Bike grease is one of the most challenging stains to get out of your clothes. It can be really annoying to remove. When you’re starting to learn about essential cycling maintenance, it’s also a good idea to know how to get bike grease out of clothes simultaneously.
It’s almost inevitable that you’ll get bike grease on your clothes if you’re starting to cycle regularly. From long-distance riding to basic cycling maintenance like changing a tire or tightening the bike chain, all of these can get bike grease out of your clothes.
Luckily, there are plenty of different techniques that you can use to help you get bike grease out of your clothes. Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know.
How to get Bike Grease out of Clothes with Dishwashing Liquid
Dishwashing liquid is one of the best options for getting bike grease stains from cotton and any synthetic fabrics. It works best on grease stains that aren’t dry yet. Read through this step-by-step guide, and learn how to get bike grease out of clothes with dishwashing liquid.
Step 1: Add Small Drop of Dishwashing Liquid
Take a small drop of dishwashing liquid and rub it into the stain gently. Dishwashing detergent serves as an excellent grease remover for clothes. The main reason why they work so well is that their purpose is to cut through the grease and fat.
Step 2: Wash Stain with Cold Water
After letting liquid set for a bit, wash through the stain with cold water. Try to let the water run from the back of the stain and push as much grease out of the fabric as possible.
If you’re dealing with a dried grease stain, you can add some talcum or cornflour to the spot and wait for five minutes. After completing your wait, you can move forward with the process.
Step 3: Wash Garment Regularly
Now that you’ve managed to push as much grease out as possible, run the clothing through the wash as per the instructions on the label. After the wash is complete, leave the clothing article to dry outside.
It’s much easier to work on the stain if you haven’t applied any heat to the article. Never put clothes that have a bike grease stain on them through a tumble dryer or iron them. If there are any stains remaining, it’ll be much easier to clean them off.
How to Get Bike Grease out of Clothes with Biological Laundry Detergent
Biological detergents work best for dealing with stains on synthetic fabrics. It doesn’t matter if the stain is fresh or dry; a biological detergent will help get bike grease out of all kinds of synthetic fabrics.
Step 1: Rub Detergent on Stain
Before rubbing detergent on the stain, pre-treat it with Persil liquid or washing powder to get the best results. Once you’re done with the pre-treatment, rub a little detergent on the stain. Work in the detergent effectively by rubbing the stain with a soft toothbrush!
Step 2: Flush with Cool Water
Flush the stain with cool water to get all the detergent out. After that wash, the clothes like you normally would according to the label.
While the method is effective, it’s not suitable for several fabrics. You should avoid using this method with delicate fabrics like wool and silk. Always check the label if you’re not sure about the type of fabric.
How to Get Bike Grease out of Clothes with Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent alternative if you’re not too keen on using materials with a more chemical nature. It works best on both fresh and dried grease stains on materials like wool and silk.
Step 1: Sprinkle Small Amount of Baking Soda on the Grease Stain
Once you see a grease stain, sprinkle baking soda on the stain. You can also use talcum powder as a great alternative.
These powders are an excellent bike grease stain removal option for delicate fabrics. Primarily because they’re responsible for drawing grease and oil out of the material without damaging fibers.
Step 2: Let Baking Soda Sit Overnight
You’ll need to leave the powder overnight and brush it off the following day. Leaving the power overnight means that it should absorb the most bicycle grease.
Step 3: Wash Garment
Wash clothes depending on the instructions that you receive from the clothing label. For delicate fabrics, a hand wash or a machine that supports gentle cycles is a great option.
How to Get Bike Grease out of Clothes with Shampoo or Bar Soap
The purpose of bar soap and shampoo is to get rid of body oils. Consequently, it works well on light and fresh grease stains. It’ll work exceptionally well for delicate materials.
Step 1: Apply Shampoo or Bar Soap
Slightly dampen the affected area with water and rub the bar with soap or apply a layer of shampoo. Let the solution sit on the stain for around 30 minutes.
Instead of rubbing the bar of soap directly, grate the bar of soap over the stain and then use a toothbrush to foam everything up correctly!
Step 2: Mix Water with Vinegar
Create a mixture of water and vinegar that follows a 1:2 ratio. Then dip the affected area in the mixture and use a toothbrush to scrub off the shampoo or soap that you apply gently. Vinegar has acetic properties that’ll help break down the more stubborn stains.
Step 3: Wash Garment
Hand wash the garment with detergent after running it through the water and vinegar mixture. Make sure to let the garment air dry after cleaning. If there are any more grease stains left, avoid putting the clothes through a tumble dryer.
Grease Removal with Spot Remover and Hot Water
If you’re dealing with the most intense grease stains, the spot remover and hot water method might be your only solution.
Spot remover is a solid fabric and is only viable with nonsensitive fabrics. The chemical also contains toxic ingredients, so handle with care and store away from the children.
Step 1: Spray Grease Stain
Spray the remover over the affected area and use a toothbrush to spread the chemical around the stain. Make sure that you rub the toothbrush in a circular motion.
Step 2: Boil Water and Let Remover Sit
Put a bucket of water to the side and wait for it to boil. In the meantime, let the remover sit and work through the stain for a few minutes.
Step 3: Pour Water on the Garment
Place the garment in a basin or bucket that’s capable of handling boiling water. Pour boiling water directly onto the grease stain from a safe distance to properly break down the stain. Make sure you handle the boiling water with care to avoid any hot water splattering onto you!
Step 4: Repeat for all Grease Stains
After giving the initial wash, turn the garment inside out and repeat to effectively clean the stain even further.
Step 5: Wash Garment
Once you’re done with steps 1-4, wash clothing with laundry detergent and allow it to sit outside for air-drying
These are some of the methods that you can use to help you get bike grease-out clothes. If you’re not comfortable with using any of these methods, perhaps a more natural solution will be more attractive.
Here are a few natural methods you can use to learn how to get bike grease-out clothes!
Natural Methods to Help get Bike Grease out of Clothes
If you’re worried about the impact of chemicals on your clothing, using natural products is a much safer alternative. Here are a few products that can help you remove bike grease stains.
Vegetable Oil-based Soap
Liquid plant-based soap like caster or other mild soaps extracted from organic vegetable oils or very effective at getting rid of grease stains. Take something like organic coconut oil-based soap and use it on all the affected areas.
Spread the solution with a soft brush and then rinse the garment properly with warm water. If you’re worried about the smell, add a few drops of organic lavender or lemon that’ll help give the soap a mild and refreshing scent.
Lemon and Vinegar
Lemon and vinegar are two natural options that are good alternatives to harsh chemical materials. Both have natural acetic properties that help them break down grease stains.
To add a little more bite to your organic oil-based soap, use a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar alongside. It’ll help get rid of those extra annoying grease stains.
Borax
Borax is a natural compound that has a lot of similar qualities to baking soda. However, borax dissolves in water more readily and is much more corrosive than baking soda.
You can make a paste from lemon juice and borax to clean even the most stubborn grease stains. However, it’s essential to be very careful while using borax. The material is lethal upon ingestion so store it away safely when it’s not in use.
Wrapping Up
If you’re passionate about cycling, then it’s only natural that you’re going to encounter a few grease stains. Whether it’s a mountain bike or a hybrid bike, there’s very little chance of you avoiding bike grease forever.
You can use any of the methods mentioned above to learn how to get bike grease out of clothes. After learning how to get bike grease out of clothes, you’ll be able to put more dedication towards bike maintenance as well.
Whether you’re tightening a bike chain or pumping up the tire, you won’t be worrying about bike grease stains anymore!
