First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Get the area ventilated and clear of flames before anything else.
- Blot up what you can with paper towels or absorbent cloths; don't rub.
- Clothes: lay them outside to air before they go near the washer or dryer.
- Concrete or brick: cover fresh fuel with cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's Earth, leave it a few hours, then sweep or vacuum it up.
A gasoline spill is a fire risk before it's a stain, so clear flames and sparks from the area before you touch anything. Gasoline is a petroleum fuel that needs more than water to lift, so water alone won't finish the job. Fresh spills are far easier to deal with than fuel that has dried in or soaked into a surface, and clothes should never go straight into a dryer.
Blot up as much as you can with paper towels or an absorbent cloth, pressing rather than rubbing so the fuel doesn't spread. Diesel stains just as readily, so the same blot-first approach works when you're cleaning up a diesel spill. For gas that has soaked in or dried out, a stain remover spray or stick made for pretreating is the right tool.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Paper towels or absorbent clothsThey blot up the spill without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Talcum powderIt soaks up heavy grease before you pretreat. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid laundry detergentIt's the main pretreatment, worked in at full strength. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soap (optional)It works as a pretreatment if you have no heavy-duty detergent. (opens Amazon)
- Petroleum-based or pump-type pretreatment spray (optional)A ready-made pretreat for stubborn spots.
- Dry-cleaning solventIt's flushed through the back of a heavy stain. (opens Amazon)
- Mineral oilIt's the only lubricant for old or dried stains.
- Powdered detergent (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Move the clothes outdoors
Carry the item outside, or into a room with good ventilation, and lay it flat in the open air. Blot the stain with paper towels or an absorbent cloth, pressing gently from the edges inward. Don't rub, because that pushes the fuel deeper into the fabric.
Careful. Gasoline is flammable: keep open flames, pilot lights, sparks and smoking away from the spill and the clothes.
Step 2 of 6
Absorb any heavy grease
If the stain is thick or greasy, sprinkle talcum powder over it and let it soak up as much as it can. Brush the powder off thoroughly before you go on, so none of it ends up in the wash.
Step 3 of 6
Pretreat with heavy-duty detergent
Work full-strength heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain with your fingers. No detergent on hand? Mix powdered detergent with water into a runny paste and apply that, or use liquid dish soap, which also works as a pretreatment.
Tip. Work it in gently so it doesn't spread the stain outward.
Step 4 of 6
Flush the back with solvent
For a heavy stain, place the item face down on clean paper towels, then apply dry-cleaning solvent to the back. Replace the paper towels underneath often, let the spot dry, and rinse it out.
Careful. Never use gasoline, lighter fluid or carbon tetrachloride as the solvent.
Step 5 of 6
Wash in the hottest safe water
Wash the item in the hottest water the fabric can take, using 1 cup of detergent at that temperature. That's the amount you'd use for a regular load.
Step 6 of 6
Check the spot before drying
Rinse the item and check the spot in good light. If any stain is still showing, repeat the pretreat and wash before anything goes near the dryer.
Tip. Look at the back of the spot as well as the front.
Careful. Don't dry the item until the stain is gone, because oil stains tend to reappear.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for gasoline
Look for a petroleum-based pretreatment spray or a pump-type detergent pretreatment spray, and check the label for fabric use before you spray.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, 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. 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 →Pick what it is on
Gasoline on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when both sides of the spot match the fabric around it in good light. If one side still shows a dark mark, the stain hasn't lifted yet, so keep going before you dry the item.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Diesel fuel
Diesel is a petroleum fuel too, so the steps above work for diesel on clothes. Blot it, pretreat, flush the back with solvent, then wash in the hottest water the fabric allows.
What changes is the spill itself. Keep the area ventilated while you work, and on concrete or brick, use the absorbent first aid and then the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide. If a diesel stain on fabric has dried, use the set-in treatment further down the page.
Petrol on clothes
Petrol is the same fuel as gasoline, so treat clothes exactly as you would for gasoline. Pretreat, flush and wash exactly as you would for gasoline.
The remedies section below shows which kitchen products fit this stain and which to leave out.
Carpet and rugs
Carpet and rugs are a different surface, with a backing that doesn't respond well to heavy treatment. Blot the spill, keep the room ventilated, and don't start scrubbing.
On carpet, skip the clothes treatment and follow the Carpet & Rugs advice instead.
Concrete and brick
On hard surfaces the absorbent step comes first, and it does most of the work. Once the spill has been swept or vacuumed up, the rest of the cleanup depends on the material.
For concrete, brick and driveways, use the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old gasoline stains are harder, and if the item has already been through a dryer, the heat may have set the stain. Start by dabbing mineral oil onto the spot, then tamp it gently with a soft brush or spoon so the oil reaches the stain.
Oil stains darken over time, so don't wait on a dried one. Flush the spot with dry-cleaning solvent, alternating with the mineral oil, until the stain lifts.
If the stain is still there after the solvent flushes, wash the item again in the hottest water the fabric allows and check it before drying. Some set-in stains only lighten, so be ready to take the item to a dry cleaner if it still shows.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on gasoline?
Skip most kitchen remedies on gasoline; blotting up the spill comes first, with flames kept well away. Heavy-duty liquid detergent pretreats are the ones that really help, and the rest aren't needed.
Works1Helps1Skip4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use cooking oil or fat as a lubricant.
Unsaturated fats and oils can age and form yellow stains if they aren't fully removed. Mineral oil is the only lubricant to use on a set-in stain.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or vinegar.
Mixed products can give off hazardous fumes. If you use more than one remover, rinse the item thoroughly between them, and only use chlorine bleach as the last step after everything is rinsed out.
Don't pour solvent straight onto carpet.
It can dissolve the carpet backing. For carpet, use the Carpet & Rugs guide instead.
Don't mix your own solvent at home.
Homemade chemical mixes are unpredictable and can give off fumes when combined. Use only the pretreats and solvent named above.
When to call a professional
If the item is valuable, or the stain is old and still shows after repeated pretreating and washing, take it to a dry cleaner who handles solvent stains. They have the solvents and equipment to treat it without risking the fabric.
Questions
Does gasoline or diesel stain clothes?
Yes, both leave an oily mark on fabric, and petrol is the same fuel as gasoline. Treat it as soon as you can by airing the item outside, pretreating the spot and washing in the hottest safe water. Acting straight away gives you the best chance of a clean result.
Can gasoline be used to clean oil stains?
No, it's the wrong tool. Use a heavy-duty liquid detergent pretreat and a hot wash on oil stains instead, since gasoline is flammable and these handle the stain safely.
Can an old gasoline stain come out of clothes?
Often, but it takes more work. Use the mineral oil and solvent treatment further down the page, alternating between the two until the stain lifts.
Is diesel cleaned the same way as gasoline?
Yes, for clothes. Diesel is a petroleum fuel too, so the same blot, pretreat, solvent and hot wash sequence applies. On concrete or brick, use the absorbent first aid and then the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide.
Can I use a store pretreatment spray instead of detergent?
Yes. A petroleum-based or pump-type pretreatment spray works in the same step as the detergent. Check the label for fabric use before you spray.
Can I use dish soap on a gasoline stain?
Yes, liquid dish soap works as a pretreatment, worked into the stain before the wash. Skip it on silk and velvet, and don't use a strong concentration on carpet.
Odor guides
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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.