First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off as much of the tar as you can before anything else.
- Work from the back of the fabric so the tar doesn't spread through the weave.
- Keep the item out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
- A fresh spot is much easier than an old one, so don't wait.
Tar on clothes is greasy and sticky, so it smears across the fabric when you rub it, and it grips harder the longer it sits. Fresh tar usually lets go with a cold scrape, a little oil and a solvent pass from the back. Tar that has set in takes a longer routine of pads, lubricant and repeated flushing.
When you try to remove tar from clothing at home, test each remedy on a hidden seam first. Roofing tar and blacktop mess usually need more rounds than beach tar, so plan for a few passes. Keep tar-marked clothes out of the dryer, because heat is what sets the mark in.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Ice or cold waterHardens the tar so it can be scraped off.
- Dull knifeCracks or scrapes off the excess without cutting the fabric.
- Mineral oilLoosens the tar before the solvent goes on.
- Dry-cleaning solvent (sold as cleaning fluid)Lifts the tar from the back of the fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Clean paper towelsAbsorb the tar. Replace them as they fill. (opens Amazon)
- Clean clothWorks the oil into the stain.
- Oxygen bleachUsed only on a faint shadow, and only on colorfast fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleachA last resort, only if the fabric is safe for it. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Harden and scrape off the tar
Rub ice over the tar, or run cold water over it, until the tar firms up. Then crack or scrape off the excess with a dull knife, working from the edges toward the middle.
Tip. Stop when nothing else lifts. The next steps handle what is left.
Step 2 of 7
Loosen what's left with mineral oil
Dab a little mineral oil onto the stain and work it in gently with a clean cloth. The oil loosens the tar so the solvent can lift it.
Tip. Start at the outer edge and work inward so the stain doesn't spread.
Careful. Pretest the mineral oil on a hidden area of the fabric first.
Step 3 of 7
Lift the tar with dry-cleaning solvent
Place the stain face down on clean paper towels and sponge the back with dry-cleaning solvent. Blot it, then move to fresh towels as the old ones fill.
Tip. Dampen the sponge, not the fabric, so the solvent stays where the tar is.
Careful. Use the solvent in a ventilated room, away from flames and sparks.
Step 4 of 7
Rinse the spot from the back
Rinse the area under running water from the back of the fabric. This pushes loose residue out of the fibers instead of deeper in.
Step 5 of 7
Launder in the hottest safe water
Wash the item in the hottest water the fabric can take. If the care label doesn't say, use the coolest water that still works and check the spot before it goes anywhere near a dryer.
Step 6 of 7
Check the spot before drying
Look at the spot in good light before the item is folded away. If the tar is gone, air-dry the item; if a faint shadow is left, treat it in the last step.
Step 7 of 7
Treat a faint shadow last
Rewash with oxygen bleach if the fabric is colorfast, then rinse it out completely. Chlorine bleach is the very last resort, used only if the fabric is safe for it and only after everything has been rinsed.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for tar
Look for a dry-cleaning solvent sold as cleaning fluid, or a prewash stain remover, for the lifting step. Products made for car exteriors are for vehicles, not clothes.
Goo Gone Goo & Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
Goo Gone Original Adhesive Remover
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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →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
Tar on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The spot is gone when the fabric feels smooth and nothing comes off on a clean paper towel. A faint shadow that appears only after drying is the one case that needs the last step, and it is the only part of this job that uses bleach.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Asphalt, blacktop, and bitumen
Asphalt and blacktop follow the same lift, rinse and wash steps as tar, so start there. The change comes if the asphalt has already dried into the fabric, because then it needs the solvent pad from the set-in section before you launder it.
Keep the solvent pad on the spot and change it as it picks up asphalt. Let the item dry fully before it goes into the wash.
Beach, ocean, and road tar
Beach and road tar are the same greasy stain, so the steps above work for both. Sand and grit stick to the tar, so brush off the loose sand before you start.
Scrape the tar first, before any solvent touches it, so the grit comes off with it instead of being pushed into the fibers.
Roofing tar
Roofing tar is handled like asphalt here, so use the asphalt approach: scrape it, lift it with solvent, and wash it hot. Some roofing material is a coating rather than plain tar, and a lift won't remove that.
If the stain is a sealer or coating, stop after the scrape and take the item to a dry cleaner.
Coal, tree, weed, and other specialty tars
Tree sap and pine resin have their own soak. For pine resin, sponge with dry-cleaning solvent and let it air-dry, then soak for at least 30 minutes in 1 cup liquid laundry detergent with a few drops of ammonia. Never add chlorine bleach to that soak.
Coal tar, Stockholm tar and other specialty tars need a pro, so don't guess at a method. Scrape off what you can and take the item to a dry cleaner before you try anything stronger.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old tar that has had time to set takes more work than a fresh spot, and the steps above may only lighten it. Tar that has dried also rarely comes out in one pass, so plan on a few rounds rather than one.
For dried tar, keep a pad of dry-cleaning solvent on the stain and change it as it picks up tar. Then dab on a dry spotter made from 1 part coconut or mineral oil to 8 parts dry-cleaning solvent, and tamp it every 5 minutes on strong fabrics.
Let the item dry, then launder it in the hottest water safe for the fabric. If a mark is still there after drying, go back to the solvent and oil rounds before you launder again. If it still won't lift, it may not come out fully at home, so take it to a dry cleaner rather than pushing harder.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on tar?
Most home remedies you'll find for tar don't belong in the tar steps. Mineral oil and dry-cleaning solvent do the lifting, and oxygen bleach is saved for a faint shadow at the end. Knowing why each one falls short saves you time.
Works1Skip5
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't reach for gasoline or lighter fluid
They look like they would cut through tar, but they are not spot removers. Dry-cleaning solvent is the product meant for this job.
Don't use cooking oil to loosen tar
Unsaturated cooking fats and oils age into yellow stains if they are not completely removed. Mineral oil is the lubricant to use, and every trace of any oil needs to come out before the item dries.
Don't scrub the tar in
Scrubbing spreads the tar across more fibers and pushes it deeper into the fabric. Dab, blot and lift instead, which keeps the stain small and near the surface.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The tar is spreading instead of lifting
The towels underneath are saturated. Swap in fresh paper towels more often and use less cleaning fluid per pass.
A hard, dried tar spot won't budge
Work lard or mineral oil into it to loosen the tar, then flush with dry-cleaning solvent. Alternate the two until the stain softens.
A yellow mark appeared weeks later
An unsaturated cooking oil was probably used as a lubricant and not fully removed. Flush the area with dry-cleaning solvent, then launder.
The pretest changed the color or texture
Stop using that remover on the item. Take the garment to a dry cleaner and point out the tar and what you tested.
When to call a professional
Tar that won't lift after these steps, or a fabric that can't take solvent, needs a professional. Call a dry cleaner rather than trying something stronger, and let them check the fabric first.
Questions
What product removes tar from clothes?
A dry-cleaning solvent, sold as cleaning fluid, does the lifting, and a little mineral oil loosens the tar first. A prewash stain remover can also work for the lift if you use it on the back of the fabric. Products made for car exteriors are a different job.
Do lemon juice or white vinegar get tar out of clothes?
No, neither one is the answer for tar; mineral oil and dry-cleaning solvent do the lifting. Mineral oil and dry-cleaning solvent do the lifting, and oxygen bleach is only for a faint shadow at the very end.
What if the tar is on wool or silk?
Skip oxygen bleach, which is not safe on wool, silk or leather. Scrape off what you can, then take the item to a dry cleaner rather than trying a stronger method at home.
Why is tar still there after washing?
A wash alone can't pull out tar that has dried or been through the dryer, because the heat sets it. Use the set-in method first, keeping solvent under a pad and tamping a dry spotter, before you launder again.
Is asphalt on clothes treated the same as tar?
Yes, the same lift and wash steps apply. If the asphalt has dried into the fabric, use the set-in method and let the item dry fully before you launder it.
Can I use chlorine bleach on tar right away?
No. Chlorine bleach is the last step, used only on a faint shadow after the item has been rinsed out and the fabric is safe for it. Oxygen bleach comes first when the fabric is colorfast.
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.