Have you ever gotten oil stains on your clothes while working on a car? It turns out that cleaning it is difficult but not impossible. Grease seeps into jeans and shirts, and you can be stumped on how to get motor oil stains out of garments.
Many common household substances can help treat an oil stain, and many of the things to get rid of oil stains can be found around the home.
It is easy to manufacture your motor oil stain remover, and there is no need to search for a commercial oil or grease stain cleaner.
In our guide, you can learn much more about how to get grease out of clothes. It can take time, but the effort is worth it to remove oil stains yourself. By the end, you’ll see accidents happen, yet you will be able to effectively get oil and grease stains out of your clothes. (Read Troy Bilt Tb240 Oil Change Guide)
Do Motor Oil Stains Come Out?
Nearly every oil and grease stain proves stubborn for regular laundry detergent. On most occasions, however, to remove engine oil takes a little skill rather than effort.
Here are some of the best ways to get rid of oil and grease stains.
Soak in Water:
- Place the clothing immediately under a faucet in the bathtub or sink.
- Turn on the hot water, and let your clothes soak for at least 5 minutes.
- If the set in stains remains visible, leave the clothing until it disappears, then wash clothes as usual.
Try Cornstarch:
- Cover the grease stain with cornstarch or baby powder and leave it to sit overnight.
- The cornstarch and baby powder should absorb the grease from the clothing.
- Gently scrub the area to remove oil stains using a grease-cutting liquid dish soap such as Dawn and a clean cloth.
- Wash your clothes as normal for removing grease stains, engine oil, and the cornstarch and baby powder.
Try Scrubbing:
- Lay your clothing flat
- Using an old toothbrush, apply WD-40 to the damaged area and gently scrub it into the stain.
- Let the solution soak for 5 minutes before cleaning the area again.
- Apply grease-cutting dishwashing liquid, and scrub using your toothbrush.
- Toss the item into the wash to be washed as usual after 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add a cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle to help remove oil odors.
Use Shampoo:
- Using a clean cloth or soft bristle brush, rub hair shampoo into the stain
- Let the cleaning solution soak for 5 to 10 minutes before washing in the washing machine.
Using the methods here, don’t just use hot or cold water. You need to check the care label on your clothes as this can dictate what water to use when removing oil stains.
How Do You Get Motor Oil Out Of Clothes After Washing And Drying?
Grease and oil are without a doubt the most difficult stains to remove from garments. It can be difficult to completely wipe them out, so get started as soon as possible. The stain, the fabric’s substance, and color, and the cleaning process all play a role in your success.
Though the stains may not appear to be significant at first, they will darken the fabric once they have settled, so they must be removed as soon as possible. (Read Briggs And Stratton Oil Capacity)
The longer you wait, the more the fat and oil will be absorbed. Once the stain has dried, it will be much more difficult to remove, and it may cause irreversible damage to your clothing.
What you need:
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Hot water
- Toothbrush or damp sponge
- Baking soda
- Color-safe bleach
- WD-40 and cotton swabs
Step-by-step for cleaning oil stains in clothes
Blot the stain:
As soon as you notice a stain, lay your clothing flat on a piece of card.
Use a paper towel or napkin to remove grease stains. It will be easier to remove the stain once you wash it. Rubbing will just push the oil further into the fabric fibers, making it less likely that you’ll be able to completely remove grease stains.
Apply dish soap:
Place the fabric on a flat surface and dab the stain with a few drops of dish soap. To release the oil and grease stain, rub the fabric with your hands or use a toothbrush to rub the soap in.
Use Baking Soda:
In the case of obstinate stains, sprinkle some baking soda over the stain, along with the dish soap, and then scrape with a damp sponge or toothbrush. For best results, let it sit for a while until the baking soda dries and forms a hard paste over the stain.
Use hot water:
After an hour of letting the dish soap and baking soda work their magic, rinse the fabric with hot water. After that, soak the cloth in hot water for a further hour.
When the stain is almost gone, wash the cloth in warm water in the washing machine and air dry it. Repeat the steps if the stain does not go completely.
Optional: Soak in colorsafe bleach: Bleach can be harmful, yet on occasions, you may need to use it. If the fabric is washed and dried but is still stained, dip it in warm water mixed with color-safe bleach and let it sit for about an hour. Wash and dry as usual to finish removing grease.
Tips on Getting Motor Oil Out of All Types of Clothes
Here are a few alternative ways to remove oils stains from all types of clothing.
How to Get Motor Oil Out of Clothes Using Aloe Vera
The oil reacts with the amino acids in aloe vera, making it easier to remove from your clothes. This solution may also be useful for removing grease and other types of stains. You can achieve similar results by attempting to remove crayon off a wall, for example.
- 1 tablespoon of aloe vera
- 1 old toothbrush
The aloe vera gel should be rubbed into the motor oil. Scrub it in gently with a toothbrush in a circular motion, and careful not to harm the cloth.
Allow an hour for the aloe vera gel to soak in to the recess oil, then toss it in the washing machine with warm or hot water if your clothes can tolerate hot water.
Air dry to make sure the stain is gone.
Motor Oil Stain Remover
- With any method of how to get grease stains out, you need to lay your clothing flat while separating the stain from the other side of your clothing with cardboard or an old towel.
- Additionally, dry powders like baby powder, talcum and baking soda can be used to remove liquid stains from clothing, even engine oil. Before washing, sprinkle the dust on the oil spots to remove them.
- You only need one cup of talcum powder to make our talcum powder. Wait a few hours for the damaged region to absorb the liquid oil, then remove it with a brush or wash.
- If you’re not satisfied with the cleanliness, go over the directions again. Brush some laundry detergent into it before you wash it, and you should end up with a clean garment at the end of the cycle.
- Baking soda can also be used to remove odors from clothing without the need to wash them.
Remove Motor Oil Stains with WD 40
If WD 40 can get old grime off cars and crayons off a wall or table, it can certainly get oil out of clothes.
It’s designed to disrupt molecular bonds in adhesives like stickers, and it can even remove stains from the most absorbent upholstery. (Read AC Compressor Oil Capacity Chart)
Before spraying the affected area to remove stains, test on an inconspicuous area first, and lay your garment on an old towel.
WD 40 Recipe
- 1 teaspoon of WD 40
- 1 toothbrush
- Applying WD 40 to sensitive fabrics should be done with caution. To decrease the impact on the material, apply the product with a Q-Tip.
- You can be a little more robust on heavier fabrics, such as jeans.
- Allow one teaspoon to soak into an oil discoloration.
- After a few hours, use your fingers to massage in liquid dish soap or liquid hand soap.
- It’s now time to put it in the washing machine in the cold setting. (cold water can be better as hot water can set stains).
Your garments should be stain-free at this point.
Shampoo As A Motor Oil Stain Remover
The shampoo makes a great stain remover as it contains a surfactant, which makes it easier for the soap to locate the dirt.
Shampoo can also be used to remove stains from soft fabrics.
- 1 tablespoon of shampoo
- 1 tablespoon of water
- Many motor oils are organic, and it is this that makes shampoo work in the same way as dishwashing liquid. It is best to use the mixture as a pre-treatment on delicate fabrics and using warm water rather than hot.
- Use your fingers, a sponge, or a paper towel. Use a little elbow grease to work into the excess oil before you start removing grease stains through washing.
- You may need to repeat this to be certain the stain removal has been successful or the stain persists.
Remove Motor Oil Nail Polish Remover
Acetone is a highly effective organic solvent. It works by attracting and interacting with oil molecules, resulting in a lesser stain.
This is beneficial because it binds to most motor oils, making stain removal easier. Acetone is a common chemical in nail polish remover, which is found in almost every home.
Acetone Recipe for Delicate Clothes
- 1 teaspoon of nail polish remover
- 1 Q-tip
Acetone, like WD 40, maybe harsh on clothing, so if your clothes are delicate, apply it with a Q-tip.
Because you don’t want to destroy it, you should try it on an inconspicuous section of your outfit first. Apply acetone to the greasy spots if it’s okay to do so, and rinse after ten minutes.
Repeat till you’re satisfied that the discoloration has been eliminated.
If you still need aid removing a stain, put a cup of white vinegar in the washing machine. As an added bonus, this will help remove the stink of oil from your clothes.
The rest of the discoloration should be removed with regular dishwashing detergent after that.
Once you’ve followed these strategies for eliminating motor oil and the odor it generates, you won’t need to dry clean your clothes.
