Any of the eight procedures listed here will help you get the diesel smell out of your clothes. Some of them include helpful hints for employing basic household items that you’re likely to have on hand. Others will require commercial cleaners or degreasers that will remove even the most stubborn diesel stains from your clothes.
These approaches will be most effective if you follow the “before and after” stages outlined below!
Before and After
You’ll obtain even better results if you take a few extra measures before and after any of the eight treatments!
If you’re tempted to attempt various ways on a stinky item, keep in mind that mixing cleaning solutions is often dangerous. If one approach fails, try another–just make sure the clothing is properly rinsed before attempting the second method.
Before You Get Started
- If required, blot the leak. If you have a diesel spill or a wet diesel stain on your clothing, thoroughly blot off as much moisture as you can using a paper towel. You’ll have less to wash out of your clothes later if you do it this way.
- Pre-wash your garments in a solution of water and dishwashing detergent if they stink or if you can see a diesel stain dried into the fabric. Simply soak the garments in a pail of warm water with a spoonful of dish soap.
- You can also soak your garments in warm water overnight with a teaspoon of heavy-duty anti-grease laundry detergent.
- Caution: Do not attempt to use chlorine bleach! This may react with leftover diesel in the fabric, causing discoloration. Also, as you probably already know, normal detergent won’t get rid of fuel odors or stains. You’ll need something more powerful!
After Treatment
- Any of these treatments should be followed up with a standard wash in your washing machine. During this process, make sure you use a suitable detergent.
- A word of caution: don’t put fuel-stained clothes in the dryer because the heat may cause the leftover diesel particles to ignite!
- If the diesel mishap happened when you were camping and you were filling up your RV, don’t wear those contaminated garments near a campfire or grill!
Baking Soda and Vinegar
While it’s wonderful to employ natural ways that don’t rely on harsh chemicals, keep in mind that this only works on minor odors. You’ll probably have to use a heavy-duty professional cleaning product or a solvent-based stain remover for clothing that still smells like diesel or has diesel fuel stains.
- First, wash your stinky clothes in a separate load. You don’t want the odor to spread to other people’s garments!
- On top of the clothes, sprinkle half a 14 oz box of baking soda and a half cup of vinegar. You don’t want to pour this into your machine’s dispenser area because it could cause clogs.
- Check them for any leftover aroma once they’ve dried, and repeat the process if necessary.
These natural products will not harm your machine or cause your garments to become soiled. Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner for your machine and may also be used to brighten light-colored items.
Coke and Baking Soda
Another (nearly) natural technique to remove the smell of diesel fuel from garments is to use Coca-Cola and baking soda!
Cocaine, believe it or not, has some excellent cleansing powers. It contains citric acid, which dissolves rust and removes it. It’s a natural degreaser, so you may use it to clean oil stains from your clothes or even your driveway, as well as blood stains from clothing or carpets!
- Fill your washing machine with water and let your clothes soak for a couple of hours.
- As the washer fills up, add a 2-liter bottle of coke and a 14-ounce box of baking soda.
It’s not the most cost-effective remedy to put a 2-liter bottle of coke and baking soda in your washing machine! However, because the coke-cleaning approach works, you may become a convert.
Rubbing Alcohol and Baking Soda
- If you notice a visible diesel stain, apply baking soda to the affected area.
- Prepare a soak with a tub of warm water, a cup of rubbing alcohol, and roughly half of a 14 ounce box of baking soda if you don’t notice a stain and only want to get rid of the odor.
- Soak the garment for one to two hours in this solution before washing as usual.
Ammonia
Depending on how sensitive you are to scents, you may need to wash your clothes a second time following this procedure to ensure that they just smell like fresh detergent.
Eucalyptus Oil
This procedure is both inexpensive and effective, although it works best on clothing made of natural fabrics such as cotton. It might not work on polyester or rayon-based synthetics.
Listerine
- Pour a cup of Listerine into the water, either through the bleach section or directly.
- Allow the washing machine to finish its cycle. Before drying your clothes, take a sniff test to see whether there is any lingering diesel fuel odor. If you didn’t completely remove the diesel fuel smell the first time, repeat the process, but this time add half a cup of baking soda to the wash.
Listerine can also be used to remove the odor of smoke from your clothing after a campfire or grilling session, as a fun fact!
Pinesol
- Check your garments to check if they smell like a commercial cleaner, and if required, wash them again with detergent.
You can also use Mr. Clean or other professional cleaning goods in this process, but make sure to read the label first to ensure the product does not include any chemicals that can harm your clothes.
Fast Orange
- Locate any visible fuel stains on the shirt and apply a dab of Fast Orange immediately to them.
- Skip step one and instead add around a tablespoon of Fast Orange to the water in your washing machine if you don’t see any stains and simply need to get rid of the stench of diesel.
- If required, repeat the process, but this time add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash as well.
You might also use an industrial cleaning product similar to Simple Green. Simply try it on an inconspicuous area of your clothing to ensure that it does not damage the fabric.
Can you wash clothes with diesel fuel on them?
Stains and odors from gasoline, diesel fuel, or home heating fuel can be difficult to remove from clothing and carpeting. Never wash clothes or rags that have been soiled by gasoline or diesel with other clothes. Do not put the clothing in the dryer if you can still smell the fuel after washing.
How do you neutralize diesel fuel?
Add boiling water, ammonia, washing soda, and vinegar to an empty milk jug. Use the jug to clean up the spilt diesel by shaking it. The space will be cleansed and scents will be removed.
How do I get the smell of diesel out of my dryer?
Allow the baking soda and vinegar to bubble in a bucket. Combine the dish soap and hot water in a mixing bowl. To clean the dryer, properly mix everything together and wipe it down. Brush crevices with a toothbrush if necessary.
How do you get diesel fuel smell out of shoes?
Before you begin the basic steps, there are a few things you’ll need nearby. They are as follows:
- In a container, combine half a cup of water, a tablespoon of salt, and two or three tablespoons of baking soda.
- Dip the soft toothbrush into the bowl and gently rub the region of the shoes where diesel has been spilt. Using a dry microfiber cloth, wipe the mixture away.
- After that, rinse the toothbrush and rub it with saddle soap. Scrub the shoes gently with the toothbrush until the diesel fuel is completely eliminated.
- Finally, wipe away any remaining soap with a clean microfiber cloth and let the shoes air dry for several hours.
How long does the smell of diesel last?
The smell of spilt red diesel in the car’s boot lingered for 6-8 weeks, and it was particularly intense for the first four. FWIW, an enzyme-based ‘pet odour neutraliser’ works wonderfully on diesel spilled on clothing – simply spray it on and let it for a day or two, and the diesel smell will be gone.
How do you get motor oil smell out of clothes?
Of course, you may end yourself smelling like vinegar as a result of the process, but that’s a simple cure. Simply re-wash them with standard detergent or, as an extra precaution, with heavy-duty detergent to guarantee that the oil and vinegar odours are gone.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Another vinegar-based option to try is combining it with baking soda. Baking soda is used to absorb odors in refrigerators, closets, and gym bags, among other places. It also works well to remove odors left behind by oil on clothing.
Simply fill your sink or a wash tub with enough water to cover the garments to use vinegar and baking soda combined to remove the smell of oil. Then whisk in 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda to uniformly distribute them in the water. Allow your items to soak for a few hours before washing them in the washing machine. The combination of vinegar’s acidity and baking soda’s odor-eliminating properties is sure to work.
What gets rid of the smell of gasoline?
It happens no matter how careful you are. You’re filling up your gas tank when you spill some on your clothes or shoes. Alternatively, you may be hauling gasoline back home to fill up the lawn mower when it spills in your vehicle.
To get rid of that odor, you’ll need to do more than just spray it with a nice aroma.
In Your Car
If you spill gasoline in your car, you should respond promptly, according to Bill Gatton Acura in Johnson City, Tennessee. To begin, soak up the gas as rapidly as possible with old towels or clean cloths. Then, to neutralize the stench, mix equal parts baking soda, white vinegar, and hot water. After rubbing it in, wipe it clean with a clean rag.
If the odor persists, a few sprays of Febreze, according to auto detailing specialists, can assist.
Garage Floor
If you spill gasoline in your garage, soak it up with cat liter. The liter will also aid in the elimination of odors. Allow the liter to soak up the gasoline for a few hours before sweeping it up and discarding it. Check your city’s trash disposal guidelines to ensure that the mixture can be thrown away in your bin.
On Your Hands
In your car’s glove compartment, keep a packet of Briggs & Stratton Gas Off wipes. The wipes are safe to use on your skin, as well as on plastic surfaces and auto upholstery, and eliminate gasoline and diesel fuel odor and residue.
On Clothing
Because gasoline is extremely flammable, any heavily saturated clothing or shoes should be removed.
Try this approach if you have a tiny gas spill on your clothes: Allow for 24 hours of air drying, preferably outside. If the clothes still smells like gas after 24 hours, soak it in vinegar for an hour and air dry it again.
How do I get the diesel smell out of my front load washer?
Once the washer is full of water, open the top. To the water, add 2 cups white vinegar and 1 cup baking soda. Normal wash, rinse, and spin cycles should be completed in the washing machine. When the spin cycle is over, open the washer.