I'm a cleaning expert - here's how to remove stains from clothes without baking soda

Getting grease spots on your clothes is annoying, and getting them out can be a hassle. Although using commercial cleaners might be the obvious solution, there's an easier, and eco-friendly, solution available - and no baking soda is needed.

TikTok cleaning guru Georgia, also known on social media as Clean with Georgia, has demonstrated how to clean stains using something you've probably already got in your cupboard. Her solution? Chalk.

The secret behind chalk's stain-fighting capability lies in its absorbency. It pulls the oil out of fabric and into itself, leaving your clothes clean.

First, remove as much of the oily stain as you can by blotting it with a cloth. Don't rub it as this will only make it worse. Once you've done that, rub the chalk into the stain. It's best to let it sit for a while to allow the oil to be soaked up.

If the chalk starts to clump together, add more. Continue the process until the chalk doesn't clump any more; this means there's no more oil left to absorb.

At this point, brush away the remaining chalk, and pop the item of clothing in the wash as usual. This method works best on smaller stains.

Kathy Cohoon from the cleaning service Two Maids & A Mop explained to Homes & Gardens why chalk works so well in this scenario. "The chemical makeup of chalk and its open-cell structure makes it incredibly absorbent," she said. "Chalk is able to zap up moisture and liquids easily."

And Jill Koch from Jill Comes Clean agrees; she said: "Chalk is typically made from a form of limestone called calcium carbonate. As you apply the chalk to the oil stain, it will absorb the oil and essentially hold onto it.

"Then you can brush the chalk away and the oil along with it. Chalk today [usually] includes other ingredients, too, but calcium carbonate is often still the main ingredient."