How To Get Bike Grease Out of Clothes in 5 steps
However careful you are, it’s easy to get bike grease on your clothes. For example, the oily chain can rub against you as you ride or get on and off your bike, leaving a mark on your shorts or trousers. Also, when fixing and maintaining your bike, you can get into contact with greasy marks.
So how do you remove those unsightly stains?
How To Get Bike Grease Out of Clothes
Bike stains are difficult to remove but not impossible.
The first thing you must do is act fast. The quicker you work on it, the easier it is to remove. Always remember to check the label of the clothes so that when tackling stains, you don’t damage the fabric.
Check whether the cloth is machine washable, and whether can you use warm water, and remember to do a patch test on a small area of the fabric. The patch test helps in checking whether the chemical will suit the material or not.
1. Use Dishwashing Liquid
Dishwashing liquid is best for fresh grease stains. Take a pea-sized amount of dishwashing liquid and rub it over the stain. Dishwashing liquid works effectively on stains as the detergent cuts through the grease and makes it soluble in water.
2. Use Baking Soda
If there are still marks from the grease on your clothes, use baking soda with the detergent and scrub gently with a toothbrush. Finally, use cold water to flush out the stain. Here is an article that describes the benefit of using baking soda on stains.
3. Use Biological Detergent
Biological detergents are the most effective method to clean the grease out of clothes. The natural detergent works on both dry and fresh stains. Apply a small amount of washing powder and scrub it onto the stain. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Biological detergents are harsh, so make sure you don’t put too much detergent on the cloth.
4. Use Shampoo Bar
Have you heard of a shampoo bar? Shampoo bars, as the name suggests, consist of concentrated shampoo in the form of a bar. Treat the stain with a shampoo bar and leave it to sit for a few minutes. The shampoo bars work well on oils and grease. Lather it well and then clean up the grease from the garment.
5. Use Hot Water
First and foremost, read the label to check if you can put the garment in hot water. Before putting it in the water, spray grease stain remover over the stains. Then, soak it for 15 minutes. The warm water dissolves the dirt and removes the stains from the clothes.
See Also: Removing rust from a bike
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How To Get Axle Stains Out of Clothes?
Axle stains are easy to remove. First, use Aloe Vera gel and scrub it on the grease. Next, scrub in a circular motion over the stain. Then using warm water, clean the stain properly. Aloe Vera gel works on the oils of the grease and removes the stain from the clothes.
2. How Does Baking Soda Clean the Grease?
Baking soda has a soaping action; it has a hydrophobic and hydrophilic head and tail, respectively. The hydrophobic head gets attached to the grease and makes the stain soluble in water. Hence, it cleans the oil from the garment.
3. How To Remove Set-In Grease Stains?
With the help of vinegar and baking soda, you can painlessly remove set-in stains. First, take equal parts vinegar and baking soda. Next, add a few tablespoons of detergent to the laundry bucket. Finally, soak the garment in water and rinse it off with warm water.
Summary
You have read about some possible methods to clean the greasy marks from your garment. You know now how to get bike grease out of clothes, without a chemically formulated stain remover.
Instead, it would be best to have gentle scrubbing and patience to try different techniques when one does not work out. Take a look at some of the other ways to remove bike grease stains from clothes.
Steve Beck is a passionate cyclist and experienced writer covering the cycling industry for over a decade. He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all bike-related things, from the latest products and technologies to the best routes and trails. His articles are well-researched, informative, and engaging, and he has a talent for explaining complex cycling concepts in a way that is easy to understand. Steve can be found on the road when he’s not writing about bikes, putting his knowledge and skills to the test.
I used to have quite a headache when I had to get rid of bike grease stains from my clothes every time I serviced my bike. I have read several tutorials for removing grease from clothes. It has solved all my problems. This process includes: using dishwashing liquid, using laundry detergent, baking soda, or stain remover. For dishwashing liquid, you should put a small amount of solution on the yellowed clothes and then brush them clean, then rinse with cold water. As for washing powder, it is the opposite. It is advisable to pre-treat the fabric and then add detergent to wash it.