Coconut oil has so many uses from cooking to beauty products as it is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of ways.
However, coconut oil is not always easy to remove from fabric as oil tends to stain and become difficult to get out.
Coconut oil is an amazing natural product that has been around for centuries.
It’s known to have moisturizing properties as well as being able to create a healthy glow on your skin and hair. If coconut oil is so good for your body, how can it be so damaging to fabric?
This article will help you to find out how to get coconut oil out of fabric without feeling like you have ruined your clothing.
Discover why it ends up staining our fabric and what we can do to prevent our clothing or bedding from becoming damaged from coconut oil stains.
Can Coconut Oil Stain Fabric?
As coconut oil is known for its moisturizing properties, it is also incredibly high in saturated fat.
As saturated fats are fatty oils, the stains on the fabric are greasy and can be difficult to remove once they have been soaked into the fibers.
It is the saturated fat in coconut oil that causes the staining of the fabric.
If you are looking to purchase coconut oil, there are 2 types: raw or refined. Raw coconut oil is how coconut oil is naturally found.
The raw coconut oil has never been exposed to heat so it has a stronger coconut smell and taste compared to refined coconut oil.
Refined coconut oil has been exposed to heat to refine the product. This causes the coconut oil to lose some of its smell and taste, so raw coconut oil has a stronger taste and smell.
It is a misconception that the refining process lessens the amount of fat in the oils, as it instead determines how strong the smell and taste of the oil are.
The thing that raw and refined coconut oil share is a high saturated fat content, despite refined coconut oil losing some in the refining process.
Refined oil does contain less saturated fat than raw coconut oil, but it still contains saturated fat so there is no guarantee that it won’t cause the fabric to stain.
Even if the oil has less fat content than another, that doesn’t make it less likely to stain.
Can You Remove Coconut Oil From Clothes?
Once you get coconut oil on the fabric, the quicker you act, the more likely you are to get rid of the stain.
The longer you leave it, the more chance the oil has of being absorbed into the fibers to make it more difficult to remove. If you have a fresh coconut oil stain, here is how to remove it!
Removing Coconut Oil Stains
Firstly, you will need to make sure that you have everything that you need to remove the stain. You will need a white towel, a toothbrush, dish soap, and baking soda.
You want the towel to be white to prevent any color from being absorbed by the fabric. Begin by dabbing the stain with the towel to remove as much oil as you can from the fabric.
Next, add a small amount of baking soda onto the coconut oil stain and use a toothbrush to gently work the baking soda into the stain.
Once you have worked the baking soda in, leave it to soak up the oil. You will see the baking soda turn from white to brown as it begins absorbing the oil.
Keep adding more baking soda after it turns completely brown. This will keep lifting the oil out of the fabric, so add more until the baking soda stops turning brown.
Make sure you are only adding small amounts of baking soda each time to make sure that you aren’t wasting any.
Once the baking soda has stopped turning brown, scrape it off the fabric into the trash and add some dish soap onto the stain.
Once you have added it onto the stain, wash your fabric in the hottest water that it can be washed in, so make sure that you check the label.
After your fabric has been washed, leave it to air dry away from any direct heat. Exposure to direct heat can cause the oil to stain, so make sure that it is kept away from any heat exposure.
Can You Remove Dried Coconut Oil From Clothing?
If you use coconut oil moisturizer, there is a chance that you have got it on your clothes without even realizing it.
This can leave you with a clear stain on your clothes that have dried, but how can you get it out if it hasn’t been removed from the washer?
Find out more about how to remove dried coconut oil stains from your clothing.
Removing Dried Coconut Oil Stains
To remove the dried coconut oil stain, you will need cardboard, a toothbrush, dish soap, baking soda, and WD40.
Firstly, you will need to put the piece of cardboard behind the stain if you are removing it from clothing as you don’t want the stain to transfer onto the back of the clothing.
Add WD40 to the stains as this will help to activate the fats that have dried to make them easier to remove.
The fats will begin to come loose from the fibers so you can remove them. Once the WD40 is applied, add baking soda to the stain and gently work the mixture into the stain with a toothbrush.
As you are working the baking soda into the stain, you will begin to see the oil and the WD40 lift from the clothing as you will start to see the baking soda going clumpy.
Keep adding baking soda to the stain and rubbing it in with the toothbrush until you see the clumps becoming smaller.
As they become smaller, the stain will be almost gone and it will be getting rid of the WD40 too.
Take the cardboard away from the clothing and scrape the clumped baking soda into the trash. Add some dish soap to the stain and rub it with the toothbrush.
Leave the dish soap to soak for about 15 minutes and then wash the clothing at the hottest temperature that it can be washed in. Read the label to check!
Leave the clothing to air dry and keep away from direct heat.
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Removing Coconut Oil Stains From Delicate Fabric
If you have coconut oil stains on a delicate fabric like silk, then even gentle brushing can damage the material and potentially create holes.
Adding baking soda to the silk stain or washing it on high heat can also ruin the delicate fabric, but how can you get rid of the coconut oil stain?
To remove the coconut oil stain from silk, add unscented baby powder to the stain and let it sit for about an hour. This will help to pull the oils out of the fabric.
Once the time is up, remove the powder from the fabric with either a soft brush or with your finger. You can then wash the silk as normal with some dish soap added to the stain to help remove it.
Removing Coconut Oil Stains From Polyester
Polyester can absorb and hold onto stains a lot easier than other fabrics, so it can be difficult to remove oil as you cannot wash polyester in hot water.
As polyester is made from plastic, the hot water can melt the fabric and cause permanent damage.
However, you can add baking soda to the polyester to help raise the oil out of the fabric. Add the baking soda to the polyester and gently work it into the fabric with a toothbrush.
You may need to use more baking soda or rub it in for longer since polyester is very good at holding onto stains.
Wash the fabric in cold water after you have added the baking soda and air dry it to prevent the oil from sticking to the fibers.
If the stain is still visible after this, you can repeat it as many times as it takes to get rid of the stain for good.
Removing Coconut Oil From Dark Or Bright Colored Fabric
Using baking soda on dark or colored fabrics can sometimes cause the color to be stripped away from the fabric, so you need to use something less harsh to remove coconut oil stains.
To effectively remove the stain from the fabric, swap the baking soda for cornstarch.
Apply the cornstarch to the fabric and let it soak for 15-30 minutes. After you have let the cornstarch soak on the stain, add some dish soap on the stain and then wash as usual.
Can You Get Coconut Oil Out Of Sofa Coverings And Carpets?
As you are unable to put your carpet in the washer, it can be more difficult to get stains out of them.
Some sofa coverings may be machine washable, but you will need to check the label to ensure that you won’t damage the material.
To get the stains out, you will need tissues, dish soap, warm water, a clean cloth, a vacuum cleaner, and baking soda.
Removing Solid Coconut Oil
If there are chunks of solid coconut oil on your sofa or carpet, begin by removing them without rubbing them into the fabric.
If you do, the coconut oil will be more difficult to get out. It is recommended that you use a tissue to remove the chunks of oil to make sure that the oil doesn’t melt from the heat of your fingers.
Make sure that you quickly but carefully remove the chunks of solid coconut oil from the carpet to prevent the oil from melting into the fibers of the material.
The longer that the oil is on the carpet, the more likely it will be to melt into the fabric.
Removing Liquid Coconut Oil
If there are liquid coconut oil stains on your sofa or carpet, remove any liquid from the fabric with the tissue.
Keep blotting the liquid coconut oil with the tissue until there is no liquid coming showing on the tissue.
Next, add baking soda to the stain if your carpet is a light color. If your carpet is a dark color, apply cornstarch instead. Leave the baking soda or cornstarch to soak into the stain for around 30 minutes.
Using your vacuum cleaner, remove the baking soda or cornstarch from the stain and add some dish soap onto the stain.
With a damp cloth, gently work the dish soap into the stain and repeat this until the stain disappears.
Rinse away the dish soap with clean water and then blot the stain with the tissue to make sure that you remove all of the water.
Ensure that you have got rid of all the water so you don’t leave any water stains on the carpet or sofa.
Other Ways To Get Rid Of Stains
There are many household items that you can use to get rid of stains that you can easily pick up from the store. Here are other ways that you can get rid of coconut oil stains on the fabric.
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is known for being an effective stain remover, but you will need to avoid using it on the carpet.
If you have coconut oil stains on your carpet, make sure that you use another method to clean it as rubbing alcohol can cause some carpet backings to melt and dissolve.
Vinegar
If you decide to use vinegar to get rid of coconut oil stains, you need to make sure that it is distilled white wine vinegar.
Vinegar is acidic so it can cause some fabrics to bleach, so you need to make sure that you use it carefully. Do not use vinegar on delicate fabrics as it could damage them.
Commercial Stain Remover Solutions
At your local store, there will be commercial stain remover solutions that are designed to be used on carpets.
These cleaning solutions will not damage the carpet fibers, but you need to make sure that they are child and pet friendly to avoid any harm.
Some commercial stain removers can damage certain materials, so make sure that you check it is suitable to use on your carpet.
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Removing Coconut Oil Stains From Bed Sheets
If you get coconut oil stains on bed sheets, it can be difficult to remove depending on the material that the bedding is made from.
If your bedsheets are made from silk or cotton, you need to treat the stain the same way that you would with clothing made from this fabric.
You cannot treat the materials the same as this could damage the fabric. Make sure that you don’t permanently damage the fabric and treat it correctly.
Removing Coconut Oil Stains From Furniture
As you can have furniture made from lots of different materials, it can be difficult to remove stains without permanently damaging the fabric.
You need to make sure that you don’t damage the fabric when you are removing the stain as it can be difficult to remove it as you cannot put the furniture in the washer!
To remove coconut oil stains from the furniture, you will need baby powder or cornstarch, tissue, distilled white vinegar, and a soft brush. Find out how to get rid of the stains on different materials.
Suede
As suede is a very delicate fabric, you need to act quickly to remove any stains from the fabric.
Solid coconut oil can be taken off the fabric before they melt, but you need to quickly act to get rid of liquid coconut oil.
Firstly, apply cornstarch or baby powder onto the stain and leave it for a minimum of 2 hours.
This will help it to soak up the oil as you will be able to see the powder change color when it is soaking up the remaining oil.
Remove the powder with a soft brush. Make sure that the brush is soft as you don’t want to brush to be too harsh on the material.
You can repeat this method until the powder stops changing color as this will mean that all of the oil has soaked up.
Let the suede air dry and do not expose it to any heat or sunlight as this could damage the fabric.
Leather
Although leather is not a very delicate fabric, you need to be careful with the material to make sure that you don’t damage it.
You can treat the leather the same way as clothes except you need to substitute the baking soda for cornstarch.
The cornstarch is softer than the baking soda as the baking soda will be harsh on the leather.
Use the tissue to blot any oil from the leather and then apply the cornstarch on the fabric and leave it to soak up the oil overnight.
To remove the cornstarch, use a damp cloth with some distilled white wine vinegar and gently rub away the cornstarch.
Wood
Spilling liquid oil on wood requires you to act quickly as you can usually get rid of coconut oil stains on wood by blotting it with tissue.
If not, you can always add some dish soap to the water and apply it to the stain. Rub the soapy water onto the wood with a brush and rub until the stain has lifted.
Wipe away the soapy water with a soft dry cloth and then leave the wood to dry naturally.
Are You Able To Stop Coconut Oil From Staining?
There aren’t many ways that you can stop coconut oil from staining your clothes or furniture, but you can take precautions when using it to stop it from staining your clothes.
Cover Your Clothes
If you are using coconut oil on your hair or skin overnight, the direct contact that the coconut oil makes with the bedding will damage the material.
Make sure that you put down an old towel or bedsheet to save your pillowcases. If you use a white towel, there is no danger of any color from a colored towel transferring onto your bedsheets.
For a leave-in coconut oil conditioner, you can always wear a shower cap to bed to keep your pillowcases protected from the coconut oil.
This will keep the coconut oil contained in the shower cap and prevent it from damaging the fabric of your bedsheets.
Don’t Spill The Coconut Oil
The best way to avoid coconut oil staining your clothing is to make sure that it doesn’t spill over you.
Although coconut oil can come in a solid form, it can melt into a liquid in high temperatures and this can damage your clothing.
You can also wear an apron to protect your clothing, but make sure that the aprons have a plastic covering so the oil doesn’t soak through to your clothes.
When applying a moisturizer that contains coconut oil, make sure that you are careful that none of the oil drips onto your clothes.
You can also change your clothes after you use coconut oil so you don’t ruin your clothing when using coconut oil.
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Protect Yourself When Cooking
Coconut oil is a popular oil to use when frying, and frying food can cause oil to splatter due to the high heat in the pan.
An easy way to make sure that you are protected from oil splatters is to use splatter screens that fit on top of the pan and stop splashes of oil from hitting you.
Not only will the oil stain your clothes, but the oil will be hot so it could burn you. You will need to make sure that you stay protected so you protect not only your clothing but yourself as well.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, you can easily get coconut oil stains out of the fabric by using household items like baking soda, distilled white vinegar, or cornstarch.
This means that you can easily access the ingredients that you need to stop the coconut oil from permanently staining your fabric.
You also need to act as quickly as possible to make sure that you prevent any permanent damage to your clothing or furniture.
You need to bear in mind that some of the ingredients are unsuitable to be used on certain fabrics, so you need to care for the fabric correctly to avoid causing more harm.
If you use the wrong solution on delicate fabrics, you risk causing permanent damage and potentially tearing the material.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Repeat The Cleaning Processes?
You can repeat the cleaning process as many times as it takes for the oil to be removed from the fabric.
If the stain doesn’t disappear after you first try to remove it, repeat the process until it begins to disappear.
You may also need to rub the mixture into the stain or leave it to soak for longer to remove the stain more effectively.
Can Coconut Oil Wash Out Easily?
Coconut oil can be difficult to wash out if it is an old stain that has dried out.
It is important to act quickly when coconut oil spills onto fabric as this stops the fibers from absorbing the oil.
Once the fabric absorbs the oil, it can be difficult to clean the fabric, but the correct care can remove the stains.
Does Coconut Oil Ruin Delicate Fabric?
If you have coconut oil stains on a delicate fabric like silk, you need to care for it in a different way to harder materials.
You cannot use harsh ingredients to remove the stain as this can cause further damage to the fabric, so ensure that you are using mild ingredients and soft brushes to remove the stain and protect the fabric.
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