How To Get Motor Oil Out Of Clothes? (8 Easy Ways)

Have you ever gotten oil on your jeans while working in a car? It turns out to be difficult to clean. But don’t worry; we can explain how to remove motor oil from clothing.

We despair over how to get motor oil out of clothes when grease gets into our jeans and shirts. Our knowledge of removing various stains, including motor oil, is the source of our advice. The motor oil must be removed with the help of baking soda and even just hot water.

A lot of common household chemicals can also help with this issue. You can make motor oil stain remover from just common household items, even if the motor oil is concealed between cotton threads!

Does Motor Oil Come Out Of Clothes?

Clothes can be cleaned of motor oil, especially if you act quickly and use a potent degreaser. But oil stains really stick to clothing, and the residue left behind by motor oil is frequently particularly dark and tenacious.

The oil used in motor vehicles is a thick, viscous type of refined crude oil. It is primarily made up of a base of petroleum hydrocarbons. In order to aid in the oil’s smooth flow and maintain the suspension of dirt particles, most modern motor oils combine about 80% of this base with additional ingredients like viscosity improvement products.

Naturally, as motor oil performs its function and lubricates a car, lawnmower, tractor, or motorcycle, it collects all kinds of gross materials and eventually starts to turn darker. This is the reason why mechanics advise having your car’s oil changed frequently! This means that when it comes to your laundry, you will need to deal with both the oil residue and any dark or even black debris the oil may have gathered throughout the course of doing its job.

Can you wash clothes that have been contaminated with motor oil? Yes and no. Storing anything combustible in your dryer or washing machine could put you at risk of starting a fire.

However, you can wash your motor oil-stained clothing without risk if you treat the stains before putting them in the washing machine! You can quickly make those oily clothes safe by choosing one of the methods mentioned in this article.

Last but not least, is it possible to remove car oil from clothing? You can, but these difficult stains will require some perseverance and occasionally vigorous scrubbing. Before you set out on this mission, you might want to think about how badly you want to fix your stained clothing!

Are Clothes Affected By Motor Oil?

When treated quickly and with a potent degreaser, motor oil can be removed from clothing. However, oil spills permanently damage clothing, and motor oil frequently leaves a particularly dark, tenacious residue.

A thick, viscous type of refined crude oil is the source of motor oil. Petroleum hydrocarbons make up the majority of it. About 80% of this base is used in most modern motor oils, along with additional ingredients like viscosity improvement agents, to help the oil flow smoothly and keep dirt particles suspended.

Naturally, as motor oil does its job and lubricates a car engine, as well as a lawnmower, tractor, or motorcycle, it picks up all kinds of gross things and eventually starts to turn darker. Because of this, mechanics advise having your car’s oil changed frequently. This means that you will have to deal with both the oil residue and any dark or even black debris the oil may have picked up while performing its function in your laundry.

Can you wash clothes that have been contaminated with motor oil? Yes and no. Putting anything flammable in your dryer, especially, could pose a risk of setting something on fire.

Your motor oil-stained clothing can be safely washed, though, if you treat the stains before putting them in the washer! Pick one of the techniques mentioned in this article, and you can quickly make those oily clothes safe.

Finally, is it really possible to remove car oil from clothing? You can, but these difficult stains will require some perseverance and occasionally vigorous scrubbing. Before starting this mission, you might want to decide how badly you want to fix your stained clothing.

If you wear a set of soiled clothes to work in your garage, for example, you might want to leave the stains and just keep those as your work clothes. On the other hand, if you had to change a tire while wearing your finest khakis for the office, you would want to make the effort to get them clean once more.

Eight Ways To Get Motor Oil Out Of Clothes

Below are some ways to get motor oil out of clothes:

Cornstarch

You shouldn’t overlook cornstarch as a household stain remover. 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
• 30 minutes or more should be given for the cornstarch to absorb.
• Brush the cornstarch off using a wet sponge or toothbrush. Before washing, you can also use more cornstarch.
• Use a cold setting on your washing machine or wash the clothes by hand.
• Remove the clothing and expose it to the sun.

Baking Soda

Pouring baking soda into the stained area is necessary for this technique. On fresh grease or oil stains, however, baking soda is effective. 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
• Lay a piece of cardboard or an old towel on top of the stained area.
• Sprinkle baking soda sparingly over the stain.
• Allow the baking soda to absorb for around 15 minutes.
• Brush off the baking soda
• Wash the garment with hot water
• Continue doing this until the stain has been removed.
• Dry the garment.

This is one of the simplest methods for cleaning oil from clothing. If the stain is particularly difficult to remove, add liquid soap and sprinkle baking soda on it once more. Scrub the area with a damp sponge or toothbrush, then let it sit for 25 minutes. Rewash the clothes by soaking them in hot water once more.

Aloe Vera

Grease stains respond particularly well to aloe vera’s stain-removing abilities. This is what you need to do;

Materials:

• Aloe Vera gel
• Warm and hot water

Procedures:

• 15 minutes of hot water soak time for the clothing.
• Remove the clothing from the hot water and scrub the stained area with aloe vera gel.
• Warm water should be used to wash the clothing.
• The sun should be used to dry the clothing.

Presoaking

Presoaking is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to remove stains from clothing, regardless of whether you get dirty mechanic hands on your clothes or spill oil on your work clothes. It battles tough stains and allows detergent enough room to bond. Make sure to presoak in hot water for the best results.

Materials:

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

Procedures:

• Hot water and 30 kg of detergent should be used to soak your clothes for at least an hour.
• This time, use enough detergent when you rewash the clothes and soak them in warm water.
• Wash clothes after 15 minutes
• Dry the clothes

Shampoo

It is much simpler to locate and remove dirt and grime thanks to the shampoo’s surfactant molecules. One of the top products for soft fabric stain removal is shampoo.

Materials:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1 tablespoon of shampoo

Shampoo is an effective detergent for getting rid of engine oil and grease because many of them are organic.

Procedures:

• Lay your cloth on a table
• Make use of a sponge or your fingers to apply shampoo to the stain. Whatever is soft will work just fine.
• Before rinsing, let the shampoo sit on the hair for at least 25 minutes. To get rid of all the stains, do this several times.
• Throw the cloth in a washing machine and wash the cloth
• Dry the clothes.

It’s important to remember that shampoo won’t work well to get wax off of clothes.

WD 40

A versatile cleaning agent is WD 40. If it can get crayon off of tables, walls, and car parts, it can get crayon off of work clothes as well. Even the most absorbent upholstery can be cleaned with WD 40.

Materials:

• Toothbrush
• One teaspoon of WD 40

Procedures:

• The table should be covered with a cloth.
• Lightly pour one teaspoon of WD 40 on the stain
• Allow the WD 40 to soak in for 15 minutes or more
• On the affected area, use liquid soap.
• The cloth should be washed in either warm or cold water in your washing machine.
• Dry your clothes.

The oil and grease stain ought to be completely gone by this point. This is your best choice if you’re wondering how to remove motor oil from blue jeans or any other hard material. Check out these guidelines if you want to clean the garage floor.

Nail Polish Remover

Acetone, a great organic solvent, is a component of nail polish remover. It attracts and binds oil molecules, weakening tenacious stains in the process.

Materials:

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

Procedures:

• Before using, test in a discreet location to avoid destroying the clothing.
• After 15 minutes, rinse the area where the acetone was applied to the stain. Do this several times.
• In a washing machine, place the clothing

If you’re wondering how to get engine oil out of clothes, you need to add a cup of white vinegar to the mixture.

Oxiclean Max Force Gel Stick

Among the others, this is the best. 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:

• Prior to use, test the Oxiclean Max Force Gel Stick in a discrete area.
• A laundry stain brush should be used to gently scrub the stain after applying a small amount of gel stick.
• Before washing, let the Oxiclean gel pretreat for at least 15 minutes.
• Place the clothing in a washing machine, add soap, and wash in the hottest water that the garments will tolerate.

How To Remove Set-In Motor Oil Stains From Clothes？

Although you might need to repeat the scrubbing procedure a few times before the entire stain disappears, the baking soda and dish soap methods both work well on clothes with set-in motor oil stains.

Starting on dry fabric is one tip for removing a set-in stain. Before applying the soap or baking soda, avoid getting the clothing wet. Since water and oil don’t mix, it forms a barrier between your cleaning product and the oil stain.

Using hot water will also be necessary. Unless you use heat to melt the grease, like hot water from the faucet, it will solidify. Use hot water when it comes time to rinse and wash your clothes. You can check out more information we have on How To Get Gasoline Out Of Clothes?

How To Get Car Oil Out Of Clothes After Washing And Drying？

One of the worst things about car oil stains is that you might not notice them until after your clothes have been washed and dried, making it much harder to remove them! You should check your clothing before putting it in the washer if you have been around vehicles or other oil-using equipment. Oil-covered clothing shouldn’t be put in a hot dryer because it’s dangerous!

Even these challenging motor oil stains can be removed if a splash of oil does manage to slip past you using a combination of several cleaning agents:

1. Place the stain in front of you on your dry garment. Place a stack of paper towels behind the stain.
2. A half teaspoon of dish soap should be applied to the stain.
3. To thoroughly massage this in, use an old toothbrush.
4. Add a tablespoon of baking soda next. Use the toothbrush to thoroughly scrub that in.
5. Wait an hour before using the soap and baking soda paste.
6. Rinse the paste with hot water.
7. Once more soak the item for an additional hour in a bucket of hot water.
8. Put it through the washer, but leave it hanging to dry naturally.

How To Get Engine Oil Stains Out Of Clothes Quickly？

By using the dish soap method and a hot-water cycle in your washing machine, you can remove engine oil from clothing quickly. For even more effectiveness, apply a small amount of laundry detergent directly to the stain just before washing!

Many commercial cleaners are also efficient. Nevertheless, the majority of techniques, from using cornstarch to using OxiClean, do necessitate some waiting. In order for your absorber or degreaser to work, you typically need to apply it and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

Tips For Removing Oil Stains

Use these tricks and tips to get rid of the toughest grease and oil stains if the fundamental steps don’t work. The majority of these suggestions work for almost all stains. As you gain expertise in stain removal, you’ll create your own method that incorporates basic steps, additional suggestions, and the knowledge you picked up along the way.

Get Started Immediately

While there’s no “expiration date” on when you can treat stains, if you wait for the oil to set into the fabric, you’ll deal with stiff, hardened grease instead of fluid that you could draw out with baking soda. Take immediate action to remove the grease stain if at all possible.

Attack the stain as soon as you get home if you don’t have a choice. Despite the fact that the stains are similar in appearance, oil that you spilled an hour ago is simpler to clean up than grease that hardened a month ago. Just be ready to put in more time and effort than you would with a brand-new stain.

Remove Excess Oil First

Avoid rubbing the stain remover directly on solid oils that have spilled, such as butter or margarine. Instead, carefully scrape away the solid with a knife’s flat edge without forcing it deeper into the fabric. In any other case, the solid melts or becomes stuck to the fabric, creating a bigger mess.

The same goes for blotting heavy liquids like cooking oil or maple syrup. Be careful when blotting to prevent spilling the liquid onto the shirt’s other areas. Never tilt the fabric forward to remove the oil; you’ll just spread syrup all over. Instead, scrape off as much of the top layer as you can to reduce the amount of treatment you need to do later.

Don’t Rub It In

Most people grab a napkin, rub at the oil stain, and continue with their day when they spill oil on their clothes. This temporarily lessens the stain’s appearance, but by the time they get home, the stain has set and permeated their clothes. They throw away shirts that they could have saved if they don’t know how to remove deeply embedded stains.

Avoid rubbing the stain with a napkin or dishtowel, despite how impatient you are. Instead of rubbing the oil into the shirt, blot it to remove it from the fabric. After that, proceed to treat the stain as usual. Because the stain didn’t penetrate past the fabric’s surface, you can remove it more quickly.

Give It Time

Even though you want to put your favorite shirt back on right away, remember that it might take up to 24 hours to get the stain out. Keep calm and let the stain remover sit as long as you can. Some stains can be removed in a matter of hours, while others take several days. Fortunately, you can always try again or experiment with a different product if you wash off the stain remover before it works.

Just because you couldn’t get the stain out on your first try doesn’t mean you failed. Before the oil in old and difficult stains finally comes off the fabric, it takes two or three attempts. Even if the stain doesn’t go away right away, you’ll see that it gradually fades until it is completely gone.

Use A Scrubbing Tool

Avoid attempting to remove the stain with your fingers or a paper towel. Would a towel or toothbrush be more efficient when brushing your teeth? The same degree of caution is necessary for stains. Using a brush or other scrubbing tool, attack the grease with soap or baking soda and rub it into the stained fabric.

Make sure the stain remover soaks in by scrubbing for at least a few minutes. Try again with the toothbrush if it doesn’t get the oil off. To make sure you remove all the grease, brush the area surrounding the stain as well.

Check The Material Afterward

Although it may seem obvious, after removing the shirt from the dryer, do not hang it right away in your closet. To see if the stain has disappeared, inspect the fabric. Even though the shirt may appear clean at first, oil stains cause subtle texture changes and color changes that you won’t notice right away.

Repeat the treatment process if the stain persists. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with stiff fabric, unidentified smells, and dark colors that obstruct the pattern on your shirt. Don’t assume that because you haven’t seen a stain in a week or two that you have to throw your shirt away because it is old.

Make A Stain Removal Kit

It only takes a few milliseconds for grease to seep into the fabric of your clothing after you spill oil on it. Keep a stain removal kit at home rather than wasting time looking for stain-removing products.

Include equipment like store-bought goods, cleaning supplies, and everyday items like baking soda. Keep the kit in your bathroom or bedroom so you can access it at all times.

Keep a stain removal kit in your car for unplanned situations away from home. Keep a stain-removing pen in your bag so you can quickly address stains when you’re at a restaurant, theater, or friend’s house. But don’t count on the pen to completely get rid of the stain; if it’s still noticeable, start a full treatment as soon as you get home.

Tips To Prevent Motor Oil Stains

Wearing a smock, apron, or other forms of protection, even just old clothes, is always beneficial when working with oil. Old clothes protect your new ones from damage, especially in a garage setting where the work is frequently quite greasy.

Conclusion: Get Motor Oil Out Of Clothes

One of an auto mechanic’s responsibilities is handling grease and engine oil. In this line of work, it’s nearly impossible to avoid getting stained by grease and motor oil. So, we’ve provided a list of several efficient ways to remove oil from clothing. The last method—Oxiclean Max gel—is the best option if you’re asking about which one to pick. You can choose any other method on the list if this one is in some way out of your price range. They really do wonders, I promise.