How to Get Gasoline Smell Out of Clothes

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: November 23, 2020

It can be a pain to spill gasoline on your clothing while pumping gas. While it can feel like you'll never get rid of the smell, there are actually some tips and tricks that can remove the odor. First, hose down your clothes and air dry them. Do some light hand washing before throwing them in a washer on a high heat setting. If stains remain after washing your clothes, these can be treated with things like baby oil or dishwashing detergent. With a little bit of elbow grease, you can get rid of an unwanted gasoline odor on your clothes.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Treating the Clothes Before Washing Them

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Hose down clothes saturated with gasoline. Take your clothing outside and hose it down. Try to rinse out as much gasoline as possible. This is especially important for clothing that's very saturated in gasoline, as it can be a hazard to wash gasoline-soaked clothing in a washing machine.^{[1]
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- If you don't have a hose, you can rinse clothing under a faucet.
2
Air-dry the clothes for 24 hours. Find a place to hang the clothes up outside, such as a balcony or clothesline. Hang the clothing on the line and let it air outdoors for 24 hours.^{[2]
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- Check the forecast. If it's going to rain, wait until the weather clears up to treat your clothing.
- If you absolutely cannot hang the clothing outdoors, a well-ventilated room in your home should do the trick. Hang the clothes there until they're dry.
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3
Pre-wash the clothes with mechanic's hand soap. Before throwing your clothing in a washing machine, pick up some mechanic's hand soap at a hardware or department store. Use this to lather any particularly oily or greasy spots before throwing your clothes in the washer.
- Look for mechanic's soap that has lanolin listed on the ingredients label for the best results.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Washing the Clothes

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Wash the clothes alone. Do not put any other clothing in the washing machine with gasoline-soaked clothing. This could cause other clothing to absorb the smell of gasoline or become stained.^{[3]
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2
Use the highest heat setting. Look at your clothes' manufacturer's label. To best treat the smell of gasoline, you should use the highest heat setting the clothes can tolerate.^{[4]
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- If you're unsure how high of a heat setting your clothes can tolerate, search the fabric type online and look at washing guidelines.
3
Add ammonia and extra detergent. You can purchase ammonia at most supermarkets and hardware stores. Add a quarter cup of ammonia and a little extra detergent to the laundry. This should help wash out the gasoline smell.^{[5]
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- Alternatively, you can add 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar to the wash. Vinegar is an excellent deodorizer.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Susan Stocker
  House Cleaning Professional
  Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
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Hang your clothing to dry. Do not place your clothing in the dryer after washing it. Instead, hang your clothing to dry outside or on a drying rack. It's very dangerous to put clothing that's been soaked with gasoline in the dryer, as gasoline is combustible.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Removing Set-In Stains

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Neutralize the stains and smells with coffee grounds or baking powder. If there are stains on your clothing, they may harbor a smell. Before attempting to wash out the stains, sprinkle baking powder or coffee grounds on the stains. This will help neutralize the odor. Let the coffee grounds or baking soda sit on the stain for a few hours before brushing them off and washing the stain.^{[8]
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Remove stains with dishwashing detergent. Liquid dishwashing detergent that's made to target grease can help remove gasoline stains. Gently rub the detergent into the stains until they lift. Then, rinse the garment and wash it in the washing machine as usual.^{[9]
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- Remember you should always hang-dry clothing that came into contact with gasoline.
3
Try baby oil. Baby oil can also help lift gasoline stains. You can pour baby oil directly on the stains and rub the stains out. You can also toss rags soaked with baby oil into the washing machine with your gasoline-stained clothes.^{[10]
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4
Send your clothes to a dry cleaner. Unfortunately, sometimes the gasoline smell remains on your clothes despite your best efforts. While this can be frustrating, professional services can help. If you can't get stains or smell out of your clothes at home, contact a local dry cleaner. You can find dry cleaners online. If your clothing has been very stained or damaged by gasoline, professional dry cleaning services may help treat your clothes.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What can I wash my clothes with to get rid of the gasoline smell?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

When you're dealing with strong odors, use a cup of white vinegar in your wash. Vinegar is a natural, amazing deodorizer that is highly effective!
Question

How do I remove the gas smell from tennis shoes?

Community Answer

You will probably want to soak them in water and vinegar for 30 minutes and then repeat. Another suggestion for exceptionally heavy odors is to soak the shoes in warm water and 1 cup of non-sudsing household ammonia.

Warnings

Do not use bleach with ammonia immediate before, during, or after use in the washing machine as the mixture can create a toxic gas.
Do not use a machine dryer on clothing that may have gasoline contact due to the increased risk of combustion.