How to remove oil stains from clothes
Stains of all kinds are a major annoyance when they get into your clothes. However prominent they are, they can still ruin your favourite garments in no time at all. Oil of any kind is particularly bad too, being one of the more robust and harder to remove things you can spill.
But all might not be lost. There’s a few ways to tackle oil stains on your clothes, and much of it can actually be done at home – especially if you have a state-of-the-art, ever-reliable washing machine, like those in the Haier range.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at how you can get rid of oil marks in your laundry, taking you step by step on your way to cleaner, fresher clothes.
A step-by-step guide to removing oil
- Blot the stain with a paper towel
Firstly, you’ll need to get yourself a paper towel and soak it in warm water. Using the paper towel, dab at the oil stain on the garment gently and firmly. Be careful to avoid rubbing at the stain – all this does is rub the oil deeper into the fabric and sets the stain even more, making it much harder to get rid of the stain.
Dabbing by contrast absorbs some of the oil into the paper towel, transferring it from the fabric. - Rub soap into the stain
Dish soap is an excellent solution to loosening up the oil from your fabric – not surprising considering we rely on it daily to remove oil and grease from used pans and baking trays.
Take the garment and place it on a flat surface like a table or a counter. Take your dish soap and gently rub a few drops into the fabric using your hands, a light cloth or even a toothbrush. The emphasis here is to do it gently to ensure you aren’t damaging your clothes as you clean. - Add baking soda
If you want to be extra-rigorous with getting that stain out, baking soda is your friend. As you rub the soap into the stain, dust a bit of baking soda in at the same time. You’ll see the soda turn into a paste which you should leave on the garment to help absorb the oil in the stain. - Wait, rinse and soak
Now your item of clothing has its baking soda and dish soap covering, you’ll want to leave it for about an hour or so to soak up the oil.
Once the hour is up, take the garment and soak it in a bowl with some hot water. Let it sit there for another hour, occasionally checking in on it to ensure it’s submerged. - Put it in the washing machine
Once properly soaked in the hot water, remove the garment and place it in your washing machine. Select a delicate program, with warm water, like those found on the Haier I-Pro series 5 appliances, and let it run its course – ideally with no other laundry in the drum at the same time.
When the program is finished, take the garment and let it air dry – ideally outside on the line. Check the stain and if it’s not quite done, you can give the process another go to try to completely remove it.
Why you should consider a Haier washing machine
Whether you’re looking to tackle the toughest of stains or you just want a reliable appliance to take on your day-to-day washing, we can help.
At Haier, we’ve built up an exceptional range of washing machines, perfect for a range of different households.
The I-Pro Series 5 grants an excellent, professional-grade level of laundry – all from an appliance whose sleek design fits in any home. A large drum offers capacity for a whole family’s worth of washing while its innovative Direct Motion motor carefully manages the drum rotation, so you don’t get a loud operating noise and uneven distribution of laundry.
The I-Pro Series 7 offers a step up, combining the Direct Motion motor’s quiet efficiency with features like the Smart Dual Spray, which automatically cleans your washing machine to ensure the best hygiene levels for your laundry. It’s even got steam diffusion capabilities, perfect for taking on even the most stubborn of marks.
Both of these machines, and many others in our range, boast A Class energy ratings, so you know that even as you do your laundry, you’re saving on energy – ideal for those households looking to improve their sustainability.
Want to find out more about the Haier catalogue of washing machines? Visit our website now. Looking to buy a new fridge? Head over to the Haier fridge page to find your perfect model.
