How to remove an oil stain that has already been washed

Why oil survives the first wash

Oil does not dissolve in water, and an ordinary wash, especially a cool one, often removes only part of it. What remains spreads a little into the fibres and looks like a darker, slightly see-through patch, most visible on lawn and other fine cotton.

Heat makes the problem worse. A tumble dryer or a hot iron warms the oil so it spreads further into the fibres, and over time old oil can oxidise to a yellow or brown mark. That is why a stain that might have washed out easily becomes stubborn once it has been through the dryer.

Step by step for cotton, lawn and polyester

Start with the garment dry. Oil marks look darker when wet, so check the stain in daylight first and mark the edge with a pin if it is faint.

• Degrease. Rub a few drops of washing-up liquid into the stain from the front and the back, using a fingertip or a soft toothbrush. Washing-up liquid is made to break up grease.
• Wait. Leave it for about half an hour so the detergent can reach the oil.
• Rinse warm. Flush the area from the back with the warmest water the label allows. Warm water helps lift oil far more than cold.
• Wash again on a normal cycle at the label’s temperature, with a bio detergent if it suits the fabric.
• Air dry and check. If a shadow remains, repeat the whole process. It can take two or three goes.

If a yellow ring is left

Once the oil itself has gone, an old stain sometimes leaves a yellow outline. On white or colourfast cotton, a soak in an oxygen-based stain remover made up as its packet says often clears it. On printed or coloured lawn, test first, and be prepared to accept a faint mark rather than risk fading the print. Our wider stain removal guide deals with fresh oil, turmeric and other food stains, and our article on drying without fading or shrinking explains why the line is safer than the dryer for marked clothes.

Polyester holds on to oil more than cotton does, so expect to repeat the treatment more times on a synthetic kameez.

Fabrics that are easier to rescue

If you often get splashes at meals, a plain, tightly woven cotton such as cambric washes warmer and more forgivingly than fine printed lawn or silk. Our washing machine settings guide lists sensible temperatures for each. To have a practical everyday suit made to your measurements, see Fabric + Stitching, where we supply the agreed fabric, or request a quote.