How to Get Bike Grease Out of Clothes

Grease, whether from your bike, car, or any machine you’re operating can be very difficult for you to remove once it touches your clothes. Getting a grease stain isn’t very difficult, particularly if you maintain your bike routinely.

You can also get an unexpected flat tire that will require you to get your hands dirty. A smudge of grease can get on your jeans, t-shirt, or cycling gear easily.

You don’t have to panic that you’ve ruined your favorite cloth with grease stain. There’s hope since it’s not entirely impossible to remove bike grease from your clothes. There are a variety of simple methods that you can employ to remove grease from your favorite clothing article. Read on to find out how to get bike grease out of your clothes.

How to Remove Grease Stains from Your Clothes

While removing grease can be very tough, it’s not impossible. To successfully remove the stain from your clothes, it’s important to start treating it as soon as you grease it. It will be very hard for you to remove this stain if it stays on your clothes for long.

To ensure that the stain removal method doesn’t ruin your clothes, you should ensure that you check the care label.

You can test each method on a small part of your clothing if you’re not sure about the compatibility between the grease removal method and the clothing fabric. Here are various methods you can use to remove bike grease from your clothes.

1. Dishwashing Liquid

If you have an item of clothing made of cotton or the synthetic fabric then dishwashing liquid will work best on fresh grease stains. You should first apply a tiny drop of the dishwashing liquid on the part of clothing with the grease stain. This breaks down the grease and oil helping you to remove the stains from your clothes.

Using a mix of dishwashing liquid and baking soda can aid in removing stubborn bike grease. Once you’ve applied the dishwashing liquid, you can rinse off the stain using cold water. To effectively remove the stain, run the water from the rear of the grease stain to the front.

As aforementioned, you should also follow the instructions on the cloth’s care label. After rinsing, hang the cloth and allow it to air-dry while checking whether there’s no more stain on it. You can repeat the whole process if you find there are still some traces of the stain.

2. Biological Laundry Detergent

If your synthetic fabric clothing has a grease stain, then using a biological laundry detergent will help in removing it. This process works well on both fresh and dry stains. You should apply washing powder on the stained part, rub the stain underpart using a dosing ball, and leave the clothing to sit for five to fifteen minutes.

Rinse the pre-treated stained clothing with washing powder by running cold water through it. As with the previous grease removal method, let the cold water run from the back to the front of the stained area to ensure you completely remove the stain.

You should then wash the cloth using the guidelines on the care label and air dry it. However, you shouldn’t use this method to remove grease from delicate fabrics such as wool and silk.

3. Bar Soap or Shampoo

You can also use bar soap or shampoo to remove bike grease from your clothes. Apply the bar soap or shampoo on the stained area and allow it to rest for a while.

Since shampoo is effective in removing body oils, then it should work perfectly in removing the grease. Once applied, dampen the clothing using ammonia or water and rub it until it starts foaming. You can use a toothbrush to rub stubborn stains.

You should then rinse the stained piece of clothing in the water-vinegar mixture and scrub it with a toothbrush to remove the stain. For every one liter of water, you should use two liters of vinegar, which helps to remove the alkalinity in soaps. You should then wash the stained cloth using the guidelines on the care label and allow it to air dry.

4. Hot Water or Spot Remover

The first step in removing grease from your clothes using this method is by spraying the spot remover on the stained section. You can use a toothbrush to scrub the affected area to remove the stain.

The remover should set as you allow the water to boil. Once your hot water is ready, you can pour it on the piece of clothing from the highest point to allow the breakdown of grease.

Take extra care when pouring the hot water to avoid scalding yourself. Turn the stained clothe inside out and repeat the same process. Wash the clothing following the guidelines provided in the care label and allow it to air-dry. For better results, repeat the same process if you still find grease stains on the garment.

Natural Methods of Removing Bike Grease from Your Clothes

You don’t have to use detergents that often contain harmful chemicals to remove bike grease from your clothes. There are organic cleaning alternatives that allow you to be mindful of the environment. If you’re looking for an effective organic product, then select one that has citrus or water as the ingredient.

Some of the most effective natural methods you can use to remove grease stains from your clothes include lemon and vinegar, borax, baking soda, and vegetable oil-based soaps. All these are natural and great products that you can use. However, borax can be lethal if ingested, so be sure to keep it far from the reach of children.

Conclusion

The grease stains you get from your bike when changing a flat tire or adjusting the chains don’t have to be permanent. Along with the guidelines provided on the garment’s care label, these methods can help to effectively eliminate even the most stubborn of stains.