First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Act quickly, before the oil dries into the fabric.
- Blot off the excess with a tissue or paper towel.
- Check the care label now, so you know how warm the wash can be.
- Start on the stain while it's still dry.
Body oil stains on clothes are stubborn because oil repels water, so a normal wash can leave a greasy mark behind even when the fabric looks clean. Hair oil is a common problem on pillowcases, where it builds up over time and turns yellow. Heat from the dryer can set it in, but a set-in stain can still come out after a full wash and dry cycle.
Body oil stains on sheets are easiest to beat when you treat them before the next wash. If a smell lingers after washing, the oil is still in the fabric, so treat the spot again before drying. Reach for a prewash stain remover spray or a dry-cleaning solvent spot remover for the greasiest marks.
5 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Tissues or paper towelsLift the excess oil without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soapA detergent for the dry-stain pretreat. (opens Amazon)
- Color-safe oxygen-based stain removerClears any tint left after the rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme-based liquid laundry detergentFinishes the job in the wash. (opens Amazon)
- The item's care labelSets how hot the water can go.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
5 steps
How to get body oil out of clothes
Step 1 of 5
Blot off the excess oil
Press a clean tissue or paper towel onto the stain from both sides, lifting off as much oil as you can. Use a fresh section of towel with each press so the oil doesn't spread back.
Careful. Don't run the stain under water first; the detergent works best on a dry stain.
Step 2 of 5A few minutes
Work dish soap into the dry stain
Put a few drops of liquid dish soap straight onto the dry stain and massage it in gently with your fingers. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse the area with a little warm water.
Step 3 of 55 minutes
Treat any leftover tint
If a tint or discoloration is still there after the rinse, work a color-safe oxygen-based stain remover into it. Rub it in gently and let it sit for 5 minutes, or use a spray: saturate the stain and let it stand 5 minutes, following the label.
Careful. Test an inconspicuous spot first, and use oxygen-based removers only on colorfast fabric.
Step 4 of 5
Wash in the warmest allowed water
Wash the item in the warmest water its care label allows, using an enzyme-based liquid detergent. This wash finishes the job, so don't skip it even if the spot looks clean.
Step 5 of 5
Air dry and check the spot
Air dry the item, then check the spot in daylight. If any oil or tint is left, repeat the treatment from the dish soap pretreat before doing anything else.
Careful. Keep the item out of the dryer and away from the iron until the oil is gone, since heat sets the stain and synthetics can become nearly impossible to clean.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for body oil
Use a liquid dish soap for the first pretreat and a color-safe oxygen-based stain remover for leftover tint. For the wash, choose an enzyme-based liquid laundry detergent.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Color Booster Powder, 49.2 Ounces
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when the spot looks like the rest of the fabric and has no yellow tint. A smell that lingers after washing means some oil is still in the fabric, so repeat the treatment before drying.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen can take the full set of steps, including the warmest water the label allows and the oxygen-based pretreat. Collars and underarms are where oil builds up on shirts, so pretreat them before every wash.
Yellowing that's still there after a few washes is a set-in problem, so use the soak below rather than a stronger pretreat. Pillowcases are where this shows up most, because hair oil builds up on them.
Colors and denim
Colored fabric and denim get warm water instead of hot, because hot water on colors needs care. Keep chlorine bleach off colored items entirely, since this stain doesn't need it.
Denim is a colored fabric, so the same warm-water rule applies to it. Check the spot in daylight before the item goes anywhere near the dryer.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk and wool are the exception to the steps above. Skip the dish soap, the oxygen-based remover and the enzyme detergent, since none of them is safe on these fibers, and blot gently before taking the item to a dry cleaner.
Velvet should never be ironed, since heat and pressure flatten the nap. Heirloom textiles shouldn't go through a washing machine at all, even on a gentle cycle.
Dry-clean-only items
Dry-clean-only items shouldn't go through any of the home steps above, and an oxygen-based remover is not for them at all. Take the item to a dry cleaner as soon as you can and say it's a body oil stain so they can pretreat it.
Until then, blot gently with a clean paper towel and keep the item away from heat. Don't try a solvent at home on a dry-clean-only item either.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old body oil stain on a fabric you can wash can still come out, but it needs more time than a fresh one. Repeat the dish soap pretreat and the oxygen-based remover, and let the remover stand its full 5 minutes before you wash.
A stain that has dried is slower to lift, so expect to need a second pass. Oil that has begun to set can still come out after a full wash and dry cycle, but the dryer heat makes it slower to lift.
Built-up yellowing on white sheets or pillowcases needs a soak, not another pretreat. Dissolve 1 scoop of the oxygen-based powder in 2 gallons of hot water, soak the items for 8 hours or overnight, and rinse them well.
If bleach-safe white pillowcases still show yellow after that, soak them 5 minutes in 1/4 cup chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water, drain, then machine wash in hot water with detergent and 1/3 cup bleach, and air dry. Repeat if needed.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on body oil?
Few household remedies do the job on oil, and some can damage the fabric. Dish soap and an oxygen-based remover do the job on body oil, and the other remedies aren't worth the risk.
Works2Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub the stain
Rubbing spreads the oil and can damage delicate fibers, especially silk. Stick with blotting, which lifts the oil instead of working it into the weave.
Don't reach for bar soap
Bar soap and soap flakes set many stains, so they make this one harder to remove. Stick with liquid dish soap, which is a detergent.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with other products
Chlorine bleach must never be mixed with ammonia, vinegar, other acids or rubbing alcohol. Rinse each product out with plain water before you move on to the next one.
Don't use chlorine bleach on wool, silk or spandex
Chlorine bleach damages these fibers, so keep it away from them entirely. On white cotton, dilute it first, since full strength can weaken the fabric.
When to call a professional
If the stain is still there after two full rounds of these steps, take the item to a dry cleaner. Tell them it's a body oil stain so they can pretreat it for oil before cleaning.
Questions
Can body oil stains come out of sheets?
Yes, most body oil stains on sheets come out with the same steps used for clothes. Pillowcases with built-up oil may need the soak described below, since hair oil builds up on them and leaves yellow stains.
How do you keep oil from staining pillowcases and sheets?
Pretreat the oily area before every wash, since oil that builds up between washes is what leaves yellow stains on pillowcases. If a spot has already yellowed, the soak below is the next step.
Why do body oil stains turn yellow?
Oil that builds up in fabric leaves a yellow stain, and heat from the dryer can set it so it's harder to remove. Treating it while the stain is fresh gives you the best chance of getting it out completely.
How do you get hair oil off leather furniture?
Fabric approaches don't work on leather. Blot gently with a dry paper towel and have a leather cleaner look at the spot. Don't use rubbing alcohol or an oxygen-based spray on leather, since both can damage it.
How do you remove hair oil from pillowcases?
Pretreat the oily spot with dish soap and an oxygen-based remover, then wash in the warmest water the label allows. If a white, bleach-safe pillowcase still shows yellow, use the powder soak and then the bleach soak described below.
How do you get hair oil out of upholstery?
Check the cleaning code on the upholstery tag first, since fabric approaches assume a fabric that can take water or be tested. If you can't tell, call a professional upholstery cleaner instead of guessing. If you can't tell what the upholstery is or whether it can take water, call a professional upholstery cleaner rather than guessing.
What if the oil is still there after washing?
Repeat the treatment from the dish soap pretreat, since any oil left behind will still be there after the item dries. If the stain has already been through the dryer, the set-in options below are the next step.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.