Home Remedies to Get Gasoline Odor out of Fabric

Exposure to gasoline and its fumes can cause various health problems.

Gasoline is a highly flammable fuel, and when it comes in contact with fabric, it can pose a fire hazard. In addition, the gas will leave a difficult-to-remove odor on the fabric that can last for weeks after the incident. Fortunately, with the proper home remedies, you can remove the gasoline as well as its accompanying odor safely from the fabric.

Pretreatment

To successfully remove gasoline odors from fabric, you must first deal with the fresh gasoline before laundering the clothing. Use several paper towels to blot the fuel off the clothing, and dispose of the soiled towels in a sealed plastic bag. Once you can no longer absorb any more gas, blot the area with a cloth dampened with a petroleum solvent. Keep blotting the area until you have thoroughly saturated it with the solvent. Before laundering the fabric, you must rinse the solvent off with cool running water.

Washing

Once you have performed the pretreatment to remove fresh gasoline from the fabric, set your washing machine water temperature dial to the coldest setting. As the washer drum begins to fill with cold water, add laundry detergent as you normally would along with 1 cup of white vinegar. Typically, 1/4 cup of laundry detergent will work for small to large loads. Place only the fabric in the washing machine. Do not wash any other items with the fabric as the gas could transfer to the other items.

Drying

When the washing machine finishes the complete cycle, dry the fabric. However, you cannot dry the fabric in the dryer if the gasoline odor remains. Doing so poses a fire hazard as the heat from the dryer can ignite the lingering gas fumes on the fabric. Instead, hang-dry the fabric to eliminate any possible safety hazard. When hanging the fabric to dry, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from direct heat.

Considerations

After laundering items covered in gas, the fuel fumes can transfer to your washing machine. To remove gas odors in the washing machine, mix 2 cups of white vinegar with 1/2 cup of baking soda. Let your washing machine drum begin to fill with hot water, and pour the vinegar-baking soda mixture directly into the hot water. Do not add any clothing or fabric to the washing machine but instead let the washer run through a complete cycle empty. If the gasoline odors remain, repeat the process.

References

• American Federation of Teachers: The Many Hazards of Diesel
• Iowa State University Extension; Quick ’n Easy Stain Removal; Janis Stone
• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture; Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics; Bette Jo Dedic