Finding an oil stain on your favourite item of clothing is never a welcome sight. If you work in an industry where there’s a high probability of it happening then you probably already know that you’re better off wearing old clothing. If, however, the sight of an oil stain has caused a bit of panic in your life, fear not. Removing oil stains from your clothes is not a difficult job and can be done with common household items.
There are many different methods you can use to rid your favourite top of an oil stain, but the method we’ll be looking at in this article, in particular, involves baby powder. Before we look at the specific steps needed to remove oil stains using baby powder, let’s look at the key tips to note while cleaning.
Useful Tips For Removing Oil Stains
- Act as quickly as possible! Oil and grease harden up when they reach room temperature, so it’s important to act ASAP after noticing the stain on your clothing so that it’s easier to remove.
- Place a piece of cardboard beneath the stained area you’re working on. This will help with stability and stop the oil from spreading to other parts of your clothing.
- Make sure not to press too hard when doing any scrubbing or brushing to avoid damaging your clothes.
Now that you’re equipped with a good knowledge base of how to start, let’s take a look at the 5 easy steps you can use to remove oil and grease stains from your clothing with baby powder.
1. Blot As Much Excess Oil As Possible
Use a paper towel or tissue to get rid of as much of the top layer oil as possible. Blot away until there isn’t any more oil being transferred from your item of clothing to the tissue.
2. Cover The Stain With Baby Powder
Sprinkle enough baby powder on the oil or grease stain to completely cover it. Let it sit for 10 minutes as the baby powder soaks up the oil.
3. Scoop The Baby Powder Off
Use a spoon, blunt knife, or any other utensil that won’t damage your clothing to scoop the baby powder off.
4. Scrub The Stained Area With Dishwashing Liquid
Use dishwashing liquid and a few drops of water to create a foamy mixture in a small bowl. Dip an old toothbrush into the mixture and use it to scrub over the stained area. Use circular motions to get the most out of the scrubbing.
| Pro Tip: Use this brushing method on both sides of your item of clothing where the stain is. |
5. Wash And Dry Your Clothing
Once you’re confident that you’ve gotten rid of the oil stain, wash your item of clothing on its own as per usual. Do this as soon as possible after completing the above-mentioned steps. Let your freshly washed clothes air dry.
You’re now ready to wear that show off your favourite top or pair of jeans again, oil-free. Use this method for a simple, quick solution to get rid of those unwanted stains that are sometimes unavoidable.
