How to Remove Oil Stains From Clothes

Nothing ruins the mood of savouring your favourite meal as much as staining your dress does. And if it is an oil stain, it will become an even bigger problem since they are very hard to remove. But what if there are some ways for you How to Remove Oil Stains from Clothes? Read on to find out how to remove oil stains from your clothes.

Stains – A Cloth’s Enemy

Stains are something that happens when you least expect them. When you are eating your favourite meal, cooking in the kitchen or painting without an apron, sometimes you would just sit still, and someone will trip or fall near you with a tall glass of juice. It is quite common to stain your clothes, and more often than not, the first thought that comes to your mind after staining your clothes is to discard them. Just like that. But you don’t have to, you spoilt brat!

Why is it Tough To Get Rid of Oil Stains?

There is no argument that oil and grease are the reason for some of the most stubborn stains on clothes. The sooner you try to wash off the stain, the better. If you postpone it for a longer period of time, the stain will stick to the fabric, and it will be harder to remove. The extent to which the stain can be removed depends upon the type of stain, the colour, and material of the fabric and the methods you use to clean it.

Though the stain may seem light and easy to remove at first, it can darken the cloth and damage the fabric, which is why it should be washed as soon as possible. The fabric will absorb the oil stain if left for too long.

1. Removing New Oil Stains

The trick to getting rid of oil stains easily is to act as soon as possible. It is important to be mindful of the type of fabric before preparing to wash it. When the stain is still fresh, wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel. Pour and rub liquid dish soap gently on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.

2. Removing Old Oil Stains

Removing old oil stains from your clothes is a little harder when compared to new oil stains, but they are not impossible. You just have to add some simple steps to the previous process. After taking out the excess oil and soaking them in dish soap for 10 minutes, soak the fabric in hot water for about 30 minutes. Mix some stain remover or detergent with the water. Rinse the cloth and let it air dry.

Safety tip: Don’t use machine dryers on oil-stained clothes. The leftover oil in the fabric could start a fire if it got too hot.

How to Remove Oil Stains from Clothes at Home?

If you accidentally get oil stains at home, don’t panic. You can use some simple measures to get rid of them easily at home. Here are some of the methods you can use to remove oil stains using some common products you can find at home.

1. Through Liquid Detergent, Bar Soap or Shampoo

This is the simplest method to get rid of oil stains using products you can get at home. You can do this for recently stained clothes or clothes with minor stains.

Wipe off excess oil and cover the stained area entirely with liquid detergent.
Dilute soap, detergent, or shampoo with water, and rub it on the stained area.
Rinse the area with water thoroughly. You can use vinegar for further rinsing.
Wash the stained cloth with laundry detergent.

If the stain is not removed after using this method, you can use the next method to get rid of those stubborn stains.

2. Through Spot Remover and Hot Water

For stains that can’t be removed even after using the above methods, you can use a spot remover for stain removal.

Spray a liberal amount of spot remover on the stain and rub it with a toothbrush. Let it sit for some time.
Carefully pour boiling water on the stain from up high.
Turn the cloth inside out and repeat the process on the back side of the cloth.
Rinse the cloth thoroughly and air dry.

3. Using Baby Powder and Detergent

This is also an effective method to remove oil stains from your clothes and get them to smell like babies!

Wipe away as much excess oil from the fabric as possible before going on to the next step.
Cover the oil stain with a generous amount of baby powder. You can also use other absorbents like talcum powder, cornstarch, salt, etc.
Remove the excess baby powder from the clothing.
Dilute a small amount of dish wash and rub them on the stain using a toothbrush.
Rub the stain from both sides of the fabric.
Rinse the fabric and air dry.

4. Using WD-40 or Lighter Liquid

Instead of using detergent, you can also use a small amount of WD-40 spray on the fabric. WD-40 is a multipurpose spray that is used to remove rust or stains from materials. You can also use lighter fluid instead of WD-40 spray.

Note: Do a spot test with the sprays on the corner of the cloth before using them on the stains. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Spray a small amount of WD-40 or lighter liquid on the stained area.
Let it sit for about 20 minutes. You can watch a Fleabag episode in case you’re getting restless.
Wash off the WD-40 or lighter liquid thoroughly with warm water.
Rinse the cloth and air dry.

Some Dos and Don’ts While Removing Oil Stains

Now that we have learnt about some of the methods to remove oil stains from your clothes, let’s take a look at the tips and tricks you can use while doing it.

Remove the stain immediately: This is a CODE RED situation. We have already seen that removing the stain as soon as possible gives you the highest chance of getting rid of the stain effectively. Acting immediately will save you the time and energy you must spend on an old stain.
Don’t rub; always blot: It’s normal to grab a napkin and rub it off when you get an oil stain. But rubbing it will only spread it further and set it deeply onto the surface of the fabric. Always blot the oil and try to absorb as much of it out of the surface of the fabric. This reduces the amount of oil in the stain giving you a greater chance of eliminating the stain.
Don’t rush the process: Oil stains are very hard to remove and take over a day to come off the fabric completely. So, be patient and let the stain remover do its job. Some stain removers work their magic in a matter of hours, and some need days to do it. Just because you cannot remove the stain within a few hours doesn’t mean you failed. Oil stains are hard to remove and might need two to three sittings to remove them completely. This is the real Don’t Rush Challenge and yes you can still post it on Instagram… just tag us.
Use a toothbrush: Don’t rely on your hands or towel to remove the oil stain from the cloth. Use a scrubbing tool like a toothbrush with dish soap or detergent to rub into the fabric. Rub for some time so that the stain remover can go deep into the fabric. Do it on both sides of the fabric.
Make a stain removal kit: Oil stains are fast to steep into the surface of the fabric. It will be time-consuming to search for stain-removal products at that time. So, making a kit of stain removal products at your home is the best solution. Some tools to include are stain-removal liquids, scrubbing tools, and other products like baking soda, etc.,

A Laundry Service That Loves Your Clothes as Much as You Do

So far, we have seen how you can remove oil stains at home. But what if you don’t have the necessary supplies or the stains are stubborn enough not to go home? Well, that is why there are expert laundry service providers for you, and we at Quiclo handle the job perfectly.

Quiclo is one of the leading laundry service providers in Hyderabad that implements faster and quicker methods to give you the best laundry services. The advanced German technology equipment keeps your garments fresh and new while laundering them expertly. Some of the services provided by us are:

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Conclusion

Oil stains may be difficult to remove, but if you follow the right steps, you can treat any stain, whether it is old, large, or stubborn. So go to your closet, dig out old clothes you have neglected due to stains, and make them clean again.

FAQs

1) Which chemical is used to remove oil stains from clothes?

Ammonia solution is widely used to remove oil and grease stains from clothes. Another option is isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, which is effective in breaking down and dissolving oil-based stains.

2) How to quickly get rid of oil stains from clothes?

Vinegar removes oil stains from clothes to a greater extent. Soak the garments in equal parts of water and vinegar for a few minutes and gently rub them, extracting the oil or grease in the fabric.

3) Can lemon remove oil stains from clothes?

A popular home remedy to remove oil stains from clothes is using lemon juice. Apply it onto the oil stains and leave them for 10 mins. Afterwards, you can wash your garments by soaking them in warm water in the washing machine or using your hands.

4) How to remove old oil stains from clothes?

Washing off the oil-stained clothes to remove the grease immediately is better. However, with the proper techniques, it is still possible to extract the old oil stains from your clothes. Scrape the stain with the liquid dish soap, leave it bloated and let it sit for 10 minutes. Soak it in warm or hot water with stain remover or detergent powder for 30 minutes, wash it off, and air dry.