Engine oil is widely used to reduce friction in vehicles, industrial machines, power equipment and other machinery. Along with the beneficial effect, when it gets on clothes, any kind of machine oils leaves ugly stains. Anyone can face this problem and it is useful to know exactly how it is solved.
All engine oils are close to fats in their chemical nature and properties (in the part we are interested in). But their diversity does not allow us to consider the emerging pollution as something fundamentally unified. So, the oil initially poured into car engines is called fat among professionals. After a certain time of operation, being under the influence of high temperatures, oxidized by oxygen and taking on mechanical stress, the oil turns into used oil.
Chemical changes that have occurred in the composition of the lubricant radically change its practical properties. But in terms of pollution and its removal, there are no special differences, and the same means can be used.
It is only necessary to take into account what the fabric is and how long ago the stain appeared; depending on this, the appropriate cleaning method is selected using the means available to you.
Depending on the density and type of material, the intensity of contamination, the color of the product and other parameters, exist different ways cleaning:
With this method, you will need to remove stains by washing in the hottest possible water, and if the fabric does not withstand such treatment, you will have to refuse.
Classical Blue colour jeans means that solvent cannot be used at all; dark grades of fabric can be processed repeatedly, only carefully monitoring the color of the matter.
To clean clothes, you should have both brushes and napkins ready. What exactly to apply depends on the properties of the fabric. You will also need soap, hot or warm water, which will help remove stains or residual dirt. In many cases, clothes have to be additionally washed by hand or in a machine, so it is also worth having the powder on hand. Good products for removing greasy stains - kerosene, gasoline, 646 thinner and nail polish removers, the formulation of which includes acetone.
In addition to all of the above, prepare cotton pads (tampons), a soaking container, sponges, they can come in handy at any time.
As you prepare to remove the stain, take care to protect yourself. All any active cleaning agents should be used only with rubber gloves, and the most powerful reagents and mixtures can harm the respiratory system. Carefully read the instructions for the drug or reviews on the use of artisanal products before starting work. Make sure that this type of fabric can be processed in a certain way. Finally, strictly follow the technical rules, otherwise, instead of removing the stain, you can blur it over a larger area or transfer it to other clothes.
When using a product that has not been tried before, or when trying to clean a new item, first test the effect of the reagent on a similar tissue sample or on a visually inconspicuous area. If everything goes well, you can proceed.
Eliminating the residual smell of this excellent preparation is easy: rinse the item in washing machine be sure to add a small amount of fabric softener.
A few tips for homeowners:
When using solvents, do not forget to put napkins under the stains, and as you get wet with the leaking oil, immediately change them. White and colored clothes, as well as very thin or delicate fabrics, it is advisable to deliver them to dry cleaning, you are unlikely to wash them from oil with your own hands. When using gasoline, kerosene or acetone, work as far away from gas stoves and hot objects as possible!
A piece of meat or fish that has fallen on clothes, a drop of mayonnaise, ketchup or rich soup, as well as wax or engine oil getting on the product can completely ruin the thing, leaving an unsightly oil stain in the most visible place. You can get rid of pollution with the help of special stain removers or improvised means.
Oil stain on clothes: how to remove?
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The very first thing to do when oil gets on your clothes is to moisten the contaminated area with water. So with further processing of the stain at home, it will be possible to avoid the formation of a dirty halo around the stain.
You will need: - a piece of white chalk; - water; - laundry soap; - ammonia; - dishwashing liquid; - iron.
To remove the oil stain yourself, sprinkle a piece of white chalk crushed into powder on it and leave it for several hours. The powder should absorb dirt and grease, eliminating the oil stain. After shaking off the chalk, wash the product with laundry soap.
A fresh grease stain can be removed from light-colored clothes with ammonia. To do this, prepare a solution by mixing ½ teaspoon of alcohol and a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent in half a glass of water. Soak a cotton swab in the solution and dab the stain. Then iron the treated area with an iron, laying white cloth.
You will need: - water; - gasoline; - chalk; - cotton swab; - blotting paper; - salt.
Oil stains and greasy places on outerwear can be removed by wiping with a cotton swab dipped in a solution of table salt. To prepare it, dissolve 5 g of salt in 25 ml of 10% ammonia.
Or dust the stain with talcum powder and iron it with a moderately heated iron, laying with blotting paper. Leave the talcum powder on the product until the next day.
WITH front side place a piece of clean cotton fabric white. From the wrong side, rub the stain with a cotton swab dipped in gasoline. Remove the stain, moving from its edges to the center in a circular motion.
Sheep fat, wax, stearin and oil paint are carefully removed with a knife and wiped with turpentine before using one of the stain removal methods.
An oil stain on clothes is a stubborn stain, fat quickly penetrates into the structure of the fabric, impregnating each thread, and is difficult to wash in the usual way. Do not rush to say goodbye to a soiled thing - there are many household chemicals and proven folk recipes that can handle oil on clothing without damaging the fabric.
The oil tends to be quickly absorbed, in order to wash it off without a trace, you should take advantage of this quality. As soon as the fatty substance has got on a T-shirt, blouse or trousers, it is necessary to sprinkle it:
For this purpose, you can use baby powder, chalk or cosmetic white clay.
The powder must be well rubbed into the fabric so that the fine fraction penetrates between the threads of the material and absorbs the oily substance. The process takes 10-15 minutes. In case of severe contamination, the powder must be shaken off or brushed and covered with a new portion of the stain.
After most of the oil stain has been absorbed by the powder agent, which plays the role of a sorbent, it will be easier to wash soiled clothes.
If you happen to spill an oily substance on a sofa, carpet, jeans, or outerwear, you must immediately use improvised means that can absorb the stain.
If there is no powder “sorbent” on hand, another material should be used. It can be paper napkins or towels, toilet paper, soft cotton cloth.
Do not rub the contaminated area to prevent it from spreading through the fabric and increasing in size. Grease should be removed with blotting movements from the edges to the center of the stain, gradually turning the paper over.
When the oily excess is collected, the mark on the fabric can be removed:
Dishwashing liquid | You can use a gel-like, liquid detergent. It is undesirable that it contains a component for moisturizing the skin. It is poured on a contaminated place and allowed to soak. After half an hour, the stain is washed separately, and then the item is sent to the washing machine. Alternatively, you can use liquid remedy for washing, shampoo, liquid soap. |
Kerosene | A cotton swab or soft cotton cloth dipped in kerosene will help remove fresh pollution. After the stain treatment procedure, the problem area should be washed with laundry or liquid soap, and then rinsed well. |
hot iron | Under the stain from sunflower, technical, butter, motor, vegetable oil or oil product (fuel oil) is placed paper napkin. The thing is covered with it from above and ironed with a heated iron several times. Napkins in the process are replaced by new ones. The oily substance is absorbed into the paper during ironing, which facilitates further washing. |
Refined gasoline | You can remove a greasy stain from oil with gasoline, but only a purified product can be used. A combustible substance is applied to a cotton pad or swab, which wipes the contaminated area from the edges to the middle. After treatment, the problem area should be lathered and left for 20 minutes, and then washed the whole thing. |
ammonia | Pharmaceutical agent dissolves fat. They moisten a piece of cotton wool, a napkin or a rag and wipe the spot. Alcohol can be mixed with water and washing powder (for 100 ml of warm water, 1 tsp of powder and the same amount of ammonia), soak the problem area in the resulting composition. |
Composition of turpentine, ammonia, washing powder and starch | The ingredients are mixed in equal parts, the resulting product is applied to the greasy spot for 30-45 minutes. The composition removes oil contaminants from the upholstery of upholstered furniture, seats in the car, carpets, sheepskin coats, fur coats from faux fur, suede. |
Laundry soap | Soaps with a high content of fatty acids will help to remove the stain from oil or any greasy product. Laundry soap 72% will cope better with pollution of various nature. Moisten the stain with water, lather well and leave to act for 20-40 minutes, then rub the material, foaming the detergent, wash, rinse in warm water. If necessary, the procedure should be repeated. |
Refined gasoline, turpentine or ammonia will help remove old greasy contamination. The last two are used in their pure form or their mixture in equal parts with the addition of dish detergent.
To remove a fresh stain, it is enough to apply the reagent for 20-30 minutes. To clean the fabric from stubborn dirt, it is necessary to leave the fat-dissolving agent for 1-1.5 hours.
You can remove old oil marks on the fabric with such a home-made remedy: 1 tbsp is added to 1/4 cup of warm water. a spoonful of ammonia and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The components are well mixed and applied with a cotton swab to the problem area. After 30-60 minutes, the soiled place is washed, then the whole thing is erased.
Removing oil stains requires taking into account the characteristics of the fabric, its composition and color. Before using bleach, washing powders and other detergents, housewives read the instructions on the packaging of household chemicals. Some of them are designed for white linen, others - for colored, and others - for woolen products.
Before using a particular substance, you need to make sure that it will not harm the soiled clothing. You can check the effect of the method on the fabric by applying it to the overlaid seam area on the wrong side.
Fabric type | How to remove oil |
Wool, silk | For products made of wool or silk, you can not use gasoline, pure ammonia, acetone, hydrogen peroxide, alkali. Pants, dresses, sweaters made of wool are cleaned of fat with talcum powder, chalk, salt, mustard, dish detergent, liquid soap. You can use a mixture of water (0.5 tbsp), glycerin (2 tsp) and ammonia (1 tsp). For silk blouses, in addition to the above methods, you can use pure warm glycerin or vinegar with water in a 1: 1 ratio. |
Cotton | Cotton clothes from a greasy trace will be saved by Fairy dish detergent, heated starch, and laundry soap. Turpentine, refined gasoline or kerosene is used to clean jeans, overalls, cotton jackets. In case of severe contamination, soaking is carried out in an aqueous solution with salt or mustard. The latter does not apply to white fabric. |
Delicate fabrics | Delicate fabrics include: silk, viscose, cashmere, knitwear and other types that can easily be spoiled by improper care. Products made from such materials are cleaned of fat with warm glycerin. The agent is heated to 30 ° C and applied to the contamination, kept for 30 minutes and washed off with warm water. Chalk, baby powder, talc, starch will do an excellent job. The soiled place is covered with powder, then it is rubbed with a finger, after 10-15 minutes the thing is shaken out, and the powdered adsorbent is replaced with fresh one. The procedure is repeated until the stain disappears completely, after which the thing is washed using a detergent. |
Synthetic fabrics | Synthetic fiber material, for the manufacture of which oil, glass, cellulose, gas, coal is used, is not afraid of ammonia, gasoline or turpentine. Washing products from such a material is easier than cleaning natural fabrics. Stains on a synthetic jacket or down jacket can be removed with table vinegar, a mixture of refined gasoline and starch or ammonia with detergent. Mustard powder diluted with water will cope with fresh pollution. |
When trying to get rid of the stain with solvents, contact of the body with the reagents should be avoided. The skin of the hands must be protected with rubber gloves, protect the eyes.
When using turpentine and gasoline, clothing should not be cleaned near a fire. Stain removers with a pungent odor should be used with a window open or outdoors.
After using flammable products, do not dry things in the machine - this is fraught with ignition due to high temperatures. If you happen to get your shoes dirty in oil, it is recommended to dry them only naturally in order to maintain their shape.
Even the most careful person can face such a nuisance as oil stains. They appear quickly and imperceptibly - when preparing food, during a meal, or simply when performing a normal household routine.
After a home feast, it is never clean: someone will definitely drop a piece of chicken in oil, another will drop some salad on the tablecloth, someone will spill juice or wine, and a careless table neighbor can stain your festive outfit. It is even worse if you stain your clothes or the interior of the car with technical oil. The stain from machine oil is washed off in the same way as a greasy stain.
It's no secret that oil marks, especially stubborn ones, are quite difficult to remove. This article will describe how and how to remove an oil stain at home. You will also learn how to remove stains folk methods and hand tools. Of course, you can use by special means, For example Vanish stain remover, but it is not always available.
There are many ways to remove grease stains. Which one to choose? Depends on the type of fabric on which the stain was planted. All this will be discussed in the article.
Before removing the greasy stain, you need to prepare the fabric so that the cleaning of the thing is as efficient as possible.
You need to do the following:
It is this processing method that will not allow the stain to blur. On the contrary, it will quickly disappear. It's time to learn how to remove oil stains.
Chalk is good for removing stains from fabrics such as linen, silk and cotton. Chalk powder should be removed as follows:
It can be found in every home. Ordinary laundry soap can perfectly cope with any greasy mark. How to remove a stain with soap?
This method is good for removing stains from woolen products. How to do it:
Such paper can save fabric of any kind and color. All you need is an iron and blotting paper. How to remove the stain:
The grease will begin to soak into the paper. If necessary, the paper must be changed.
With the help of ordinary salt, which is found in the kitchen of everyone, you can get rid of various stains. This is the most popular method and has been used by housewives for many years. So, how to remove the stain:
The usual crumb of white bread can easily cope with any stain. The method is perfect for removing stains from vegetable oil. So let's get started. How to remove grease stain:
Ammonia is an ideal tool for removing stains of any complexity. Ammonia will cope with stains from machine oil, from wine and coffee.
This substance removes marks well from all artificial fabrics. If you are wondering how to remove an oil stain from a white denim, then you already have a solution - use ammonia. From linen and cotton, marks with this method should be removed with extreme caution.
The stain removal solution is prepared as follows: 1 teaspoon of ammonia is dissolved in 0.5 cups of water.
How to delete:
Mustard is good at removing stains from colored and black items. The mustard solution is prepared as follows: put some dry mustard in a container and add water. You should get a homogeneous gruel. How to delete:
This stain removal method is used only when the stained fabric cannot be washed. For example, the upholstery of a sofa or a car seat. How to get rid of marks:
For old and heavy soiling, heated starch can be used. It must be applied to the surface for 5-6 minutes.
Not every housewife knows that a greasy stain can be removed with a regular dishwashing detergent. It is better that this tool is thick. For example, you can use Fairy or AOS. Dishwasher can even deal with a stain from engine oil.
This method is great for men - they always have a bottle of shaving foam on hand. How to get rid of stains with this method:
Above, we discussed how to remove an oil stain from clothes, furniture and other things. But all of these methods are only suitable for fresh stains. What to do when there is a greasy trace on clothes for several days? Below are a few effective ways get rid of old oil stains.
As you can see, introducing an oil stain from clothes is not that difficult. It doesn't matter if the stain is old or fresh. Now you can safely invite guests to your place and not be afraid that someone will accidentally drop a sandwich on the sofa or stain your favorite tablecloth. Have fun and don't think about small things like greasy food stains.
The ability to remove the stain, first of all, depends on whether it is old or new, as well as on the fabric of the damaged clothing. Most often, things made from materials such as knitwear and jeans will be enough to simply wash with detergent.
For cleaning down jackets, as well as clothes made of suede and nubuck, only dry cleaning is used.
You can start cleaning with the use of modern stain removers. First, test how the product works on a spare piece of fabric (it is often included with the purchase of new clothes). If there is no spare piece, then you can try the tool on the lapels with inside- here the traces will be easy to hide. In order not to burn the fabric with a highly concentrated composition, it is recommended to dilute it before use.
If the checked piece of fabric passed the test, then you can start removing the greasy stain. Apply the product to a light-colored cloth or cotton swab, gently moisten the area around the stain, and then proceed to clean the dirt. Be careful when cleaning clothes made of colored fabrics, as they may shed.
Freshly placed grease stain (if no more than three hours have passed) easiest to take out. Sometimes a simple treatment of the contaminated area with any detergent and subsequent washing is enough. If after treatment the stain still remains, in no case do not wash the item, the stain must be completely removed before the beginning of the streak.
Do not wash stained items in the washing machine without pre-treatment contaminated place. So you can aggravate the situation and it will be even more difficult to remove the stain.
As a pre-treatment for a fresh grease stain, you can use one of the following methods.
Dishwashing liquid contains special components that absorb fat. Wet the contaminated area with water and apply a small amount of liquid to it. Wash, leave for 15 minutes, then rinse with water. If the stain is gone, you can wash the clothes in the washing machine with powder. If traces of grease still remain, repeat the procedure before washing.
To remove grease stains from clothes made of light fabrics, use color detergents with caution. detergents because they can color it.
Less effective than dish detergent, but suitable for delicate fabrics such as wool, velvet, silk and chiffon. Apply a small amount of shampoo to the stain, wash gently, leave for half an hour and wash in warm water without using powder.
With the help of this product, not only greasy stains are removed from clothes, but also stains from wine, berries and sweat. But salt is effective only with fresh dirt. Therefore, as soon as the stain is placed on the clothes, you need to sprinkle this place with salt and rub it lightly. When the salt has absorbed the fat, remove it and sprinkle again with new. Repeat the procedure until completely cleansed. After washing as usual.
For removing grease stains synthetic clothes use a mixture of a teaspoon of ammonia and half a glass of warm water. Apply to a light-colored cloth and rub the dirt. Then iron this place well through a napkin.
Regular toothpaste also works well on greasy stains on clothes. Apply it to the contaminated area, leave for a couple of hours and wash well. For clothes made of light fabrics, you can use any paste, for colored clothes it is better to take gel.
WITH clothing made from natural fabrics(linen, cotton, etc.) you can safely remove a greasy stain with crushed chalk. Apply chalk powder to the desired place, leave for a couple of hours, then remove with a damp piece of cloth and wash the item as usual.
Wool and silk clothing needs delicate care. To remove stains, use more gentle means - talcum powder or baby powder. Lay the clothes on an ironing board or other flat surface, dust the soiled area with talcum powder and cover with a napkin. Walk with a warm iron and put something heavy on this place. Leave for a few hours.
Fat absorbed into small villi velvet clothes, easy to remove with fresh white bread. Take a piece of warm crumb, blot the stain with it and wash the item in soapy water without using powder.
This method can be used on clothes made of any material which is allowed to be ironed. Put pieces of tracing paper in place of the stain on the front and back sides. Lay the item on a flat surface and iron it. Repeat the procedure several times until the fat is completely absorbed into the tracing paper.
Old grease stains that remain on clothes even after washing (if you suddenly washed them without pre-treatment) are much more difficult to deal with. For this we need stronger means. Let's start our attempts to clean old grease stains from clothes with ordinary laundry soap.
With it, you can remove any pollution, including old ones. Laundry soap is also good because it can be used with any kind of fabric, up to delicate ones. You will need the most common brown laundry soap (not less than 72%). The process is quite simple. Soap the greasy stain well with a bar and leave the clothes for several hours, preferably at night. Wash the contaminated area with your hands. If the stain remains, repeat the procedure.
You can remove old grease stains on clothes by steaming them. This can be done with an iron with a steam generator or by holding the thing over a pot of boiling water. Then you need to clean the place of contamination in any of the above ways, designed to remove fresh stains.
To remove old stains, it is hot starch that is used, which must be heated in any dry container and sprinkled on the place of contamination, a napkin must be placed below. Cooling, heated starch will absorb fat much better than when cold. Repeat the procedure until the fat stain is completely gone.
Removing grease stains with hot starch is good because it is suitable for things for which only dry cleaning is used. For example, a coat, down jacket, clothes and shoes made of leather, suede and nubuck.
To get rid of old greasy stains on clothes made of silk and other delicate fabrics, use pharmacy glycerin. Apply a couple of drops to the place of contamination, after half an hour wash off with a clean, damp cloth. Or make a mixture of glycerin, ammonia and water, taken in half a tablespoon. Apply the resulting product with a cotton swab, wait 10 minutes and rinse with warm water.
Clothes or items with a greasy stain (such as furniture or carpet) that cannot be washed, can be treated with medical alcohol. The process is simple: rub the greasy spot with a wet swab, repeat the procedure in half an hour or an hour. You may need to clean your clothes in this way several times. The smell of alcohol will dissipate after a while.
Soak a napkin in gasoline and put it under the stain, treat the place with a swab dipped in gasoline on top. Even the old stain should disappear. After such processing, it is desirable to wash the thing. Instead of gasoline, you can use acetone or nail polish remover. In this way, stains can only be removed on colored clothes in dark colors..
To avoid nasty streaks, first rub the cloth around the stained area, and then move from the edges to the center.
Dilute 5 tablespoons of salt in 1 liter of hot water. If the product to be cleaned is large, then increase the volume, respecting the proportions. Dip your clothes in the saline solution and leave until the grease stains are completely removed. The place of contamination can be rubbed.
Before using any of these products, try it on a small, inconspicuous area of your clothing. If the fabric has passed the test, then you can safely remove the stain.
All methods are tested and effective. They will definitely help you to remove a greasy stain from your favorite clothes. If you know more, share in the comments!