Motor oil spills often occur in the garage or driveway when working on your car. If someone steps on the motor oil and then step on the carpet, you will be left with a greasy stain. Learn how to clean motor oil out of carpet easily using home supplies.
Removing motor oil stains from your rug should be done as soon as possible so that the grease does not have time to be absorbed into the surrounding rug fibers. Thorough removal of the engine oil stain, using home supplies, will prevent the stain from becoming a dirty magnet on your rug.
How to Clean Motor Oil Out of Carpet
- Remove any excess motor grease from your carpet with a spoon. Dispose of the grease in a plastic bag and tie it up so that it does not spill elsewhere.
- Cover the oil-saturated carpet with a generous amount of corn starch. Let the corn starch sit on the carpet for 15 to 20 minutes as it will absorb the motor oil.
- Clean up the corn starch by vacuuming it off your carpet.
- Pour dry cleaning solvent onto a clean cloth. Dab on the motor grease stain on the carpet, working on the outside of the stain in toward the center. Convert to a clean cloth and apply more solvent as needed.
- Mix the dishwashing soap and white vinegar with 2 cups of warm water in a bowl. Dip a clean sponge in the detergent and vinegar mixture and then on the motor oil stain. Rinse the sponge with cold water, then dip it in the mixture again and repeat until the grease is dissolved.
- Wet a clean cloth with plain, cool water. Press the cloth into the carpet to rinse out the vinegar and detergent solution. Continue to rinse the cloth and stain solution from the carpet.
- Wick moisture from the rug by pressing it with a dry cloth. Once the rug is no longer wet but damp, use a hair dryer to gently blow dry the rug.
Tips and Warnings
- Buy dry cleaning solvent from a hardware store or dry cleaner.
- Avoid scrubbing and rubbing a stain created by motor oil, as this will just spread the stain.
