Degreasing tiles

Achaté team

December 15, 2025 7

Degreasing tiles

Grease on tiles is more common than you think. Indoors from cooking and spills, outdoors from barbecues, bikes, cars or dirt that mixes with grease. Grease quickly forms a dark, shiny patch that feels greasy and can sometimes become slippery. It also attracts dirt from its surroundings, so the stain stays visible even after a quick surface clean.

With the right approach, you can remove most grease stains just fine. Below you'll read how grease builds up, how tiles react to it and how to clean grease stains step by step, including specific tips per type of tile.

How do grease stains on tiles form?

Grease ends up on tiles through:

splatters while cooking
spilled oil or sauce
skin oils and personal care products
dripping frying fat
oil from bikes, scooters or cars
barbecue fat splashing onto warm patio tiles

Many types of grease initially sit on top of the surface before soaking in. The warmer the tile, the faster the grease becomes liquid and spreads. Outdoors this often happens faster due to the heat of the sun or the hot grill of a barbecue. Indoors too, tiles around the hob, dining table and sink can be prone to grease splatters because the environment is warm and humid.

Properties of tiles in combination with grease

Every tile reacts differently to grease. The main differences:

Ceramic tiles (smooth and dense)
Here, grease usually stays on the surface. It soaks in less quickly and you mainly see the stain as a shiny, greasy patch. This makes cleaning fairly easy, although grease can cling to the grout lines if they're porous.
Porous tiles (natural stone, concrete, unglazed tiles)
Grease soaks into the pores faster. These stains are more stubborn and require a careful approach. Especially outdoors or in damp rooms, grease likes to cling to the microstructure of the material. If you wait too long, the grease can mix with sand or dust, making the stain darker.
Coated or sealed tiles
The protective layer prevents grease from soaking into the tile. Grease sits more on top and is easier to remove. However, the protective layer wears over time, so older tiles need to be treated again to prevent stains.

The more porous the tile, the deeper the grease can sink in. Especially outdoors, where tiles get warm in the sun, grease soaks in faster and more easily.

Is there a difference between indoor and outdoor tiles?

Indoor and outdoor tiles react differently to grease, mainly because of the conditions they're in and the way they're finished.

Outdoor tiles heat up in the sun, so pores open faster and grease soaks in more quickly.
They're also often rougher, more anti-slip and less dense, so grease clings more easily.
Outdoors, grease also mixes straight away with sand, dust and soil, so stains turn dark and stubborn more quickly.
The type of grease differs too: indoors it's mainly cooking fat and skin oils, while outdoor tiles more often deal with barbecue fat, motor oil and chain grease, which soak deeper into the material.
Finally, indoor tiles are usually glazed or coated and therefore better protected, while outdoor tiles are often unglazed and more porous. As a result, outdoor tiles usually need more attention and repetition when removing grease stains than indoor tiles.

Removing a grease stain from tiles

This basic approach works for most tiles and is always a good starting point.

1. Blot away excess grease

Use kitchen paper or an absorbent cloth to soak up as much grease as possible. By blotting the grease straight away, you prevent it from having time to soak into the tile. Don't rub: that pushes the grease further into the tile and often makes the stain bigger.

2. Make a mild soapy solution

Use lukewarm water with a mild all-purpose cleaner or washing-up liquid. Washing-up liquid works well because it dissolves grease without being harsh. Apply the solution with a soft brush or microfibre cloth. Make sure the solution is spread evenly over the stain so the grease comes loose properly.

3. Scrub gently

Work in circular motions, without too much pressure. Scrubbing too hard can actually spread the grease further, especially on porous tiles. On rough or outdoor tiles, a soft-bristled brush can help loosen grease from grooves or texture.

4. Rinse thoroughly

Make sure no soap is left behind, because soap residue also attracts dirt. Rinse the tile generously with clean water and then dry it with a cloth. For outdoor tiles, you can rinse everything away with a watering can.

5. Repeat if necessary

Older grease stains may need several rounds of cleaning. With each repetition, a little more grease often rises out of the tile. After a few treatments, the stain usually becomes considerably lighter.

Extra tips for degreasing tiles

Grease stains can become more stubborn if you get to them too late. Extra techniques that help:

Sprinkle absorbent powder such as cornflour, talcum powder or baking powder on fresh stains.
Leave the powder for twenty to thirty minutes so the grease is fully absorbed.
Sweep it away and then clean with a soapy solution.
Use warm water to loosen grease more easily, but not hot, to prevent damage.
Take it slow: hard scrubbing can sometimes make the stain bigger and damage the surface.

This method works especially well on patio tiles and floor tiles where grease soaks in quickly.

Removing oil stains from tiles

Oil is thicker than ordinary grease and clings firmly to surfaces and pores. Outdoors this often comes from hinge oil, chain oil or leaking vehicles. Indoors you mainly see it with cooking oil.

Blot away as much oil as possible before it spreads.
Sprinkle absorbent powder over the stain to draw out most of the oil.
Let it soak in calmly; the longer it sits, the more oil is absorbed.
Then scrub with lukewarm water and washing-up liquid.
Rinse clean and let it dry.

Outdoor stains may need repeating, because oil often soaks in deeper.

Removing frying fat from tiles

Frying fat is more syrupy and stickier and clings more strongly to the surface because of the composition of the fats.

Blot fresh stains quickly to limit penetration.
Use warm water with washing-up liquid.
Work with a soft brush so you also remove baked-on residue.
Repeat if necessary: frying fat sometimes leaves a greasy film that only disappears after several rounds.

Removing grease stains from natural stone

Natural stone such as marble, bluestone, slate, travertine and limestone is delicate and porous. Grease can quickly soak into the surface, causing stains to settle deeper into the stone.

Important points to keep in mind:

Don't use acids such as cleaning vinegar.
Don't use harsh degreasers, as they can cause dull patches.
Work with mild soap and lukewarm water so the surface isn't damaged.
Blot and scrub lightly, especially on soft types of stone.
Use absorbent agents for deep stains so the grease is drawn out of the pores.

Removing grease stains from porous tiles

Porous tiles absorb grease quickly because they have lots of tiny openings. Think of concrete tiles, unglazed tiles or stones with a rough texture.

Start with absorbent powder to draw as much grease out of the pores as possible.
Then clean with warm water and a mild degreaser.
Use a brush and little pressure to loosen the grease without damaging the tile.
Repeat several times for deeper stains.
Consider applying a sealant afterwards so the tiles are less susceptible to grease in the future.

Removing stains from concrete tiles

Concrete tiles are coarse and have lots of open pores. Grease, oil and barbecue fat therefore soak in quickly and easily mix with dust or sand, which makes the stain darker.

Blot the stain as quickly as possible to prevent it from spreading.
Sprinkle cat litter, soil or cornflour over the spot to absorb the grease.
Let the powder soak in well so the grease is drawn out of the top layer.
Scrub with warm water and washing-up liquid to remove the remaining stain.
Rinse thoroughly so no soap residue is left behind.

What if the stain doesn't disappear completely?

Some grease stains soak in so deeply that they never disappear completely. Especially with porous tiles, natural stone and concrete tiles, a faint shadow may remain. With repeated cleaning, absorbent powder and gentle scrubbing, you can usually reduce the stain considerably. The sooner you tackle it, the greater the chance the stain will disappear completely.