Find out how to get olive oil stains out of clothes!

How do you get olive oil out of clothes?

Olive oil in clothes is a tricky adversary because oil repels water and soaks deep into the fabric's fibres. But not to worry, because there is a clear approach that works. The principle is simple. First, it is important to absorb the stain. Next, treat it and lastly wash it.

Roadmap in brief:

1. Pat the stain dry with kitchen paper or a tissue.
2. Apply an absorbent, such as baking soda or cornstarch.
3. Treat the stain with washing-up liquid, shampoo or a special cleaner.
4. Wash the garment according to the washing label.

With this method, you increase the chances of your garment getting completely clean again.

This is what to do when you have a fresh olive oil stain in clothes

Did you just spill olive oil? Then acting fast is really the key to success. The sooner you start, the better your chances of getting a fresh olive oil stain out of clothes that is completely gone. This is because olive oil soaks into fabric at lightning speed and leaves a greasy shadow if you do nothing. The steps for a fresh olive oil stain are almost identical to the method mentioned earlier:

1. Stay calm and avoid panic. The first thing you should not do is start rubbing in panic. By doing so, you will push the oil deeper into the fibres, making the stain more difficult to remove.
2. Pat the stain dry. Use kitchen paper, a tissue or a clean cotton cloth to gently dab up as much oil as possible. Work from the outside in, so that the stain does not spread further.
3. Sprinkle an absorbent. Generously cover the stain with baking soda or cornstarch. These powders will suck the excess oil out of the fabric. Leave this on for at least 15 minutes. Longer will do. Do this while you finish the rest of your meal, for example.
4. Remove the powder and treat after. Brush or pat off the powder and then apply a drop of dish soap directly to the stain. Gently massage this in with your fingers or a soft brush. Detergent is specially made to dissolve grease and therefore works ideally against olive oil.
5. Wash according to the label. Rinse the fabric briefly with lukewarm water and then wash the garment at the temperature indicated by the washing label. Preferably use a normal detergent without bleach.
6. Extra step. Do you still see a shadow of the stain after washing? Repeat the process before putting the garment in the dryer, as heat can permanently fix the oil.

By following these steps carefully, you will prevent the oil from settling permanently in your clothes and have the best chance of getting your favourite shirt, blouse or trousers completely clean again.

Remove old or dried-in olive oil stains from clothes

A stain that has been in your clothes for a while is harder to tackle. Olive oil has then had time to soak deep into the fibres and can even leave a dark haze. However, it is often still possible to remove the stain if you have spilled olive oil on clothes some time ago. You just need a bit more patience and a more thorough approach to remove old olive oil stains from clothes:

1. Make the stain 'fresh' again. Drip a little lukewarm water on the stain and dab off the excess moisture. This will make the fibres slightly more supple and the oil will become workable again.
2. Treat with washing-up liquid. Apply a few drops of dish soap directly to the dried-in stain. Rub this in gently with your fingers or a soft brush. Leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour. The Detergent breaks down fats and helps soak off the oil.
3. Use shampoo for oily hair. Don't have dish soap handy, or want to tackle the stain extra vigorously? Then try a shampoo specially designed to remove grease. Massage the shampoo into the stain and let it soak in for a while before rinsing out.
4. Make a paste of baking soda. Mix baking soda with a little water (or, for extra strength, with a few drops of cleaning vinegar) and apply to the stain. Leave the mixture on for at least 30 minutes. Baking soda is absorbent and can draw residual oil out of the fibres.
5. Repeat and combine. If olive oil stays in clothes, it is not a problem. This is because sometimes an old olive oil stain does not disappear all at once. Repeat the treatment or combine the methods: detergent first, then a baking soda paste, and possibly another treatment with shampoo.
6. Wash and check. Wash the garment at the recommended temperature according to the label. Then check that the stain is completely gone before putting it in the dryer. Heat can actually fix a residual stain permanently.

Cleaners for stubborn stains

Can't quite manage with home remedies? Then you can opt for a special stain remover from the supermarket or drugstore. Be careful: always test on an inconspicuous piece of fabric first to avoid affecting the colour or damaging the fabric. With this approach, you increase the chances that even an old olive oil stain will disappear and your garment will look like new again.

Which home remedies work best against olive oil stains?

The nice thing is that you often don't need to buy expensive cleaning products if you have spilt olive oil on your clothes. Most kitchens already have products that work perfectly against olive oil stains.

Use baking soda or cornstarch
These powders absorb oil extremely well. Sprinkle generously over the stain, leave for 15-30 minutes and then brush it out.

Use washing-up liquid or shampoo
A few drops of dish soap directly on the stain works wonders. Massage gently, leave for a while and rinse with lukewarm water. Shampoo for oily hair works the same way.

Apply green soap or vinegar
Green soap is mild but effective. Apply a little, leave for a while and rinse out. Cleaning vinegar can help with residual stains, but use carefully and not with all fabrics.

What exactly should you not do with an olive oil stain?

Removing an olive oil stain from clothes sometimes seems like a matter of acting fast, but there are a few common mistakes that actually make the stain more stubborn. If you avoid these pitfalls, you increase the chances of your clothes getting really clean:

• Do not rub. It may feel logical to rub out an olive oil stain from clothes, but by doing so, you actually push the oil deeper into the fibres. The result? The stain gets bigger and harder to treat.
• Do not wash immediately without pre-treatment. Do not throw the garment directly into the washing machine without treating the stain first. Olive oil is greasy and quickly adheres to the fabric. If you wash it out immediately without preparation, the stain may become permanent.
• Do not use hot water. Hot water may seem like a quick fix, but the opposite is true. Heat fixes the olive oil in the fabric, literally burning the stain into the fibres. Therefore, always use lukewarm or cold water when rinsing.
• Be careful with vinegar on delicate fabrics. Cleaning vinegar can help with grease stains in some cases, but with sensitive fabrics such as silk, wool or viscose, it can actually affect the colour or damage the fabric. Therefore, use vinegar only with care and never without first testing it on an inconspicuous piece of fabric.

Remember: An olive oil stain from clothes requires patience and the right approach. By avoiding these mistakes, you increase the chances of the stain disappearing completely without ruining your favourite garment.

Carefully getting olive oil out of sensitive fabrics

Removing an olive oil stain from clothes is hard enough, but with delicate materials like a silk blouse, a wool jumper or a viscose dress, even more precision is involved. These fabrics are more delicate and can be damaged or lose colour faster if you use the wrong method. Therefore, it is important to always treat olive oil stains in clothes with gentleness.

Tips for sensitive materials:

• Test a small piece of fabric first. Always try each cleaning product on an inconspicuous spot, such as the inside of a hem. That way you can immediately see if the fabric reacts without ruining your garment.
• Dab instead of rub. Rubbing makes the stain bigger and can damage the fibres. Gently dab the olive oil stain from clothes with a clean cloth or tissue. This is softer and prevents additional damage.
• Use mild detergents. Choose gentle solutions such as a small amount of green soap or a drop of baby shampoo dissolved in lukewarm water. Avoid harsh agents or strong solvents, which are often too violent for delicate fabrics.
• Work slowly and repeat if necessary. With olive oil stains in delicate fabrics, patience is crucial. It is better to carefully repeat a treatment several times than to be too heavy-handed too soon.
• Pay attention to colour and texture. Even mild agents can sometimes cause slight discolouration. Therefore, check between uses to see how the fabric reacts. Stop immediately if you notice the colour fading or the fabric becoming limp.

By taking this cautious approach, you increase the chances of even fragile garments getting clean again without damaging them beyond repair.