How to remove oil stains from clothes

by Abbas Jahangir · July 10, 2024

The appearance of an oil stain on clothes is not uncommon. The greasy trace spreads across the fabric quickly, and every time we look at it, we think about the upcoming difficult cleaning work. But do not be too upset. At home, you can remove an oil stain from clothes without a trace if you hurry and take action immediately.

First steps

For the procedure to be successful, you need to prepare the clothes according to the following algorithm:

Remove dust and dirt from the stain.
Blot away excess oil with a napkin.
Place a bag or cardboard under the back of the item to avoid staining the other part of the garment with oil.
Test the selected cleaning agent. To do this, apply the composition to the inside of the item and check the fabric’s reaction. A suitable preparation should not leave marks on the fabric.

When removing an oil stain, move the cotton pad from the edge to the center of the stain, thereby preventing it from spreading across the clothing.

Removing fresh stains

At home, you can always find natural sorbents (substances that can absorb and absorb) that will return your clothes to their original appearance.

Salt

Fine salt is poured in a thick layer on the oil stains and rubbed in with light movements. After a quarter of an hour, shake off and check the result. Repeat the cleaning until the dirt has completely disappeared.

Laundry soap

To remove oil stains, soak the garment in lukewarm water. Then rub the marks with 72% soap. Finally, rinse the item. If the quality is not achieved, rub the area with soap again and immerse the item in warm water for 10-12 hours.

Chalk, talc, starch, soda, tooth powder

Powder products absorb fats well and do an excellent job of removing oil stains from clothing.

Sorbents are used in two ways:

the powder covers the oily areas;
after 1.5-2 hours, remove the residue with a brush;
wash clothes in the usual way.

The second option requires the use of an iron:

cover the spots with a thick layer of powder;
place a napkin on top and iron it;
if a trace remains, then a weight is placed on the napkin for 12 hours;
after a while, the powder is shaken off;
wash with conditioner.

Items with oil stains should not be placed on hot radiators. Fats penetrate into the fibers of fabrics. And it will be difficult to save the clothes.

Mustard

An effective way to remove fresh traces of oil is mustard powder. The product is sprinkled on the contaminated area for several minutes. After the oil is absorbed by the mustard, the clothes are shaken off and the items are washed in a soap solution.

Dishwashing gel

The gel contains substances that can break down oil, which is necessary in this situation. Wet the greasy marks with water, squeeze the gel on top. Rub gently for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse off the residue with a stream of warm water.

Washing powder

If you need to quickly remove oil drops, you can’t do without washing powder. Moisten some granules and rub them with a brush into the dirty areas until a stable foam appears. Wait until a dry crust forms. Clean it with a brush.

Iron

Lay the product on a flat table. Place sheets of tracing paper under and over the stains. Iron the problem areas until the transparent paper absorbs the grease.

The methods are suitable for removing fresh stains. For old marks, other effective methods are chosen.

What will deal with old stains

Gasoline will help remove stains from vegetable and animal oils from clothing. Wipe the defects on both sides with a cotton pad soaked in purified gasoline. As soon as the contaminated areas are saturated with the flammable mixture, wash the item in the usual way.
For old grease stains, alcohol with salt is suitable. Ingredients: 50 ml of warm water, 1 tbsp. alcohol and ½ tbsp. salt. The product is treated in the problem area on both sides. Wait a third of an hour for the fabric fibers to soak. Then the item is washed.
To clean delicate fabrics from old oil stains, use ammonia. Dilute a teaspoon of the product in a glass of warm water. Moisten the disk with the resulting liquid and treat the contaminated areas. Add glycerin to enhance the effect. The finished mixture contains a glass of water, ammonia and glycerin, 1 teaspoon each. Soak old stains with it. Wash off with a sponge after 20-30 minutes.
Vinegar works well on oil stains. Soak a cotton pad or napkin in a 1:1 water solution of table vinegar and place it on greasy stains. Wait a quarter of an hour, then rinse the clothes in warm water.
You can wash sunflower oil stains from clothes with acetone and white spirit. But the material is tested first. Not every fabric can withstand such aggressive chemicals.

Try to protect your clothes from such incidents. But if this happens and oily stains appear, it is better to get rid of them with gentle home remedies.

Use aggressive products only in extreme cases. Otherwise, having gotten rid of the stains, you will have to fight the pungent smells of turpentine, gasoline and other flammable mixtures.