Dealing with dirt and grime is essentially part of the job description when you make a living maintaining cars. So, unless you want to upgrade, don’t think you have to throw away your clothes when you inevitably dirty them with some sort of oil or grease. You can always attempt to get rid of motor oil stains on your own to maintain the professional appearance of your uniforms.
Remember: water alone won’t dissolve these substances; you’ll need to work a little harder to remove these stains. Once stains have dried and embedded themselves, it is far more difficult to remove them. Attempting to get oil stains out as soon as you can will be more effective. So how can you get motor oil out of clothes?
Contents
WD-40 Method
An effective way to remove motor oil from clothes is by using WD-40. You will need a toothbrush, liquid soap, and one teaspoon of WD-40. Lay the stained clothes on a table, and then carefully pour a teaspoon of WD-40 onto the stain. Wait for 15 minutes for the WD-40 to soak into the stain, and then apply liquid soap to the area. Put the clothes in the washing machine and wash them with either warm or cold water before drying them as usual.
Nail Polish Remover Technique
Nail polish remover contains an organic solvent, acetone, which can also help remove motor oil from clothes. Prepare a gallon of water and one tablespoon of nail polish remover. Use the remover on the stained area, and after 15 minutes, rinse it off. Continuously repeat the steps until you can no longer see the stain. Then you can wash the clothes. Try adding a cup of white vinegar to the wash to neutralize any odors in your clothes.
Aloe Vera Solution
The combination of aloe vera gel and warm or hot water can also remove motor oil stains. Start by soaking the stained clothes in hot water for 15 minutes. Then take the cloth out of the water and crumple the aloe vera gel onto the stained area. Wash the clothes in warm water and then air-dry them.
Baking Soda Wash
You’ll need some cardboard or an old towel, a scraping tool, baking soda, and hot water for the baking soda method. The first thing you should do is lay the stained cloth on a table. Now place the cardboard or old towel right under the stained part. Add a sprinkle of baking soda to the stain and allow it to set in for a quarter of an hour before you brush it off.
Afterwards, wash the clothes in hot water until the stain vanishes. You can then dry it in any way you want. But if the stain remains, you can apply liquid soap to the affected area, sprinkle baking soda on it, and gently scrub the spot with a toothbrush or damp sponge. Allow the clothes to sit for 25 minutes, then soak them in hot water again.
Cornstarch Application
Cornstarch, also known as corn flour, is mostly found in the kitchen, although it has household and industrial applications. To remove motor oil from clothes using cornstarch, you should have a damp sponge or toothbrush on hand. Start by laying the stained clothing on a table, and pour a small amount of cornstarch on the stain. Give it half an hour to set in. When the time is up, use the damp sponge or toothbrush to brush off the cornstarch. Then, put the clothes in a washing machine on a cold setting and let them air dry.
Presoak Method
Presoaking is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get motor oil out of clothes. Get a gallon of hot water and detergent, measured for a full wash load. Now soak the cloth for about an hour in the hot water with detergent. Rewash the clothes and presoak them in warm water, then wash them again after 15 minutes. Finally, dry the clothes as usual.
