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*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
The term “machine, motor oil” means not only a liquid to reduce friction between the moving parts of internal combustion engines. It is also used oil, which is drained at the next maintenance, a liquid sold in small bottles for lubricating various parts of devices in everyday life.
Engine oil is a product of petroleum refining, it comes in several types – mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic. Regardless of the type, this substance has a high chemical stability. Once on the fabric, it instantly impregnates it to the maximum depth.
In what situations can you put a stain of engine oil
If you find a stain on your clothes and suspect that it was caused by contact with engine oil, it is useful to know in which situations this can happen:
In contact with parts and spare parts when repairing a car or filling it with engine oil.
When lubricating bicycle chains.
When lubricating door hinges.
When lubricating parts of a sewing machine.
If you recently had experience with similar work, and then noticed a persistent oily dark or light stain on your clothes, it is likely that it arose due to a drop of engine oil on the fabric. Now you can try to remove the pollution using one of the methods proposed in the article.
Tips to help remove pollution
It is very difficult to remove pollution, you need to use strong solvents and follow certain rules for the procedure, otherwise the situation will only get worse.
For the result to be successful, follow the advice of experts:
Act quickly, without delay. The fresher the stain, the more successful will be the manipulations aimed at removing it.
Try to limit the area of contamination in the first minutes after the appearance of the stain. To do this, you can use absorbents that absorb a certain amount of oily liquid and prevent the stain from growing even more. Various finely ground products can be used as absorbents – salt of the Extra brand, soda, any starch or crushed (household) chalk. If it is possible to heat any of these powders in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, it is best to do so. Hot absorbent absorbs grease and dirt better.
Perform all actions by removing the stained clothing from yourself, laying it on a flat surface and placing any absorbent substrate under it, for example, a clean, but outdated towel. In this case, you will get a double effect – part of the engine oil will be absorbed into the substrate, other things will be protected from the spread of pollution.
When cleaning the fabric, follow the safety rules, especially if you are working with caustic, flammable liquids. Put on heavy rubber gloves, a respirator and goggles. Test the cleaner on the least visible area of the fabric – will it remove the dye that the material is painted with at the same time, will it damage the threads, etc.
Washing a thing with a stain from machine oil, without subjecting it to pre-treatment, should not be done, otherwise the oil may become fixed in the threads of the fabric.
And the last recommendation – if the item is made of delicate fabric or is expensive, you should not try to remove the machine oil stain from it yourself. There is a high probability that you will completely ruin the product, since such contamination is difficult to deal with. The best option is to give things into the hands of professionals, that is, take it to dry cleaning.
Special chemicals for removing engine oil stains
The easiest and most reliable way to remove a stain is to buy a special spray or liquid in a car shop or car market. These products are designed to safely, quickly and reliably remove stubborn oil and grease stains. Such solvents can cost from 100 to 1000 rubles for 50-5000 ml. If you are in frequent contact with technical oils and risk staining, keep a bottle of thinner handy.
How to remove dirt without special means
If you find contamination on clothes, and there is no way to buy a special solvent, you can try using one of the “folk” methods. To begin with, you can try to remove some of the oil with an iron and napkins. This method is only suitable if the stained fabric can be subjected to heat. How to proceed:
Lay a paper napkin folded in several layers on a flat surface (even non-colored toilet paper will do).
Put the thing on a napkin, put another layer of paper on top.
Set the iron to medium heat.
Iron the stain, the oil will be absorbed into the napkins, as it absorbs, the paper can be changed. The procedure should be stopped as soon as you find that the engine oil has stopped leaving greasy marks on the napkin.
After ironing, a fresh spot can be treated with such folk remedies:
Ordinary laundry soap, dishwashing liquid, detergent paste. Means can be mixed, for example, dilute the powder with dishwashing liquid, the mixture should have a pasty consistency. If you’re using soap, first make shavings with a food grater or knife. Dilute the shavings with water or detergent to make a semi-liquid mixture. The prepared paste should be applied to the stain for a couple of minutes, then rub for 2-3 minutes with a toothbrush or dishwashing sponge, leave for another 20 minutes, rinse.
A household stain remover, for example, Vanish or another remedy, as an option – a stain remover based on bile soap. The last product contains a detergent base and high quality animal bile, which emulsifies fats and makes them water soluble.
Ethyl, ordinary or ammonia, acetone or turpentine, white spirit, refined gasoline. They need to soak a cotton swab or cotton pad and rub the stain, achieving its complete disappearance. You can make a compress from cotton soaked in solvent, putting it on the stain for 20-30 minutes, and then rub the cloth. The compress is especially relevant if the pollution is old.
Toothpaste is a dubious remedy for removing engine oil stains. It should only be used if there is no alternative. Just apply the paste on the area of contamination, rub it with a brush, bring it to a stream of water from the tap, wait for the paste to be completely washed out.
Whatever way you choose to get rid of greasy blots, after the end of the procedure (regardless of its success), the item must be washed in a washing machine or by hand using ordinary powder.
Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.