skintight
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2012
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I have a pair of coloured jeans that got splatters of what could possibly be motor oil or mud or both the first time I wore them because the weather ended up horrible and the roads were slushy.
I tried washing them and forgot to check to see if the stains were gone and threw them in the dryer. I know, stupid right.
I tried using Shout triple-acting laundry stain remover on them and washed them again, this time NOT putting them in the dryer. No luck.
I then turned to a book called Natural Stain Removal Secrets by Deborah L. Martin to try and fix it. I would have to assume that it's motor oil that's stained the jeans so I used the "grease on fabric" stain removal method. Because it would be considered an old/dry stain now It instructed me to work a small amount of petroleum jelly into the stain, wait 15 minutes, and then apply an absorbant such as salt or baking soda. I only had salt so I used that. Then shake the absorbant from the fabric, and sponge the area with dishwashing liquid mixed with water. Then it instructed me to launder it in warm water.
I followed the instructions and to my dismay I now have the original stains AND petroleum jelly stains in the jeans now.
The book says that if the stain is still there, to blot it with isopropyl alcohol, natural-solvent spot removal product, denatured alcohol, or as a last resort, acetone-based nail-polish removal, unless it's an acetate fabric.
I am afraid that trying any of these will just ruin the jeans to the point that they can not be saved, possibly by removing the dye from the fabric or something. The jeans have faded very much since I started washing them and I don't want to risk them getting worse.
If anybody has any advice on this please let me know. Thanks.