How to Remove Oil Based Stains from Fabrics

Co-authored by Safir Ali and Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: December 8, 2021

If you've spilled oil on your clothes, carpet, or upholstery, you may think the item is ruined. Luckily, it can be easily removed using a few household items. Whether the fabric came into contact with motor oil, cooking oil, butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, makeup, deodorant, or another oil-based product, and regardless of whether the stain is fresh or set in, your fabric will come clean in no time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Laundering Clothes

1
Blot as much oil as possible from the item. As soon as the spill occurs, use paper towels to blot up as much oil as possible from the garment. Don't rub the fabric, which would cause the oil to spread.^{[1]
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2
Check the garment care tag. Before treating the stain, read the care tag on the item. If the item is dry clean only, take it to the cleaners as soon as possible. Otherwise, find out if the garment can be laundered normally or if it needs to be hand washed and laid flat or hung up to dry. Take note of the temperature requirements as well as adjust your stain-removing strategy as needed.^{[2]
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- For instance, if your item says to wash in cold water only, use cold water rather than hot in the following steps.
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3
Apply powder to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes. You can use baby powder, baking soda, talcum powder, cornstarch, or waterless mechanic's soap to further remove the oil from the fabric. Sprinkle the powder over the oil and let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb as much oil as possible. Then, use a spoon to scrape the oil and powder off the garment.
- Alternatively, you could rub plain white chalk over the spot to absorb the oil.
4
Scrub the stain with soap and water. Rinse the item with hot water, then apply a few drops of regular dish soap to the stain. Scrub the soap into the fabric with a toothbrush, then rinse it with hot water.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}^{[4]
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- The dish soap can be clear or colored, just make sure it doesn't have added moisturizers.
- Make sure the dish soap has some kind of grease-removing additive.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Safir Ali
  Professional Dry Cleaner
  Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- As an alternative to dish soap, you could use shampoo, laundry soap, or aloe vera gel instead.
- If you don't have a toothbrush, just rub the stained fabric against itself. The friction should still get a good portion of the oil out.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Safir Ali
  Professional Dry Cleaner
  Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
5
Wash the garment by itself. As long as your garment is machine washable, you can pop it in the washing machine and launder it as usual. Follow the instructions on the care tag to determine the hottest water temperature the fabric can take. If the item is delicate, hand wash it.
- If your fabric is delicate, use a gentle detergent.
6
Air dry the garment if the stain remains. Before putting the garment in the dryer, check to see if the stain is gone. You may need to let the item air dry so you can inspect the fabric when it's dry. If you put the item in the dryer and the stain isn't gone, the heat will set it into the fabric.^{[7]
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- Be sure to air dry any delicate fabrics rather than putting them in the dryer.
7
Remove a stubborn stain with hairspray or WD-40. If you let the item air dry and still notice a stain, or if the stain is older and has set in, you can still remove it from your clothing. Spritz hairspray or WD-40 onto the stained fabric. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then launder the item as usual.^{[8]
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- Although WD-40 is an oil, it works by “reactivating” set-in stains so they can be easily removed by laundering.
- Don't use WD-40 on delicate fabrics.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cleaning Upholstery or Carpet

1
Soak up the excess oil. Use an old towel or paper towel to blot up as much of the oil as you can. Avoid rubbing the towel into the fabric, which could spread the stain.^{[9]
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2
Sprinkle the area with powder and let it sit for 15 minutes. Use baking soda, talcum powder, baby powder, or cornstarch to soak up the oil. Just sprinkle it on the stain and let it sit for 15 minutes.^{[10]
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3
Scrape away the powder and repeat if necessary. Use a spoon to scrape away the powder or vacuum it up. If oil is still visible on the fabric, add fresh powder to the area and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, scrape it away with a spoon or vacuum it up.^{[11]
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4
Blot the stain with soapy water or solvent. Mix 2 cups (470 ml) of cool water and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dish soap in a bowl or bucket. Dip a clean rag into the soapy water and use it to blot the stain. Keep blotting until the stain is gone.^{[12]
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- Alternatively, you could use dry cleaning solvent or Lestoil in place of the soapy water. Be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area of the fabric first.
5
Remove the soap with a clean, damp sponge. Wet a clean sponge with cool water. Press it to the stained area to remove the soap, solvent, or Lestoil and any remaining oil.^{[13]
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6
Soak up the excess liquid then allow the fabric to dry. Blot the wet spot with a clean towel to absorb as much liquid as possible. Then, allow the fabric to air dry.^{[14]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

What will get oil stains out of clothes?

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.

Safir Ali

Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Soak the stain in a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid. The dishwashing liquid should have some kind of grease removing additive. Then, rub the stain against itself gently for about five minutes, to use friction to get most of the oil out. Afterwards, put the garment in the washing machine like normal.
Question

How else can I remove an oil stain?

Community Answer

Try washing it with shampoo. If you don't want to wash it, try putting baby powder on the clothing, wait 30 minutes, and then shake it off.
Question

How do I remove soda and cheese stains from fabrics?

Community Answer

For cheese: pre-treat or soak with a laundry product containing enzymes. Soak new stains for at least 30 minutes and older stains for several hours before washing. For soda: mix one tablespoon of liquid hand or dish washing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Then, using a clean cloth, sponge the stain with the solution.

Things You'll Need

Laundering Clothes

Paper towels
Baby powder, baking soda, talcum powder, cornstarch, or waterless mechanic's soap
Spoon
Dish soap, shampoo, laundry soap, or aloe vera gel
Old toothbrush
Laundry detergent
WD-40 or hairspray