Oil is a liquid we regularly encounter in our day-to-day activities; it could be cooking oil, essential oils, or motor oil, and sometimes we leave these encounters with smells.
Washing oil stains might be tricky, but it is nothing compared to the oil smell that lingers on even after the stain is gone.
How To Get Oil Smell Out Of Clothes
Oil and grease odors are some of the toughest odors to get out because they penetrate the fibers and can remain even after treating the stain. Even regular laundry detergent won’t handle these odors because they aren’t cut out for this job.
Oil smell will leave your clothes when you use the right products. The amazing thing is that most of these products are lying around in your home, waiting to be called for duty. Here are ways to remove the oil smell from your clothes.
1. Chlorine bleach
We are starting our list with one of the most popular laundry products — chlorine bleach; it contains strong chemicals powerful enough to remove stains and their odor in one go.
However, this bleach must only be used on whites because it can remove the dye from your clothes. There are color-safe bleaches that can handle oil stains but finding those capable of removing grease and oil smell might be hard.
For chlorine bleach usage, you can either hand wash with bleach or just add it to your washing machine during laundry.
Here is a step-by-step guide for using chlorine bleach to get rid of the oil smell by hand wash:
Step 1: Use hand gloves if you have sensitive skin. Fill your bowl or sink with a gallon of warm water.
Step 2: Add your regular detergent and 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach. Soak your oil-stained white clothes in this mixture.
Step 3: Allow sitting for 10 minutes. Wash, rinse, and dry as normal. Remember to wash your hands after you are done
Here is a step-by-step guide for using chlorine bleach to get rid of the oil smell by machine wash:
Step 1: Add 3/4 cup of bleach to the bleach dispenser in your washing machine. Add your regular laundry detergent
Step 2: Set the machine to the highest heat allowed by the clothes. Hotter water temperatures will break down stains better, rinse and dry as normal.
2. Heavy laundry detergent
Heavy laundry detergents are more expensive than regular laundry detergent but are effective in stain and odor removal because they have a formula that is a little bit different from regular laundry detergent.
To use this product, all you need to do is: replace your regular laundry detergent with these heavy hitters. Set the machine to the highest heat allowed by the clothes. Rinse and dry as usual.
3. White Vinegar And Baking Soda
White vinegar contains acidic properties that can break down stains and odor, while baking soda can absorb and lift tough stains and odors. When these two household products are combined, a powerful stain and odor remover is born. For this method usage, follow the step below:
Step 1: Fill your bowl or sink with warm water and add one cup of vinegar and baking soda.
Step 2: Stir the mixture until the mix is complete, then soak in the smelly clothes. Allow them to sit for about four hours
Step 3: Take the clothes out, put them in the washing machine, and wash as usual with your regular laundry detergent.
4. Coca-Cola
It might sound surprising, but coca-cola is a good stain and odor remover because of its acidic nature. Not only is this method effective, but it is also completely harmless and has no environmental impact. Here is a step-by-step guide for using Coca-Cola to get rid of the oil smell:
Step 1: Put your regular laundry detergent, then add a can of coke to the dispenser in your washing machine.
Step 2: Set the washing machine at the regular wash. Rinse and dry as usual.
5. Dish soap
For this method, we would be taking another trip to our kitchen. The number one thing dish soaps are designed to do is to cut through oily and greasy particles left on plates and dishes since most of our food items are created with them.
So, it makes sense that you could also use them to remove oil smells from clothing. Don’t worry, their usage of clothes is perfectly safe. Dish soap produces a lot of suds and could make a mess if you use too much; a little amount will do the trick. To use the dish soap method, follow the steps below;
Step 1: Fill your sink or bowl with warm water and add 1/4 cup of dish soap. Soak the clothes in the water, ensuring they are fully submerged.
Step 2: Let the clothing soak for about 30 minutes, stirring the water occasionally. The soap will break down any oil stains and remove odors as well.
Step 3: Take the clothes out, put them in the washing machine, and wash as usual with your regular laundry detergent.
6. Ammonia
Just like chlorine bleach, ammonia is another powerful cleaning agent that needs to be handled with care; it is very effective at removing tough stains from oil and grease and their unpleasant odor.
Ammonia is extremely potent, and its fumes are not to be inhaled. Do not mix chlorine bleach and ammonia. This combination creates toxic fumes. To use ammonia to remove oil stain and odor, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Put your regular laundry detergent into your washing machine
Step 2: Add one cup of ammonia to the dispenser in your washing machine. Wash, rinse, and dry as usual.
7. Listerine
Listerine mouthwash contains mint and alcohol, which are the active ingredients that help freshen your breath. These ingredients can also help remove tough oil stains and odors.
The alcohol in this product dissolves the stains while the mint removes the odor. Here is a step-by-step guide for using Listerine to get rid of the oil smell:
Step 1: Put your regular laundry detergent into your washing machine. Add one cup of Listerine to the dispenser in your washing machine.
Step 2: Set the machine to the highest heat allowed by the clothes. Rinse and dry as usual.
8. GOJO Hand Cleaner
GOJO hand cleaner is used by mechanics and other professionals that often work with oil and grease to remove oil and grease from their hands. It can also be used on oil-stained clothes and abs to eliminate the oil smell.
GOJO will break down the stain and any odors associated with it. To use GOJO hand cleaner to remove the oil smell from clothes, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Dip a clean cloth in the product and rub it on the oil-stained area. leave to sit for 10-20 minutes
Step 2: Put the cloth in your washing machine and wash as usual.
How To Get Oil Smell Out Of Clothes Without Washing
The easiest way to deal with any smell without washing is to sun dry the clothes. The heat from the sun breaks the smell and makes it disappear, so if your clothes have an oil smell, hang them outside for a little exposure to fresh air and sunlight.