How to remove engine oil from clothes
Every car enthusiast, regardless of gender and age, faced the problem of engine oil stains. Such contamination is classified as difficult to remove. How to wash off engine oil? What tools at hand will help with this?
We use what is at hand
As with any stains, the rule of thumb with engine oil stains is that the sooner you start cleaning, the more likely your clothes are to keep.
And it is in relation to "fresh" spots that the following remedies work very effectively.
Toothpaste
Every home has toothpaste or powder. You need to apply a little product on a cotton swab (for greater efficiency, you can add a little salt or soda), soak the soiled area well with it and leave it to dry completely.
After the mixture dries, take a clean brush (you can use a toothbrush, you can use a clothes brush) and shake off the substance from your clothes, and send the thing to the wash as usual. By the way, you can use ordinary chalk instead of tooth powder.
Mustard powder
Pour dry mustard over the stained area of clothing and add a little water to make a thick gruel. Rub the gruel onto the surface with a brush.
Then, lather, rub and rinse in cool water. Then reapply mustard, lather and rinse again. Repeat the procedure several times until the spot disappears completely. Then wash the item.
Kerosene
Apply it to the oil stain, hold for 10 minutes and blot the stained area with napkins. Then wash the item in the washing machine.
Chalk and iron
The neighborhood, strange at first glance, gives an excellent result in the fight against oil stains. This method will not miraculously remove the stain, but will make it more susceptible to subsequent treatment.
The chalk is crushed, a clean hygroscopic cloth is placed under the oil stain, the stain is lightly sprinkled with chalk and covered with a clean cloth, "passed" over the stain with the tip of a hot iron. After that, you can start soaking, washing and washing in the washing machine.
Any oil under the influence of high temperatures softens and is absorbed into other tissues.
Laundry soap
The most effective soap in the fight against stains is 72% soap. The PH factor of such a bar reaches 12, while concentrated alkalis have an indicator of more than 13. That is why laundry soap is an ideal remedy for combating various stains.
First, rinse the stain with hot water as much as possible, then lather with laundry soap and rub well. After a while, rinse and repeat the procedure.
Sodium hydroxide
This, as they say, is heavy artillery.It is used in cases where all other methods and means were powerless. The work is carried out very carefully. Make sure that there are no children in the house during the procedure. All manipulations must be carried out with latex gloves.
The work is carried out in several stages: for a start, dry alkali flakes are diluted in cold water to obtain a mushy mixture.
This chemical reaction is accompanied by a strong generation of heat, so if you neglect the precautions, you risk getting burned.
After the flakes have completely dissolved, apply the product to an inconspicuous area of the thing to check the activity of the action. After applying the mixture to the soiled area, rub it and then rinse it off. After that, rinse well and treat with a solution of water and vinegar. Rinse in clean water and dry as usual.
How to remove oil stains from outerwear
But what if you "planted" a stain of engine oil on a jacket, down jacket or coat? If you did not immediately take any measures, then most likely the only correct decision is to give it to dry cleaning.
If the stain is fresh, dishwashing detergent, gasoline, or any solvent will help (even nail polish remover will do).
The procedure is simple: the product is applied to the stain and left to be absorbed, then they begin to wipe off with a napkin, moving from the edges to the center. This direction is chosen so that the stain is not smeared. After that, the stain is washed by hand, and then the thing is washed in the machine.
If after the first time all these procedures did not bring the desired result, then they can be repeated several more times. As a rule, fresh stains are removed.
Removing a stain from denim
To remove oil stains from denim, do the following:
- Solvents: nail polish remover, acetone, white spirit. These substances are applied to a soft cloth (cotton pad) and wiped off the stain, moving from the edges to the center. After that, the thing is washed in the machine at a temperature not exceeding 60 degrees. In this way, not only oil stains are removed, but also vegetable or animal fat stains.
- Solvent and powder. This tandem will also help you deal with many stains. The solvent is poured abundantly onto the stain, washing powder is poured on top until a gruel is formed, and then wiped off with a stiff brush. As a rule, this procedure takes 15-20 minutes. After that, the jeans must be washed in hot water, of course, if the fabric is not prone to shedding.
- A mixture of ammonia and turpentine. By combining these substances in a 1: 1 ratio, you get a truly "explosive mixture". The method of application is simple: apply to the stained area, wait until absorbed and then machine wash at a temperature of 40-50 degrees.
Removing a stain from white clothes
A stain on a white shirt or T-shirt is found at the most inopportune moment. If you have a stain remover spray at home, removing the stain is a matter of minutes. But what if there was no special tool at hand?
Let's return to folk methods. Sprinkle salt over the stain and then rub on "Fairy". Leave for awhile.After that, wash the item first by hand and then in the machine.
Practical advice
So that you can count on victory in the battle with spots, make the following as a rule:
- Never leave stain removal for later. As soon as you notice contamination, immediately take certain measures. In this case, you can guarantee 99% success.
- Be sure to try the effect of the stain remover on an inconspicuous area of your clothes, so that it does not turn out that you hopelessly ruined the thing not with engine oil, but with a means for removing it.
- Rub the stain with gentle, gentle strokes. Only very dense and coarse fabrics, such as denim, can be rubbed with a brush.
So, the stain is not at all a sentence for your favorite shirt or trousers. There are at least a dozen proven ways to get rid of engine oil stains without ruining the thing. Well, by adhering to simple rules and recommendations, you will ensure your success in this "war".
Video: how to remove engine oil from clothes