8 Simply Tips How to get oil out of Clothes

When you chose automotive mechanics as a profession, you should know that dealing with dirt and grime is inevitable. So, when you stain your clothes with oil or grease, you shouldn’t think you can’t clean them and remove the smell. To always look professional and not just like any mechanic, you need to know how to get oil out of clothes. Since you can’t remove oil and grease with water alone, I will show you how and what to use to get rid of stubborn oil and grease in your workwear.

To remove stubborn stains from your workwear, you will need some common homemade and in-store detergents like cornstarch, baking soda, aloe Vera, shampoo, WD 40, and a little bit of time and effort. Use the following methods to get rid of grease and oil out of clothes.

how to remove old oil stains from clothes

01. Getting rid of oil and grease with cornstarch:

Cornstarch is a household stain remover that you don’t want to ignore. This is what to do;

Materials:

  • Damp sponge or toothbrush
  • Cornstarch

Procedures:

  • Lay your clothing flat on a table
  • Pour small cornstarch on the stain
  • Allow the cornstarch to set in for 30 minutes or more.
  • Take your damp sponge or toothbrush and brush off the cornstarch. You can also apply another cornstarch before washing.
  • Wash the clothes by hand or in a washing machine in a cold setting.
  • Remove and sun the clothing.

02. Getting rid of the stain with Aloe Vera:

Aloe Vera is a great stain remover that majorly deals with grease stains. This’ is what you need to do;

Materials:

  • Aloe Vera gel
  • Warm and hot water

Procedures:

  • Soak the clothing in hot water for 15 minutes.
  • Take off the clothes from the hot water and scrub the aloe Vera gel on the stained area.
  • Put and wash the clothes in warm water.
  • Dry the clothes in the sun.

03. Getting rid of stains with Baking soda:

This method requires pouring the baking soda into the stained area. However, baking soda works effectively on new oil or grease stains. This’ is what you need to do;

Materials:

  • Hot water
  • Baking soda
  • Scrapping tool
  • Cardboard or old towel

Procedures:

  • Spread your garment on a table
  • Put cardboard or an old towel underneath the stained area.
  • Lightly pour baking soda on the stained area.
  • Allow the baking soda to set in for 15 minutes or so.
  • Brush off the baking soda
  • Wash the garment with hot water
  • Repeat this process until the stain is wiped off.
  • Dry the garment.

This is one of the most straightforward procedures how to get oil out of clothes. However, if the stain proves stubborn, add liquid soap to the stain and pour baking soda on it again and scrub with a damp sponge or toothbrush and allow it to sit for 25 minutes. Soak the clothing in hot water again and rewash it.

04. Getting rid of engine oil and grease stain with WD 40:

WD 40 is a multi-purpose cleaner. If it can remove crayons from tables, walls and remove old and stubborn gunk from car components, it can also remove stubborn stains from workwear. WD 40 is designed to remove stains from the most absorbent upholstery.

Materials:

  • Toothbrush
  • One teaspoon of WD 40

Procedures:

  • Spread the cloth on a table.
  • Lightly pour one teaspoon of WD 40 on the stain
  • Allow the WD 40 to soak in for 15 minutes or more
  • Apply liquid soap to the affected area.
  • Throw the cloth into your washing machine and wash with either warm or cold water.
  • Dry your clothes.

Now, the oil and grease stain should be all gone. If you’re searching for how to get motor oil out of blue jeans or any hard material, this is the best option for you. If you want to clean the garage floor, check these tips here.

05. Getting rid of motor oil and grease with shampoo:

The shampoo has surfactant molecules that make it a lot easier to find and fight dirt and grime. The shampoo is one of the best stain removers for soft fabrics.

Materials:

  • 1 gallon of water
  • 1 tablespoon of shampoo

Many engine oil and grease are organic, and that’s why shampoo is a reliable detergent for removing them.

Procedures:

  • Lay your cloth on a table
  • Rub the shampoo on the stain using a sponge or your fingers. Anything soft will do just fine.
  • Allow the shampoo to set in for 25 minutes or more before rinsing. You need to repeat this several times to remove all the stains.
  • Throw the cloth in a washing machine and wash the cloth
  • Dry the clothes.

You need to keep in mind that shampoo isn’t a good option for removing wax from clothes.

06. Getting rid of motor oil and grease stain with Nail Polish Remover:

Nail Polish Remover has acetone which is an excellent organic solvent. It attracts and bonds oil molecules together, thereby weakening stubborn stains.

Materials:

  • 1 gallon of water
  • One tablespoon of nail polish remover (acetone)

Procedures:

  • Test in an inconspicuous area before using so you won’t damage the clothes.
  • Apply the acetone to the stain and rinse it after 15 minutes. Repeat this several times.
  • Throw the clothes into a washing machine.

If you’re looking for how to get motor oil smell out of clothes, you have to add a cup of white vinegar to erase the engine oil smell.

07. Getting rid of motor oil from clothes by presoaking:

Whether you clean mechanic hands on your clothes or mess up your workwear during an oil change, Presoaking is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways of getting rid of stains from clothing. It gives detergent enough room to bond and fights stubborn stains. Ensure you presoak with hot water to get optimum results.

Materials:

  • A sachet of 30kg detergent
  • 1 gallon of hot water.

Procedures:

  • Soak your clothing with hot water and 30kg detergent for 1 hour or more.
  • Rewash the clothes and presoak with warm water, and add enough detergent this time.
  • Wash clothes after 15 minutes
  • Dry the clothes

08. Getting rid of engine oil and grease stain using Oxiclean max force gel stick:

This is the best amongst others. Oxiclean max force gel stick is a concentrated formula that fights the most stubborn dried-in stains and washes them away, leaving no stain behind.

Materials:

  • Hot water (the hottest water the clothes can carry)
  • Oxiclean max force gel stick

Procedures:

  • Test Oxiclean max force gel stick in an inconspicuous area prior to use.
  • Pour a small amount of gel stick on the stain and gently scrub the stain using a laundress stain brush.
  • Allow the Oxiclean gel to pretreat for 15 minutes or more before washing.
  • Throw the clothes in a washing machine and wash with soap in the hottest water the clothes can carry.

How to Remove Oil Stains From Your Clothes YouTube

FAQs:

Q: Is it possible to remove oil stains from clothes?

Yes, it’s quite possible. The easiest and most inexpensive means of getting rid of oil stains from clothes is by pouring baby powder, cornstarch, or baking powder on the stain and brushing it off with a laundress stain brush or toothbrush. You can presoak your stained clothes overnight for optimum result.

Q: What removes oil stains from clothes at home?

If you check the oil and/or mistakenly pour oil on your clothes, you don’t need to throw the clothes away. All you need to do is lay the dress on a table and sprinkle the stain with baby powder or cornstarch, allow it to sit and absorb the oil for about 15 minutes, then brush it away with a laundress stain brush. Then throw the clothes in your washing machine.

Q: Why do my clothes get oil stains after washing?

If the watertight seals on your washing machine engine compartment fail, grease and oil will get into the wash area resulting in oil or grease stain after washing.

Q: Can you wash clothes with motor oil stain?

You can remove the most stubborn and dried-in motor oil in clothes by pouring a small amount of Oxiclean max gel on the stain and gently scrubbing with a toothbrush or laundress stain brush. Reapply the gel and allow it to pretreat for 15 minutes before washing.

Final word:

Dealing with engine oil and grease is among the job description of an auto mechanic profession. Not getting stained with engine oil and grease in this profession is almost impossible. So, we have listed several effective methods on how to get oil out of clothes. If you’re asking about the best method to choose, you can go for the last method – Oxiclean Max gel. If it’s somehow expensive for you, you can go for any other method on the list. Trust me; they work wonders.

Osuagwu Solomon

Osuagwu Solomon is a certified mechanic with over a decade of experience in the mechanic garage, and he has over five years of experience in the writing industry. He started writing automotive articles to share his garage experience with car enthusiasts and armature mechanics. If he is not in the garage fixing challenging mechanical problems, he is writing automotive repair guides, buyer’s guides, and car and tools comparisons.

Leave a Reply

Recent Posts