Picture this. You were enjoying a juicy burger or cooking on a splattering pan without an apron when an accident happened and you stained your favorite shirt with oil and grease. So, you throw your shirt in the washing machine and it comes out of the dryer with stains. Frustrated, you want to know how to remove set-in oil stains from clothes.
We've got you covered.
Oil and grease stains on clothes are frustrating. Chances are you have already considered throwing out your shirt. However, the good news is that you can remove oil stains from clothes and have them as good as new in no time. In addition, you will be using products probably already in your home, such as baking powder and dish soap.
Curious to learn how? Let's get into it.
Why Are Set In Oil Stains Difficult to Remove from Clothes?
The simple answer? Chemistry.
"How," you ask? Most oils and greases exist in a solid or semi-solid state at room temperature. This means that you will, at the very least, need warm or hot water to remove the stains.
Your clothes' fabric also plays a big role in the ease of stain removal. Polyester, for example, is tough to remove stains from because of the attraction between synthetic fibers and oils and greases. Other factors that determine your success include the color, stain and method to remove oil stains.
Oil and grease stains are pesky and stubborn. As such, they need to be removed immediately before setting in. Set-in stains are more difficult to remove and can potentially ruin your clothes. However, this does not mean impossible.
Let's get into our favorite and easy methods to remove set-in grease and oil stains from clothes.
How to Remove Set In Grease and Oil Stains From Clothes
Image Source: housewifehowtos.com
Intimidating as set-in oil stains are, you can easily remove them. However, the time and effort will not be the same as if you'd have treated the stain immediately. Nonetheless, get your ingredients and buckle up; the journey to stain-free clothes begins now.
1. Dish Soap Method
What you'll need:
- Cardboard
- A clean and dry cloth or Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Toothbrush
- Warm water
- Laundry detergent
- Baking soda
- WD-40
- Cotton swabs
Steps:
i). Prepare Your Clothing
The first step is therefore to ascertain that you are dealing with dry and not wet garments. This is because, water and oil cannot form a mixture as they are two different substances. If the cloth is wet, the oil will stay in place.
The second crucial step is to put some piece of cardboard in between your clothing layers. This will also reduce chances of staining other part of the fabric due to transfer of color from the stained content. Besides, using it will also offer you a proper and flat working plane.
For this step you also can upcycle a delivery box or an old cereal box.
ii). Blot out the stain
Blotting helps remove excess oil on the stain. However, you ought to be careful not to spread the oil to other parts of the fabric. You can use a paper towel, napkin or soft cloth to blot. In addition, you need to avoid rubbing as it could push the oil deeper into the fabric, making your work more difficult.
Skip to step (vi.) if you are not dealing with a set in oil stain. Otherwise, continue to step (iii.).
iii). Apply WD-40 to the stain
This step applies, to some extent, on set-in grease stains. Take a cotton swab(q-tip) and gently dab some WD-40 onto the oily stain. You can place it on a small bowl or spoon, then apply it with a q-tip onto your affected area. Moreover, with WD-40, a little goes a long way because the liquid spreads and covers the stain.
iv). Sprinkle baking soda
Baking soda is great for anything, including lifting stains from clothes. Sprinkle baking soda(a little more than you think you will need) to help lift the stain.
v). Brush
Next, using a soft-bristled toothbrush, sprinkle baking soda all over the oil stain. They will begin to crumble and form a paste as the baking soda works to soak up the oil and grease that have been revitalized by the WD-40. Continue brushing lightly while spreading the baking soda until there is only clumps left.
After that, shake off the remaining baking soda and apply more of it to the stain. Continue repeating this process until none are formed in a single pour. When the baking soda feels fine and powdery and even scatters into a dust when on cloth, then you know that all the oil is well soaked.
vi). Apply dish soap
Here you can decide to use liquid detergent or liquid dish soap. Dip the stained area in the solution and then use the toothbrush to scrub the area lightly. The soaping stage involves washing the fabric with soap and leaving it immersed in the water for about half an hour. It is also good to leave it overnight and continue next day where you left until you complete the whole amount.
vii). Wash the cloth
After that, rinse the baking soda with warm water then wash the garment in the normal way that you do. It could be washed by hand and left to dry, or it could be washed in a machine. Before drying the clothes ensure that you have washed all stains that are visible on the garments.
Identifying stains might be a bit difficult; if you notice some use a little detergent and baking soda, and a toothbrush to scrub. Otherwise, dry your cloth.
Tip - For fresh stains, keep handwashing instead of machine washing as the high temperatures could set in the stain.
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar make up a powerful duo that could end the next world war. You can count on this couple to clean grout off your tiles or deal with a burnt pot.
Seriously though, what can't these two ingredients do?
What you'll need:
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Spray bottle
- Water
Steps:
- Use a cloth to blot the excess oil.
- Sprinkle baking soda on the stain and leave it to sit overnight.
- Dust off the excess baking soda.
- Make a 1:1 water and vinegar solution.
- Use a spray bottle to wet the stained area.
- Make a soapy solution and apply it to the area using a toothbrush.
- Rinse.
- Check for stains. Repeat if any are still there.
- Wash and dry your clothing.
3. Chalk
Chalk works similarly to baking soda and is more suitable for small and not old stains.
What you'll need:
- Paper towel
- Chalk
- Water
Steps:
- Blot the stained area using a paper towel.
- Cover the oil stain with chalk.
- Leave it to sit as it absorbs the oil or grease.
- Brush off the chalk.
- Wash your shirt.
4. Oxygen Bleach
Believe it or not, you can use oxygen bleach for oil stain removal. You can find colored oxygen bleach for removing oil stains in colored clothes. Additionally, you can count on this method for fresh and set-in stains.
Steps:
- Damp your clothe.
- Put it in the washing machine and pour the recommended amount of oxygen bleach.
- Slightly fill up the washing machine and leave your clothing soak in oxygen bleach for about an hour.
- Start the wash cycle at the warmest temperature the fabric allows. You can check this information on the care label.
- Check for evidence of the stain.
- Air dry to prevent setting in the stain for fresh grease stains.
5. Paint Thinner
Sometimes you may be dealing with motor oil and not cooking oil. Fortunately, you can use a paint thinner to remove engine and motor oil stains from clothes.
What you'll need:
- Paint thinner or mineral spirit
- Paper towel
- Cardboard
- Toothbrush
- Hot water
- Dish soap or liquid detergent
Steps:
- Place the cardboard between the garment's layers.
- Blot excess oil with a tissue, paper towel or cloth. Keep replacing the paper towel to avoid transferring the oil to clean areas.
- Place tissue paper on top of the cardboard to help collect excess oil.
- Dip a toothbrush into the paint thinner. Then, gently brush the bristles into the fabric to spread the paint thinner.
- Change the tissue paper every few times.
- Repeat step 4 until all the oil stains are gone.
- Use clean tissue paper to blot excess moisture from the garment.
- Using a toothbrush, apply hot water to the stained area.
- Pour dish soap on top and brush it with the toothbrush. Dish soap will help remove grease stains left.
- Rinse with warm water.
- Machine wash the garment and only dry if you don't spot more oil stains.
6. Dish Soap and Baby Powder
What you'll need:
- Baby powder
- Liquid soap
- Toothbrush
- Liquid detergent
Steps:
- Cover the grease stain with baby powder.
- Use a toothbrush to rub the powder into the fabric fibers.
- Make a soap solution in a small bowl.
- Soak the stained cloth area in the solution for about thirty minutes.
- Lift the oil stain by brushing the area with a toothbrush.
- Wash as you would normally with cool water and liquid detergent.
- Dry if all oil stains have been lifted.
What To Avoid When Removing Stains Out of Clothes
1. Rubbing
Rubbing an oil stain will only deepen it into the fabric's fibers. Instead, blot the stains gently to avoid spreading.
2. Waiting
When you want to remove oil stains, the first thing you should do is to avoid waiting. The longer the oil and grease stay on your garment, the deeper it penetrates, making it difficult to clean out. In addition, washing your stained clothes in a washing machine will further set in the stains due to the high temperatures.
3. Using Cold Water
As mentioned earlier in the article, oil and grease often exist in solid and semi-solid states at room temperature. For this reason, you will need warm or hot water to remove oil stains. In addition, oil and water don't mix; hence using it in the early stages will make your work more challenging.
Conclusion
Oil stains are irritating and frustrating and make a new cloth look old and ugly. However, from this article, you can see that removing oil stains from clothes is super easy and will mostly require products you already have in your home. So, if you were planning to remove oil stains from your shirt or dress, we hope that this article will come in handy.
Image Source: fabricare-laundry.com
