Removing stains
Only wives whose husbands belong to working professions know how difficult it is to wash fuel oil from clothes. This substance is a product of petroleum refining, has a brownish tint and is well absorbed into any fabric. You can also plant an oil stain by touching swings in the yard, on attractions or on public transport. But taking your clothes to the dry cleaner every time or throwing away a damaged item is not an option. Moreover, there are simple remedies that can help remove fuel oil stains from the surface of the fabric.
How to wash fuel oil from clothes at home: recommendations
Whatever products you use when cleaning and washing clothes, you should know a few rules that need to be applied when it comes to fuel oil:
- Traces of fuel oil must be removed immediately, on the day they appear. Otherwise, we can assume that the item is hopelessly damaged.
- Items with fresh stains should not be washed in a washing machine. First you need to process them, degrease and dissolve them as much as possible.
- Before treating the stained area with any product, you need to wet the contour of the stain with water so that the fuel oil does not spread to the sides when interacting with the liquid. For the same purpose, they begin to treat the stain from the edges to the center.
- Do not wash clothes stained with fuel oil in the machine along with other things.
- You can remove the stain using both professional and home remedies.
- When using a home remedy, you need to test it on an inconspicuous piece of fabric.
When working, be sure to follow safety precautions! Rubber gloves and a face mask will protect you from exposure to toxins. Do not process clothes near fire! And don’t forget to keep the products you use away from children!
Use of household chemicals
You can wipe off traces of fuel oil using household chemicals. Kitchen cleaning products do a good job of removing fresh stains. For example, Silit Beng Antifat, Mister Muscle for the kitchen and others.
They contain substances that can dissolve even burnt fat. However, such products can damage the fabric, so be sure to first test the effect in an inconspicuous place.
Car shampoos
Household chemicals include car shampoos. You can use body wash to clean oil stains on clothes. Apply the shampoo to the clothes for half an hour, and then wash the item as usual.
Recipes
Not every housewife is prepared for the appearance of fuel oil stains on clothes. Therefore, it is unlikely that in her arsenal of household products there is a product that can destroy fuel oil. But substances that are available in your home cosmetics bag, medicine cabinet, in the bathroom and even in the kitchen can successfully help cope with them.
Dish detergent
The liquid used to wash dishes is applied thickly to the problem area of the item. Clothes are soaked in warm water for an hour. After this, wash the stain by hand, then in the washing machine.
Gasoline, turpentine, solvents
When using products with solvent properties, you must be careful. If you overdo it with cleaning, the colored fabric may fade or fade. When processing, it is better to apply the products from the back side to prevent the oil from being absorbed by the fabric. Acetone, white spirit, turpentine or gasoline are applied with a cloth to the contaminated area. After 15 minutes, the item is washed in soapy water.
It is better not to use diesel fuel, as its smell is very persistent and does not dissipate for a long time.
An effective remedy is obtained by mixing:
- Turpentine – 1 teaspoon
- Ammonia – 1 teaspoon
- Soda – 1 tablespoon
- Starch – 1 tablespoon.
The mixture is applied to the fuel oil and after it dries, the clothes are washed.
Essential oils
Eucalyptus or fir oil is ideal for removing fuel oil from clothes, but if it is not available, use any other. The stain is soaked with oil from the front and back sides and left for two to three hours. After time, use oil-based cotton swabs to wipe off the stain and wash with laundry soap.
Ammonia
Using this product, you can remove fuel oil stains in several ways:
- Alcohol is applied to the problem area, after half an hour the item is washed in the machine.
- Prepare a mixture of ammonia and turpentine, taken in equal parts. Then apply it to the fabric. After 20 minutes, the clothes are washed by hand and in the washing machine.
- Ammonia, starch and white clay (a cosmetic pharmaceutical product) are mixed in equal proportions. The mixture is applied in an even thick layer to the stain and washed after drying.
Caustic soda
Effective but toxic. It should only be used when washing thick fabrics, observing safety precautions. Clothes made of silk and wool cannot be treated with caustic soda. The first way to remove a stain is to apply baking soda to the stain for 20 minutes. Then the item is washed. In the second case, soda is diluted in water (2 tablespoons per liter), and the clothes are soaked in the resulting solution for 2 hours. After processing, the item is washed.
Instead of caustic soda, you can try a gas stove cleaner.
Car cosmetics
Car shampoo is considered one of the effective means of removing fuel oil stains. It acts gently, without causing harm to the fabric, but at the same time cleanses even the deepest and oldest stains. The shampoo is applied to the surface and left for half an hour. After which the fabric needs to be rubbed and washed.
Household chemicals
In addition to dishwashing gel, fuel oil stains can be removed using any stain remover. The main thing is to choose the right product depending on the fabric that is stained. Washing powders, soaps, and washing gels also remove fuel oil stains.
Tar soap
This product will help remove small, fresh fuel oil stains. Half a bar of soap is grated and diluted with warm water until dissolved. The clothes are soaked in this solution for an hour.
Butter
Butter can be used in the absence of essential oils. The product is applied to the contaminated surface, and after two hours the item is washed.
Exposure to heat
If the stain is completely fresh and has not had time to be absorbed into the fabric, then this home method based on thermal effects will do:
- Place thin paper on the fabric - a blotter, napkin, newspaper, toilet paper - on the front and back of the stain.
- Heat the iron and iron the paper with it, changing it as it gets dirty. Instead of an iron, you can use a hair dryer.
- After complete cleansing, treat the stain with soapy water.
At what temperature should you iron?
Tips for choosing the temperature setting for ironing various fabrics
Read!
Preparatory activities
Before removing a fuel oil stain, assess its freshness. The sooner you start cleaning soiled clothes, the better the results will be.
Pay attention to the type of fabric - the selection of cleaning products depends on this. Wool, leather, suede and cotton fibers do not tolerate the effects of alkali, therefore, acetone and gasoline are excluded.
Velor and synthetic viscose are deformed in an acidic environment, so turpentine and ammonia cannot act as a cleaner for such fabrics. Do not clean jeans or dark clothes with products containing chlorine.
The product is turned inside out, fabric napkins and a moisture-proof film are prepared, which is placed directly under the fuel oil stain so that the contamination does not get on the back of the clothing.
Put on gloves. Having selected the product, carry out a test by applying a little to a section of the fabric at the hem. If no changes occur, you can begin to eliminate the fuel oil. The cleaning movement is performed from the edges of the dirt to the middle. This prevents the stain from spreading. After processing, the item needs to be washed.
How to remove oil stains in a washing machine
If none of the above remedies help, resort to machine washing. Before being placed in the machine, clothes are first treated with ammonia, oil or detergent and washed by hand. If you place something with a fresh stain of fuel oil into the machine, its particles will remain on the walls of the hatch and saturate other things. And the smell of fuel oil is very difficult to eliminate.
Recommendations for modes
High temperatures are ideal for removing oil stains, but you need to consider the type of fabric. Therefore, be sure to read the information on the clothing label. By choosing the appropriate temperature regime, you will ensure the integrity of the fabric. During washing, you need to add a water softener.
Application of special compounds
To remove stains left by fuel oil, only serious, targeted stain removers capable of dissolving petroleum products should be used.
Dr.Beckmann Lubricant and bitumen
Concentrated stain remover is available in small 50 ml containers. The drug is suitable for removing stubborn stains left by:
- machine oil,
- lubricant,
- bitumen.
The product has been tested by dermatologists and can be used to tidy up not only adult, but also children's clothing. The stain remover is suitable for white and colored fabrics. The drug is applied to the stained area and left until the stain dissolves and its particles separate. After this, the item is cleaned and washed.
The price at points of sale is mainly up to 200 rubles. Read reviews here and here.
Duty oil
The product is intended to remove stains from lubricants and various technical fluids, including fuel oil. At its core, it is a low-foam, alkali-based detergent with a disinfecting effect. A product for removing technical oils is produced in the Russian Federation. Price for 5 liters – from 1000 rubles.
Pro-Brite Axel-6 Oil & Grease Remover
The product in spray form is intended to remove marks from industrial oils from textiles and hard surfaces. It is convenient to spray the stain remover onto the area with the stain and treat it with a brush or napkin. The product can also be used for greasy stains of plant and animal origin. The average price is up to 350 rubles.
Practical advice for removing fuel oil on thick fabrics and jeans
For practical purposes, the overalls worn by employees of technical enterprises are made from thick fabric. The fuel oil that settles on such fabric is difficult to wash off. It is also difficult to remove fuel oil placed on jeans. For these purposes the following means are used:
- Gasoline or diesel fuel;
- Solvents;
- Detergents;
- Car shampoo.
Fresh stains are washed with tar or laundry soap.
And this method is suitable for those who often come into contact with fuel oil: auto mechanics, technicians, factory and workshop workers. The method appeared when detergents and stain removers were in short supply. To prepare the cleanser you need:
- Laundry soap - a piece (grate);
- Caustic soda - glass;
- Stationery liquid glue – 100 ml bottle;
- Hot water - a bucket.
All components are mixed and work clothes are soaked in them for several hours. Then wash it in the machine.
Ambulance
Black tarry grease can be found anywhere, because it is used to lubricate various parts. A child can get dirty on a swing, an adult can get dirty while opening the front door or adjusting an office chair. Well, car owners encounter this product almost every day.
What can we say about those whose profession is directly related to adjustment - they are literally up to their ears in oil compositions. So everyone needs to know how to properly wash fuel oil from clothes.
Keep in mind that you can almost certainly wash off fuel oil from clothes if you do it soon after getting dirty.
Look for available tools that can provide emergency assistance:
- Petrol. Here, as they say, wedge is wedge. Both substances are products of the distillation of black gold, their composition is similar. Moreover, gasoline is an excellent solvent. Soak a cotton pad in gasoline and apply it to the stain; when the cotton pad darkens, change it and repeat the steps. Do this until the blot completely disappears.
Please note that the fuel you need is not the same type of fuel that is used to fill the cars. And specially purified, it can be found in hardware or construction stores.
- Solar oil and kerosene. They act like the previous remedy. Suitable if you are looking for something to remove fuel oil from a work jacket or overalls.
- Toluene. It is not found on the market in its pure form, but it is included in various solvents for paints and varnishes.
This product is very toxic, so use it outside or in a well-ventilated area. Wear gloves and a respirator.
- Car shampoo. Suitable for removing dirt not only from car upholstery, but also from your belongings. Soak a sponge in the product and rub the product thoroughly.
What to do if fuel oil gets on linen or synthetic items
You cannot use the first product that comes to hand if a synthetic linen item is stained with fuel oil. In this case, it is better to use household chemicals: dishwashing gel, stain remover, washing powder, soap. Clothes are soaked in soapy water for half an hour and then washed.
When choosing a stain remover, you should focus on the quality of the fabric and the degree of contamination. If one method does not help, you can try another, more aggressive one. But you can save your favorite clothes at home!
Fresh contaminants
Cleaning a fresh stain with an iron:
- Soak fresh oil stains with absorbent paper.
- Apply a layer of crushed chalk, white clay or magnesium.
- Cover the topping with another layer of absorbent paper.
- Iron the treated area, covered with paper, with a hot iron.
- Repeat the process if necessary until the stain is completely removed.
- After cleaning, wash the item thoroughly and dry it.
This method is suitable for processing items such as jeans or textile trousers, jackets, but is not recommended for fabrics sensitive to high temperatures (for example, bolognese jackets).
Professional stain remover
Old stains
There are 2 ways to remove old stains. The choice of method depends on the type of fabric.
Removing old stains with a chemical:
- Old blots from fuel oil and other lubricants can be cleaned with technical gasoline, benzene or trichlorethylene. You can also use a special stain remover “Dr. Beckmann" (50 ml) for tar stains, wax, grease or "Dr. Beckmann" for grease and oil stains (50 ml), available in household chemical stores.
- After cleaning, rinse the stain remover thoroughly with water, wash, and leave to dry.
You can remove old stains with laundry soap (72%):
- Wet the contaminated area with warm water.
- Wipe with soap, lather with a brush, rub, gradually removing dirt with a damp cloth or sponge.
- Repeat the process several times as needed.
- Rinse the area to be treated thoroughly with water or wash it and leave to dry.
