If you’re like most people, chances are you’ve had to get oil stains out of y
our clothes at some point in your life. Whether it was a leaky car, spillage on the kitchen floor or even just cooking with a greasy stove, you know the struggle of dealing with oil stains that have gone through the wash cycle or dried in place on your clothing and linens. Here’s how to get oil stains out of clothes so they look like new again!
#1: Cold Water
Soak your clothing in cold water as soon as possible. The longer an oil stain stays on a fabric, the more likely it is that removing it will be a challenge. So, if you spill hydraulic oil on your shirt at work, remove it right away and soak it in cold water. If you leave it overnight, however, there’s a chance that soaking will have limited effect.
#2: Launder As Normal
Most people don’t know that simply laundering your stained clothing won’t cleanse them completely. You must treat them with an oil-cleansing agent before you put them in for a normal cycle. This will ensure that you’ll have clean, stain-free clothes after you remove them from their machine. Here are three laundry products worth trying: Shout Advanced Stain Remover, Wisk Deep Clean Detergent and Biz Formula Heavy Duty Laundry Pre-Treater.
#3: Persistence Pays Off
Sometimes laundry mishaps cause tears. If you don’t have time to take your oily clothes straight to a laundromat or dry cleaner, there are a few things you can try at home before getting in your car and visiting an emergency cleaning facility. Try applying some baking soda directly onto the stain, letting it soak for 15 minutes, then wash as usual. You can also pour salt or soap into your washing machine and use it on an extra-delicate cycle with cold water.
#4: Run through the washing machine again
The first time, you didn’t catch all of it. If there’s some stubborn residue left, put your clothes through another wash cycle. Chances are they should be clean after one or two more tries. When in doubt, always opt for multiple washes over using a harsh detergent or spot remover.
#5: Don’t give up hope – try these other ideas before giving up
Before you give up on your grease stain problem, make sure that you’ve tried all three of these methods. If even one of these methods works, try it a few times (or in conjunction with some other technique) before you throw in the towel. A little persistence can save your clothing, and maybe even a friendship or two!
#6: Soak it in water, then soap
First, soak your stained garment in lukewarm water. To help accelerate loosening and removal, add a small amount of dish detergent or laundry detergent—one that’s recommended for use on oily stains. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use hand soap or body wash; these are designed for greasy surfaces, so they might be more effective.
#7: Be Gentle, Pressure Can Make It Worse
If you’re trying to remove an oil stain from a garment, avoid applying additional pressure. Doing so might make it worse, as more oil is forced into the fabric and absorbed. Rather than rubbing hard at a spot where an oil spill happened, blot gently with a paper towel or soft cloth.
#8: Use Baking Soda To Neutralize The Stain
This is one of my favorite methods for getting tough, food-related stains out of clothing. It doesn’t always work, but when it does you’ll be thrilled! Start by filling a bowl with cold water and add a spoonful of baking soda. Soak your stain overnight or while you’re at work.
#9: Try Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)
Hydrogen peroxide has a bleaching effect on fabrics and doesn’t leave behind chemicals. Before using, test a small patch of your fabric to make sure it won’t discolor your clothing. With that being said, let’s take a look at how you can use hydrogen peroxide to remove oil-based stains from your clothing
#10. Get help from others if you can’t remove the stain yourself
Although these methods worked for us, it doesn’t mean they’ll work for you. If a stain is particularly stubborn and you can’t remove it yourself, try visiting a dry cleaner or laundromat that deals with heavy-duty cleaning projects. It may not be cheap, but if getting your favorite shirt back on time is worth it to you then so be it.