboard or to prevent your silverware from tarnishing — chalk is also ideal for absorbing grease stains.

Once you notice a spill on your clothes, just take a stick of chalk and rub it across the stained spot. As long as you can get to the chalk while the grease stain is fresh, it could save you a lot of hassle. Plain, white chalk is what you want since colored chalk may have other materials in it that could make a stain worse. Use gentle pressure, enough to make the chalk break apart and leave white residue on the grease stain. Once the stained portion is covered in chalk, let it rest for a few minutes and wash the garment as you normally would.

Chalk is traditionally made of calcium carbonate — the same stuff that antacids, such as Tums, are made from — while modern chalk is usually calcium sulfate, or gypsum. Both are porous and absorbent. Bodybuilders, gymnasts, and rock climbers all use various kinds of chalk dust on their hands to reduce moisture, and the same principle makes it ideal for grease spills on clothing.

If the texture of the clothing makes it hard to rub the chalk in, use the edge of a butter knife or scissors to scrape some chalk dust onto the stain instead. If the stain remains after washing, treat it again before drying. You can either try more chalk, or a different stain treatment. Rewash, and then dry if the stain is removed. Keep in mind that chalk only works on fresh grease stains. The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove.

On Reddit, some users have had more success treating stains with chalk, letting it sit for a while, and then adding dish soap to sit for another five to 10 minutes. Unlike some cleaning products, which can't be mixed, there's no harm in treating with chalk first and then using a grease-cutting soap, such as Dawn, to try to improve results. Remember to rinse the garment before putting it in the wash if you do this, however. You definitely don't want dish soap in your washing machine (or dishwasher) since it can produce excessive suds.