How to get coconut oil out of clothes

So you got coconut oil all over your favorite outfit, it may sound like a catastrophic day, but fret not; we are here to tell you that you are not alone, it happens to the best of us. And you have come to the right place cause we’ll be sharing all we know on how to get coconut oil out of clothes.

You probably love your coconut oil and is probably a part of your daily skincare routine; coconut oil is widely regarded as one ob the best oils to soothe and soften your skin, lips and hair. It is even safe to use for baby skincare and one of the safest oils for cooking; it is safe to say it has many great benefits. But no matter how much we love it, it’s a whole other story when we get a stuck on our clothes.

Normally coconut oil will not cause any harms to your health, however it can be a headache when we get it on our clothes. Like any oil, coconut oil can leave nasty stains on textile and some other delicate surfaces. Luckily, there’s a number of removal methods/techniques that will help you get rid of annoying coconut oil stuck on your garments.

What is coconut oil?

Coconut oil is a tropical oil derived from, that’s right, the coconut flesh. Nowadays you are able to find both virgin and refined coconut oil.
Virgin coconut oil is less processed than the refined version, and that preserves its sweet, coconut-y tropical flavor.
Refined coconut oil goes through more processing, which leads to a more neutral smell and flavor. Because it doesn’t have that telltale tropical taste, the refined kind is suitable as a main cooking oil for numerous recipes.

Beyond cooking, coconut oil really shines -no pun intended-as a beauty product. You can use it on your hair as an in-shower mask to add a boost of moisture, or smooth a bit on dry hair to tame frizz.
On skin, coconut oil can be used as a lip balm or as a body moisturizer. Extra-virgin coconut oil is your best choice when you’re using it for your body or hair.

Ways to remove coconut oil from clothes

With the following cleaning methods you’ll surelly be succesfull in removing coconut oil stains without breaking a sweat! And you won’t be loosing any of your clothes to coconut oil stains.

How to get coconut oil out of clothes Using Dishwashing Liquid

Using dishwashing liquid to remove a coconut oil stain should ne your approach when dealing with delicate fabrics. These may include cashmere, wool, silk, and other delicates.

1. Apply a thin layer of dishwashing soap across the stain.
2. Leave the dishwashing liquid to be absorbed.
3. Wash
4. Set your clothes washer to the highest temperature possible – don’t use cold water. Hot water will help dissolve the rest of the oil.
5. Wash as normal and dry or air dry.

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How to get coconut oil out of clothes using Baking Soda + Detergent

Baking soda is known to be a powerful help in getting rid of difficult stains, it works by pulling oil out of fabric and should always be your first line of defence when treating an oil stain.

1. Blot excess coconut oil. It is best to use plain white towels to blot the excess. However, paper towels also do the trick.
2. Press the towel against the cloth or sheets so that the coconut oil is absorbed by the towel.
3. Continue to do this until most of the oil has been blotted.
4. Apply baking soda, over the coconut oil stain until it is fully covered.
5. To remove minor coconut oil stains, leave the powder do its work for about 10 to 15 minutes. For deeper stains, let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Discard the baking soda once it begins to clump.
7. If there are still coconut oil stains on your clothes, you may need to add more baking soda on the stain and leave it for longer.
8. Scrape clumps off. For this part, you will need a stiff, thin piece of cardboard, an old credit card has proven to work.
9. Press the card against the fabric and drag it across the oil stain. Repeat this until the baking soda has effectively been removed from your clothes.
10. Wash. Set your clothes washer to the highest possible temperature for hot water. Wash and dry as normal or air dry.

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For fresh coconut oil stains

While baking soda is the favorite, arrowroot powder, and cornstarch work just as well.

1. Blot the excess coconut oil out with towels.
2. Use plain, white towels, as coconut oil can remove dyes from towels or paper towels if the dyes are of a poor quality and not set into the fabric of paper correctly. Apply a generous amount of baking soda, arrowroot powder, or cornstarch to the stain.
3. Let the baking soda/arrowroot powder/cornstarch sit on the stain for a good 10 minutes. It should turn light brown as it soaks up the oil.
4. If you are dealing with a really deep spill or bad stain you may need to add more baking soda/arrowroot powder/cornstarch.
5. Scrape the baking soda/arrowroot powder/cornstarch off.
6. Wash the clothing in the clothes washer on the hottest possible setting. Hot water helps to dissipate the oil. If you have Oxygen Bleach then you will want to add that to the load.
7. Dry as normal. You should be able to see no traces of stain.

For old coconut oil stains

This method is suitable for stains on clothing, carpets, and upholstery and has provided great results.

1. Mix together 6 ounces of Oxygen Bleach powder and 1 gallon of hot water.
2. Stir until completely dissolved.
3. Place stained clothing in the bucket of solution until completely soaked.
4. Leave it for two hours.
5. After soaking, there shouldn’t be any stains left.
6. Follow by washing the clothing in the clothes washer on the hottest possible setting.

How to get coconut oil out of clothes- General guiding?

With any of the methods mentioned you’ll surely get rid of coconut oil marks. Tips to keep in mind:

• The quicker you can deal with it the better but typically, you can even get older stains out if you do it right.
• Before removing coconut oil from any type of garment, be sure to look at the washing instructions on the garments care tag. Some garments may require dry cleaning services.
• When working with heavy fabrics such as wool, cashmere, or fleece, be sure that the garments don’t stay wet for too long, as they may be more susceptible to mold.
• If possible you can wear suitable rubber gloves while applying these cleaning methods, in order to help protect your hands.
  While baking soda is the favorite, you can actually use any kind of absorbent powder including arrowroot powder, or cornstarch. Some people will even use talcum, baby powder, or chalk. However, food-based powders tend to be preferable.
• The temperature of water for removing coconut oil stains from clothes is important.

Read: How to Get Bike Grease out of Clothes