Olive oil is one of those staples in the kitchen that you can find in almost every dish. It can be the base of a salad dressing or the best thing to put on pasta. We all at some point in life have cooked food without wearing an apron and spilled food on ourselves while cooking. If you’ve spilled olive oil on your clothes and want a proven way to remove the stain then you’re at the right place.
You’ve probably heard that olive oil can be hard to get out of your clothes but you can get rid of the stains by using a proven easy-to-follow method.
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Are Olive Oil Stains Permanent?
Olive Oil can leave permanent dark spots if left untreated. Whether the stain can be removed depends on the material type and how long the stain has been sitting. It would help if you acted as quickly as possible to eliminate these stains.
Olive oil stains are hydrophobic; you need something with surfactant properties, like liquid dish soap, to break hydrophobicity.
When dish soap is applied to a hydrophobic stain, the surfactant molecules’ hydrophobic tails penetrate the surface, while the hydrophilic heads remain attracted to water. This action helps to disrupt and loosen the hydrophobic stain, allowing it to mix with water and be rinsed away.
The surfactants in dish soap lower the surface tension between water and the hydrophobic stain, breaking down its resistance to water and aiding in its removal.
Cleaning Overview
What Will You Need
Supply
- Baking Soda
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Bleach (for white clothes)
Tools
- Paper Towel
- Sponge
Step-by-Step Guide to Remove Olive Oil From Clothes
Step 1: Remove Excess Olive Oil
Use a dry paper towel to dab the stained area to absorb the oil. Fold the paper towel 3-4 times to make it easier to absorb the oil stains.
Proceed until the paper towel can no longer absorb any more liquid.
Step 2: Rub Baking Soda on the Stains
Rub baking soda into the stain with your fingers and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Brush the baking soda off the stain and check the stain. If it is still there, repeat this step again 1 more time.
Step 3: Apply Liquid Dish Soap
Apply liquid dish soap on a piece of sponge and apply it to the stain. The liquid dish soap should be used after the baking soda has done its job.
Rub the liquid dish soap into the stain and work it in gently. Just let it sit for a few minutes, and then wash it well with hot water. If necessary, repeat this step a few times.
Are you wondering if you can wash clothes in a dishwasher? Then you must read: Can You Wash Clothes in a Dishwasher
Step 4: Hand Wash With Hot Water.
Soak the clothes in heavy-duty detergent and hot water for 15 minutes then wash the clothes in hot water to ensure the oil and stain come out of the fabric completely. If the stain is still visible, repeat the above steps again. Air dry the clothes after washing them.
How to Remove Olive Oil From White Clothes?
Step 1: Check And Test if the Cloth is Bleachable
First, you should check that the fabric is bleachable (check the care label for the fiber content and don’t bleach it if it has any spandex)
If the cloth is bleachable, test the cloth by bleaching a small part of it, which won’t be visible.
Related: How to remove bleach from clothes?
Step 2: Wash with Hot Water and Bleach.
Next, the garment should be washed in hot water with a reputable laundry detergent and a half cup of bleach (Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX® – Concentrated Formula).
Step 3: Air Dry The Clothes
For better results, air dry the clothes. Do not dry the cloth in the dryer.
Related: Minimum temperature for drying clothes outside
Related: How to get castor oil out of clothes?
- How do you get extra virgin olive oil out of clothes?
You only need to use something that will soak up the stain, like baking soda or cornstarch, and let it do its job. You can also rub the area with dishwashing soap and then rinse it with water to remove any extra soap.
- Can hand sanitizer remove oil stains?
Most hand sanitizers contain alcohol as their main ingredient, so you can use them for anything that rubbing alcohol can treat. So, you can count on it to get rid of hot sauce stains, oil stains, grease, grass stains, and almost any kind of makeup, even lipstick.
Conclusion
Olive oil stains can be stubborn, but with the right approach, they can be effectively removed from clothes. The key is to act quickly. Dried olive oil stains are next to impossible to get rid of. With some patience and by following the right steps you can easily remove olive oil stains from clothes and restore their pristine condition.
Wondering how to remove other kinds of oil stains? Then you must read: Remove Oil Stains From Clothes.
