Remove oil stains from clothing, carpet, concrete and paving stone

• Remove oil stains: clothing
• Remove carpet from oil stains
• Remove oil stains on concrete
• Remove paving stones from oil stains
• Tips for quick readers

Whether it's cooking and eating, doing oil work on the car or a leak, it's a quick one: oil stains soiled up the beautiful piece of clothing, the carpet, concrete or cobblestone floors. Fortunately, the unwanted stains can be completely eliminated - by appropriate means and the right approach. We provide you with a variety of practical tips and tricks!

Remove oil stains: clothing

First of all some general information:

• Act as quickly as possible. The earlier you attack the spot, the easier and better it will be to eliminate it. Even a few hours can make a big difference. And once the stain is several days old, you may never get rid of it completely.
• Before taking any specific action, take another look at the care label of the garment. In principle, hot water is best for removing oil stains - but of course only if the respective substance tolerates the high temperature.

• Never dry clothes with oil residues in the dryer. Due to the high temperature in this, an oil stain would permanently settle in the tissue. This means that you should always check your garments for oil spill residues before moving them to the dryer.
  (may include a picture of an oil-stained garment with a crossed-out dryer)
• Remove excess oil from the garment. To do this, pick up a cloth or kitchen towel and carefully dab off the oil stain by carefully pressing the chosen aid from both sides against the fabric. Do not rub around in the corner. In this (first) step, it is only important to absorb as much oil as possible.

In the further course of action, it is important to distinguish between insensitive everyday clothing, sensitive fabrics and garments that require chemical cleaning.

a) For insensitive everyday clothing, there are two good variants of oil stain removal available:

1. Detergent: Commercial detergents contain special agents against oil stains. Let the garment soak for at least 30 minutes. Then dab the oil stain under running hot water with detergent. Finally, wash the textile in the washing machine - following the instructions on the label.

Tip: Before you become active, you should read the instructions for use of the detergent product and the care label in the garment, in order to be able to adapt your actions adequately.

2. Dishwashing detergent: Dishwashing detergent is intended to be used to remove oil and grease on dirty dishes. However, it also proves to be very useful for removing oil stains on clothing. Just dissolve a little dishwashing detergent in hot water. Then apply the solution to the stain and gently work it in with a clean toothbrush - in a circular motion. Then rinse with hot water. If the stain is still visible, repeat the process. As soon as the oil stain disappears, wash the textile in the machine at the highest possible temperature. Pay attention again to the care label!

b) Sensitive clothing does not make sense of the measures described above. The substances could actually be damaged if you rub around the oil stains. Nevertheless, there is a trick to mend the mishap: Cover the stain completely with cornstarch, talc or baby powder. Then leave the garment in a warm environment for a few hours (overnight). Due to the heat, the cornstarch or the powder can absorb the oil from the fabric. Then gently brush off the starch or the powder. Repeat the process if the spot (or part of it) is still visible. Then wash the garment in the machine.
(illustrate the materials and steps)

c) For garments that require dry-cleaning, it is recommended to pre-treat the stain with cornstarch, talcum powder or baby powder as described above. Maybe the stain disappears completely. If not, this action will at least make the job easier for you to bring the garment to.

Remove carpet from oil stains

Like other textiles, carpets absorb half of the oil, causing the latter to dry up and leave greasy edges on the surface. How to remove fresh oil stains from the carpet:

Step 1: Place baby powder on the "crashed" spot. Do not pile up a pile, but cover the stain with a layer about three millimeters thick. Then press the powder with light pressure.

Step 2: Now the powder needs a little time to pull the oily liquid out of the carpet. After about 15 minutes, carefully vacuum the substance with the vacuum cleaner. Are traces of the stain still visible ">

• If oil stains can not be removed from the carpet by these measures, they are probably dried up. In this case, a trick helps: The stain must be liquefied with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Wait for five minutes and then start the actual stain removal (steps 1 to 5).
• You should not treat sensitive carpets in the manner described, but bring them directly to the cleaning room.

Remove oil stains on concrete

Oil stains on concrete floors occur mainly in workshops, garages or in parking lots. As long as the spots are still fresh, the removal is quick and easy. But also for dried oil stains effective means and possibilities are ready.

a) Fresh oil should be tied up quickly. Use cat litter, sawdust or sand. Sprinkle the selected product on the oil stains and wait until the binder has absorbed the oil. This takes at least three quarters of an hour. Then rub the litter, flour or sand onto the stains with a broom or brush. Then remove the binder with a broom. Repeat the procedure if necessary again. To completely remove the oil stains, you should take another measure: pour gall or soft soap into hot water. Scrub with it the floor - and extensively (endurance is in demand!). Finally rinse with clear, hot water.

b) For both fresh and dried oil stains you can use de-oiling paste. Apply with a brush or puff on the stains and work well with a brush. Then apply the paste a second time - about two millimeters thick. Allow the manufacturer's instructions to take effect (usually the drying time for concrete floors is three to four hours). Finally, sweep up the residue with a broom and remove it.

Caution: Entölerpasten contain solvents. So they are flammable during the entire drying time. Please observe the safety instructions of the manufacturer!

c) As an alternative to the Entölerpaste acts a commercial oil spill spray. Shake well before use and then spray on the stains. Leave for about ten minutes, then brush off. Maybe repeat it again.

d) At the hardware store you will find special oil stain remover, which helps to prevent oil stains on concrete. Apply the agent only at temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. Apply it to the stain and allow it to act for a maximum of six hours (observe the manufacturer's instructions!). Once a light layer of powder has formed on the oil stain, you can turn the agent off and remove it. Again, sometimes a repetition of the process is required.

e) Another way to remove oil stains on concrete is a conventional brake cleaner (car accessory). It dissolves the oil from the ground and can be washed off with water.

Tips for preventing new (stubborn) oil stains:

• After cleaning, treat the floor with waxes or suitable impregnants. In this way, oil can not penetrate the ground so quickly, so you have more time to remove stains.
• When working with oil you should generally cover the ground with a tarpaulin. This ensures that no oil seeps into the ground. This also benefits the environment.
• Furthermore, it is recommended in oil works, bring cloths with a high suction power to absorb the oil quickly in an impurity can, which makes the removal act considerably less expensive.

Remove paving stones from oil stains

Patches on paving stones commonly come from cars leaked by a leak of oil. The affected areas are usually very noticeable and ugly. In this respect, it is all the more important to effectively remove the stains. That's how it's done:

Step 1: First treat dried oil stains with washing or cleaning benzine or turpentine.

Step 2: Cover the pretreated or fresh oil stains with some cat litter. Allow to act for a short time and then sweep.

Alternatives to cat litter:

• Cement from the hardware store
• Oil binder from a car repair shop or a garage sale
• Granules from a fire department or a Heizölieferanten
• Dry sand and hot water

Tip: If the oil stains can not be removed immediately from the paving stones, you should repeat your cleaning measure (s), if necessary several times.

Tips for quick readers

Dress:

• Treat insensitive clothing with detergent or rinse
• For sensitive substances use cornstarch, talc or baby powder

Carpet:

• Apply baby powder, leave on and sweep
• Dab soapy wet dishcloth
• Dab with dry, clean dishcloth
• Apply carpet cleaner

Concrete:

• Use cat litter, sawdust or sand
• Scrub floor with hot water with gall or soft soap
• Also suitable: Entölerpaste, oil stain spray, oil stain remover or brake cleaner

Paving stone:

• Turpentine, washing or cleaning benzine for pretreatment
• Apply cat litter, leave on and sweep
• Alternatives: cement, oil binder, granules or dry sand plus hot water