You come off your bike and you notice that you have bike oil on your favourite trousers. Oh! You’re wondering how to get bike grease out of clothes?
The positive side is that the item you love most of clothing won’t get damaged. There’s possibility! The internet is packed with ways for removing bike grease from clothes. Here are some different strategies that you can apply to get rid of grease out of clothes.
What you need to know before bike grease stain removal
It’s possible to remove bike grease off of clothing in the majority of instances. It’s the easiest way to remove staining from bike grease when it’s fresh, but stains that have accumulated aren’t difficult to get rid of too. The most important thing is to release the grease to the point that you can clean it off of the fabric.
The method used to remove the grease will depend on how the stain is old and the strength of the fabric. The use of a chemical stain remover isn’t likely to harm old denim or white cotton t-shirts but it can cause problems with silk clothing.
There are a variety of bike grease, as well. A majority of them contain the same ingredients: the oil that lubricates and soap components. Bicycle grease is designed to be water-resistant. That’s why you cannot wash off the grease stain by washing your clothes in the washing machine.
Utilizing the components in bike grease, instead of against them, will result in the best result in removing stain. Because bike grease is water-resistant so you’ll have to remove the stain using an ingredient that absorbs the grease. You can then wash the substance off your clothing and it’ll take the stain.
Be sure to check the fabric content of your clothes and your bike grease ingredients before you start to make sure you’re using the most effective method for your situation.
9 Ways How to Get Bike Grease Out of Clothes
There are several popular and proven ways to remove stains.
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent natural product that you can utilize in lieu of chemical alternatives. It’s best used for dried and fresh grease stains on soft materials like silk and wool.
First step, sprinkle a tiny quantity of baking soda on the stain of grease Baking powder is a fantastic remover of grease for delicate fabrics. This is due to the fact that it draws away the grease from the fabric without damaging fibers.
Second step. Let the baking soda set over night for a few hours. -Let it sit throughout the night, then scrub it off the next morning. You’ll notice that baking soda has taken in a large amount of grease.
Third step: Clean the item Wash your garment in accordance with the guidelines on the label for care. If you’re dealing with delicate fabrics, you can try hand washing them with detergent. Any doubts regarding the appropriateness of your clothing for hand washing must be addressed by a dry cleaner.
2. Shampoo or Bar Soap
Shampoo is an excellent option to use liquid dish soap to remove bike grease stains. It’s usually gentler than dish soap for grease, but it performs in the same manner.
Similar to how it eliminates the grease that accumulates on your hair’s surface, this also helps help to loosen and eliminate the grease from your bike off of your clothes.
Try to avoid shampoos that have numerous colours and scents. These chemicals may be harmful to your clothes. The excessive use of color can alter the color of the fabric when you wear it. Clear shampoos are the most effective option.
Cover the stain with bar soap or shampoo. Then apply the shampoo to the grease stain, and allow it to sit. Since shampoos are designed to eliminate the body’s oils, it can be able to work for grease staining too. You can also use any bar of body or hand soap. You can use laundry soap to tackle the tougher grease staining.
Wet the clothing by using ammonia or water, then rub the soap over the stained area until it begins to foam. You may also grind the soap into a fine powder and apply the resultant powder to the grease fresh stains. Shampoo and laundry bar soaps come with a special ingredient that fights grease.
If you’re struggling with staining that is difficult to remove, employ an old toothbrush scrub away the marks of grease instead of scratching it with your fingers.
Wash the clothing Wash the greased part of clothing using laundry detergent taking into consideration the washing instructions of the manufacturer. Let the garment to dry in the air; drying it in a high-temperature mechanical dryer could cause remaining grease stains to settle in the fabric and turn permanent.
Tips: If you believe that the grease hasn’t been eliminated effectively you can repeat the procedure for a more effective result.
3. Dishwashing Liquid
An excellent all-purpose bike grease remover is dishwashing liquid. Liquid Dishwashing liquid is best for fresh grease stains.
The majority of dish soaps are formulated specifically to remove grease, including cooking oils and fats. It also works on bike grease stains.
Place a small amount liquid dish soap on the fresh stain. Rub it lightly in small circles across the stain. You can do this with your fingers or, If the stain is difficult to remove then make use of an older toothbrush. The soap bubbles slightly however you’ll notice the grease begin to disappear.
Wash the stain. The stain should appear lighter, but not eliminated completely. Repeat this procedure for stubborn grease staining. When the majority of the stain has disappeared you can wash your clothes the normal way.
4. Grease Removal with the Chemical Stain Removers As Well As Hot Water
They might not be as helpful in the home However, there are chemicals stain removers designed specifically designed for stubborn grease stains removal. Degreasers that are heavy-duty and stain remover pen pens remove tough grease stains and save the clothing.
However, these solutions are typically more harsh than the home remedy and could cause damage to your clothing. Particularly delicate or vibrant objects are particularly susceptible to being damaged by solvents and chemical cleaners.
The heavier clothes, like denim or canvas will require more stain removal agents. These clothes are more likely not to fade at the exact spot in which the degreaser as well as the stain was.
These products are great to get rid of the last bits of stain. After you’ve cleaned off the grease from the grease from your bike it’s possible to see some greyish or shadowy stain. If you’re unable to remove this spot off of your clothes using an easier method It could be the right the time to use an oil degreaser.
Step 1. Apply the stain of grease. Spray the spot remover onto the area that is greased and make use of the toothbrush to scrub away the stain. Let the remover set in while boiling water in the pot.
Step 2. Pour hot water onto the clothing. Place the garment in a bucket , tub or washbasin. Pour the boiling water all over the clothing. Make sure you pour the water into the pot from a higher point to allow the breakdown of the grease bonds. The higher the point you place the water in the greater force it generates while striking the clothing.
It’s no surprise that you must be extra cautious when pouring hot, scalding , hot water. Make sure you do not splash any water. You don’t want to be burned from scalding water. That makes a deeper container is the best choice for this procedure.
Step 3. Repeat this process for all grease-based stains. Turn the fabric inside out, then repeat using the water just as you did the first time.
Step 4. Wash the clothing In keeping the washing instructions to follow, you can wash the piece of clothing with laundry detergent and let it air dry.
5. Try Using Cornstarch to Dissolve Grease Stains
Another method of absorbing the lubricant oil from the bike grease stain is to use cornstarch. It absorbs grease quickly without requiring lots of rubbing. It’s also a great solution for drying and setting grease staining.
The stain should be covered with an even layer of cornstarch, and let it rest. It may take some time to get this done therefore it’s recommended to wait over the course of a night. If you’re able to delay it for 12 hours, you can let it sit for that for a long time. After that, you can shake or scrub the cornstarch away and launder your clothes the way you would normally.
Cornstarch will not harm your fabric or cause dye to run, which is why it’s the ideal option for delicate fabrics. Be patient allow the cornstarch to take care of all the work.
6. Baby Powder as an Alternative to Cornstarch
Another method of absorbing the lubricant oil from the bike grease stain is to use cornstarch. It absorbs grease quickly without requiring lots of rubbing. It’s also a great solution for drying and setting grease staining.
The stain should be covered with an even layer, and let it rest. It may take some time to get this done therefore it’s recommended to wait over the course of a night. If you’re able to delay it for 12 hours, you can let it sit for that for a long time. After that, you can shake or scrub the cornstarch away and launder your clothes the way you would normally.
Baby Powder will not harm your fabric or cause dye to run, which is why it’s the ideal option for delicate fabrics. Be patient and allow the cornstarch to take care of all the work.
6. Using Chalk Is Also A Method Of Stain Removal Method
Grease is made of emulsified soap mixed with vegetable oil or mineral that makes it a semi-solid lubricant. That said, grease has a high viscosity.
If you apply it to a solid surface, it creates a protective layer against the water. In other words, bike grease has water-repelling characteristics which make it sticky.
What that means is, you’ll need something more than water to get rid of grease. Even with average laundry cycles, you’ll still have a hard challenge removing the grease.
Having learned about the several methods of removing grease, let’s look at a few ways that have worked for me.
8. White Vinegar
In contrast to some of the alternatives on this checklist, vinegar won’t take in this grease stain. Instead, it dissolves it.
White vinegar is made up of acid acetic, which has the ability to degrade various chemical and substances, like bike grease.
There are numerous types of vinegar available. But white vinegar would be the ideal choice, since it’s transparent. It will not stain or discolor your clothes as you try to take the stain gone! It has a strong scent, however, it will be gone from the clothing once you wash them.
If you want to use vinegar to eliminate grease stains, it’s best to be prepared to wash your clothes right away. Rub a few drops on the stain. It’s about 2-3 drops of vinegar per sq inch. Clean a wet cloth, and apply the vinegar over the stain. Then , you can put your clothes in the washer immediately.
9. Washing Powder/Soap Mixtures
There are times when you may not be in a position of treating a stain from a bike immediately. However, you don’t need to throw away your clothing because the stain has dried! There’s a way to get the old, dried stain out.
Rewetting a stain may make it easier to clean. Water isn’t the ideal option but. Shampoo, white vinegar as well dish soap, are excellent alternatives as they help to eliminate the stain. Combining the liquid and a powder will yield more effective results when dealing with older stains.
You will need less liquid than use if you were using just liquid. The stain should be soaked and then cover it with powder that has soaked. Then, leave the powder on the stain until it’s absorbed almost all from the liquid. After that, you can scrub off the dust and wash the clothing as normal.
If you have sensitive hands, make sure to wear protective gloves. Biological Laundry Detergent If you have synthetic clothes, you will have an easy time removing bike grease using this method.
Be careful when choosing the right mix. Baking soda and white vinegar are great, however they could expand and fizz and expand, so you should start by adding a small amount at each time until the stain has been completely covered. Apply shampoo and soap sparingly to ensure it is that the mixture you combine it with is more of an emulsion rather than an liquid. It should remain more solid and not liquid to ensure that the powder absorbs the stain and not only the soap.
What To Do If the Grease Won’t Come Out
The more difficult the stain from a bike grease and the more forcefully you’ll have to clean it. While a few drops of chalk or a few hours in some cornstarch could suffice to remove a new stain, old stainings require some elbow grease.
When the material is durable enough to stand scrubbing then you can make an aqueous paste using a powder and liquid to scrub the stain. Baking soda and dish soap or cornstarch can be used to accomplish this. Rub the paste thoroughly into the stain and allow it sit for at least a night. Once you’ve scrubbed off the stain it is possible to add another coat of powder.
Make sure to check the stain once it has sat. If there are stains visible, you can apply the paste again for a different cycle. If the stain has gone or faded then you can put the garments in the washing machine.
Avoid mixing various methods when dealing with a stain that is difficult to remove particularly when you’re using an chemical stain remover. You don’t want to trigger the chemical reaction that could cause damage to your clothing or, even more damaging the body.
If the grease stain will not be removed, you might be required to take off the garment or conceal the stain in another method. Smaller stainings can be easily covered by putting patches on or embroidery. But if the stain is excessively big or noticeable it may be necessary to say goodbye to the stained clothing.
Conclusion
As any biker knows all too well, it is virtually impossible to make it through a ride without getting at least a little bit of bike chain grease on your pants. But now you know how to get bike grease out of clothes.
Bike grease is not a match for grease-fighters such dishesoap, cornstarch as well as baby powder. Even the lightest of clothes could bounce back after a the chain on your bike.
What’s the most difficult stain you’ve removed successfully from your clothing? Share it with us via the comment section!