Baby oils are used for a number of reasons. Whether you’re a new parent looking to provide your baby’s skin with all the care it needs or perhaps using it to moisturize your skin, baby oil can be an excellent choice. The only downside to the product is that it leaves nasty stains. So how to get baby oil out of clothes.
Similar to other oil-based products, baby oil stains are also very challenging to get rid of, especially if you fail to notice the stain while it is still fresh. Using a bit of soap and water won’t do the trick, so you’ll have to be more resourceful and work as quickly as possible.
If you’re left with a baby oil stain on your favorite t-shirt, you’re probably wondering how to get baby oil out of clothes. Luckily for you, there are several ways that you can do it, and we’re going to list a couple of them.
How to Get Baby Oil Out of Clothes
Method 1: Cleaning up baby oils stains using a dishwashing detergent
If you’ve noticed the baby oil stain just as you spilled the product over your clothes, you should act quickly and pre-treat the clothes with a liquid dishwashing detergent. Add a small amount of the liquid directly to the stain and rub it in. Let the material rest for a couple of minutes while the dishwashing detergent works.
After 5 to 10 minutes, wash the stained item with water. If the item is white, you can use hot water. If you’re dealing with a colored item, wash it off using lukewarm or cold water. Hot water is better for treating oily stains as it breaks up the oil and efficiently removes all oily residues.
Method 2: Cleaning up baby oils stains using corn starch
Corn starch and other powders are excellent absorbers that could potentially absorb the oil and remove the stain altogether. Sprinkle a generous amount of corn starch over the area spilled with baby oil and let it rest for up to 15 minutes so that the powder has enough time to absorb the oil. After 15 minutes, the oil should be fully absorbed, and you can have the clothes washed.
If you’re looking to be extra safe, you can apply the previous method and add dishwashing soap to the affected area before putting the clothes in the washer.
Method 3: Cleaning up baby oils stains using pre-wash stain treatment
Pre-wash stain removers usually come as liquid solutions that should be sprayed into the stained area. They are very simple to use, and most of the time, you only have to spray them into the surface and let them work for a couple of minutes. However, you should know that different products need different amounts of time to work, so make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions printed out on the label.
If you don’t have a pre-wash stain treatment at hand, you could try out your luck with a kitchen cleaner that’s not excessively abrasive. However, if you need to treat some delicate clothes, we suggest you purchase a suitable product, as kitchen cleaners could ruin fine fabrics.
Method 4: Cleaning up baby oils stains using baking soda
Baking soda is often used in the laundry room because of its cleaning properties. Many people regularly add baking soda to the washing machine to have their clothes look cleaner and whiter. It can also be very effective at treating baby oil stains. Adding half a cup of baking soda into the washer can effectively remove baby oil and other oily stains from your clothes. Baking soda is a natural absorbent that attracts dirt and grime and has the power to pull the grease out of clothes.
Apart from adding it to the washer, you can also use baking soda to pre-treat the stained clothes. Add a couple of drops of cold water into half a cup of baking soda, and mix the solution until you get a thick paste. Add paste directly to the grease spot, and let it sit for more than an hour. After the paste has dried, you can use an old toothbrush to crumble the dried paste and repeat the process if needed. After removing the stain, you can thoroughly wash the clothing item through a regular wash cycle.
Method 5: Cleaning up baby oils stains after drying
If you’ve already washed and dried the clothes without noticing and treating the stain, you should know that it will be significantly harder for you to remove it. Drying the clothes at high temperatures will cause the baby oil to harden and hold on to the item.
Therefore, you will need to slightly alter the above methods if you’re working with clothes that have already been washed and dried. The first thing you’ll need to do is add a couple of drops of warm water to the stain. Warm water should help you dilute the oil and activate the stain for further treatment. After adding water, you can try any of the above methods and repeat a couple of times until the stain is successfully removed.
Read More: How to Remove Mucus From Baby Nose
Extra Tip: Avoid Machine Drying Baby Oil Stained Clothes
After treating the stained clothes, it is very important to slowly air dry them instead of putting them into the machine dryer. Air drying the clothes will allow you to check on the stain’s status occasionally, so you can repeat the treatment if you see any visible residues of the baby oil.
Cool drying is also vital as drying the clothes at high temperatures will cause the stain to harden, making it even harder to be removed.
Conclusion
Baby oil stains can be very challenging to tackle, especially if you fail to spot them on time and wash and dry the clothes without treating the stain. High temperatures can harden the stain and make it significantly harder to treat the spot.
If you’re wondering how to get baby oil out of clothes, there are many options you can try. If one method fails to remove the stain entirely, you can move on to another until you get the desired results. Even if you don’t have an expensive pre-wash stain remover, you can utilize a couple of essential kitchen products such as baking soda or a dishwasher detergent to get rid of baby oil stains on time.
