Remove Oil Based Stains from Fabrics

We've all done it: accidentally spilled oil on our shirt while cooking or eating, or managed to come into contact with oil in the garage. Oil stains can seemingly ruin a shirt - but don't let them ruin yours! With a few household items, you can remove your oil stains, fresh and set-in, in no time.

Steps

Removing Oil Immediately After Staining

  1. Sprinkle on some talcum or baby powder. These incredibly fine powders work as mini oil sponges, soaking up oil in your clothes and cleansing the fibers. As soon as you spill oil on your clothes, sprinkle on talcum or baby powder and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Brush off the powder and run your clothes through a regular wash cycle.
  2. Wash with shampoo. The soap you use to wash your hair is specially formulated to cut down natural oils and grease in your hair, so it makes perfect sense that it could do the same for your fabrics. Pour a spot of shampoo onto the oil and scrub the area with your finger. Allow the shampoo to sit for 5-10 minutes, and then put your clothes into the washing machine. A regular wash and dry should have your clothes oil-free and good as new!
  3. Use hair spray. Yet another hair product, a concentrated blast of hair spray may be able to break up the oil in your fabric and help it to rinse clean. Spray your oil spots with hair spray from {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} away, applying the mist liberally to the areas with the highest concentration of oil. Follow up with a regular wash in the washing machine and a little time in the drier.
  4. Try WD-40. This magical cleaning solution removes oil stains, among other things. Fetch your can of the spray and apply it directly to the oil spots on your clothes. Let it soak for about thirty minutes, and then put your clothes in a regular laundry cycle. When you take them out, the oil should be gone!
  5. Squirt on cheese whiz. By far the most strange oil-removing item on this list, a heavy application of cheese whiz will break up oil stains in a jiffy. Spread a thick layer of the cheese over the spot, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Then, simply toss the article of clothing into the wash and allow the whiz to work its magic.
  6. Apply waterless mechanic’s soap. This dry soap is used in oil-filled garages all over the place to clean up messy spills. Sprinkle on some of this soapy powder to your clothes and allow it to soak for 30 minutes or so. Follow up with a regular wash and rinse cycle, and your clothes will be good to go!
  7. Use aloe vera. Great for soothing burns and removing oil stains! Use some of the thick gel directly from the aloe vera plant, or purchase a bottle from the store. Soak your oily articles of clothing in water, and then rub in the gel to the oil spots. Make sure they are thoroughly coated with the gel-y substance, and the proceed to a regular wash in your washing machine. Your oil spots should be gone, and you’ll have plenty of aloe vera left over for your next trip outdoors.
  8. Pour on some lestoil. Although seemingly counterintuitive, take your problems head on by fighting fire with fire. Or in this case, oil with oil. Pour on some lestoil (available in most hardware stores) and allow it to soak for 20-30 minutes. As with all the other methods, wash your clothes as per usual afterwards and be amazed by the disappearing act your oil spots have pulled.[1]
  9. Sprinkle on an artificial sweetener. If you find yourself out for dinner and you manage to spill some greasy food on your shirt, don’t fear! Grab a packet of artificial sweetener and pour it directly onto the oil stain. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes before brushing up. Follow up later with a run through your washer with regular clothing detergent to remove that faux-sugar from your garments.
  10. Draw on your oil with some chalk. Plain white chalk is such a fine powder that it gets in between fibers in your clothing and soaks up oil from the bottom up. Draw heavily over your oil stain with a stick of white chalk, or sprinkle on white chalk powder if you have it. Let it set for 10-15 minutes, and then brush off and wash your clothing as per usual.

Removing Set-in Oil Stains

  1. Use baking soda and dish soap. The combination of a super-absorbent powder with an oil-conquering dish soap is a match set-in stains can’t beat! Start by pouring more fresh oil on your oil stain, to “renew” it. Then, pour on baking soda and scrub the area with a toothbrush. Finalize the process by pouring on grease-fighting dish soap and scrubbing some more. Then send your clothing through a wash cycle and be amazed by the lack of stains when it’s done.[2]
  2. Iron your clothes with citrus oil. Again, we’re fighting oil with oil. Citrus oil is a strong solvent made from the acid in citrus fruits - so it smells delicious! Apply citrus oil to your oil spot, and then cover the area with a paper towel. Run over the spot with your iron using the steam attachment, and watch the oil disappear. If necessary, you can repeat this process a few times.[3]
  3. Coat your stain with coca-cola. When you see how well this beverage of choice works to break up oil in clothing, you may reconsider your choice to drink it. Pour coca-cola directly onto the oil spot in your clothing. Let the soda soak into the stain for 1-2 hours, and then wash your clothes as you normally would.
  4. Try liquid glycerin. One of the more harsher methods, using liquid glycerin is a good option if you have oil stains that have been set for months (or years!). Apply some liquid glycerin directly to the oily stain, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Follow up with a regular wash in the washing machine, and you’re set!
  5. Use acetone. Check your clothing labels to make sure acetone won’t discolor or ruin the fibers of the material. Then, dab on pure acetone to your clothing stains and let it set for a few minutes. Finishing with a run through the washing machine should end your oil-stain woes for good.[4]
  6. Spray on simple green. This traditional household cleaner does more than disinfect your countertops, it can completely remove set-in oil stains. Douse the oily spot with a good helping of simple green cleaning spray, and allow it to set for 30 minutes to an hour. Wash your clothing as you usually would afterwards to guarantee it has been fully removed.[5]
  7. Take a trip to the dry cleaners. If your oil spot is too stubborn to be removed with household goods, or is on an article of clothing too nice to risk ruining, go the safe route and take a trip the dry cleaners. Their advanced cleaning methods will ease the stains out of your clothing without putting them at risk for damage.

Tips

  • Clean up stains as soon as possible whenever you are able. It is much easier to remove fresh oil stains than it is to get rid of old, set-in oil stains.
  • Never use bar soap over an oil stain, as the soap may work to set the stain rather than to reduce it.
  • Avoid using a cloth that sheds or is made out of a dark material to wipe up oily stains. You will end up transferring lint or dye to the stained area, possibly making it worse.[6]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.wisebread.com/14-effective-grease-and-oil-stain-removal-tips
  2. ↑ http://northernbellediaries.com/2012/07/removing-set-in-oil-stains.html/3
  3. ↑ http://www.diylife.com/2010/03/25/home-ec-how-to-remove-oil-based-stains/
  4. ↑ http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/stains-out-of-clothes-after-theyve-been-washed.htm
  5. ↑ http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/798831
  6. ↑ http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm858.pdf
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