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Neda asked: How do I clean motor oil from my car seats? They are fabric.
Grease 
and motor oil are common stains found on car upholstery. They can be stubborn to remove, but with some persistence, will come out completely.
You Will Need:
- Soft cloths
- Dawn dishwashing liquid
- Water
- WD 40 (for dried stains)
- Old toothbrush
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- Oil stains become more difficult to remove the longer they sit. Treat any stains as soon as possible for the best results.
- Begin by blotting the stain with a soft cloth or paper towel until no more oil transfers to the cloth.
- If the stain is dried, a small amount of WD-40 can be applied to make the stain “fresh” again.
- Place a few drops of Dawn dish liquid on the stain.
- Blot it with a clean cloth to work it into the stain.
- A few drops of water can be added as well. If the stain is really stubborn, scrub it with an old toothbrush.
- Continue blotting until the stain is removed.
- Rinse by spraying some clean water on the area.
- Blot the upholstery dry with a clean cloth.
- Repeat until all of the soap is removed.
- Allow the surface to dry completely.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If the stain is fresh, cover it with talcum powder (baby powder or cornstarch may also work). Allow it to set on the stain overnight. The powder will absorb the oil. Brush or vacuum the powder away and the stain will go with it. Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.
- There are many grease stain fighting cleaners available in the laundry aisle. Stain removers such as Shout, Spray ‘n Wash and Tide To Go can all be used to spot clean upholstery.
- Some upholstery colors will fade when exposed to stain removers. Test a small hidden area first to ensure there are no unwanted effects to the color or texture of the fabric.
- If no WD 40 is available, lighter fluid can be substituted. Be sure to wash and rinse the area thoroughly after using either of these products.
Thanks a lot for this. It sure helped me.
I don’t have a little spot. My son borrowed my minivan and spilled Marvel Mystery Oil all over the backseat and then some. To make matters worse, he didn’t bother to mention it to anyone for about 2 1/2 months. I have tried every degreaser, stain remover, fabric, multi-surface, glass, and household cleaner on the market, (literally) including a steam cleaner, with very little improvement. That nasty, greasy, sticky stuff is nearly impossible to get off of a solid surface, let alone upholstery. I was looking for some serious HELP here, not “go to the store and buy spot remover”. Please help!
Karol,
WD-40 is a penetrating oil sold primarily for lubricating car parts, squeaky hinges, etc. It should work to freshen the old oil so that it can be removed. For that much oil, you may want to try using a powder instead. The powder method is the same method used to pull car oil stains out of driveways. Baking soda works well for this, but you could also use cornstarch ir cornmeal if preferred. Spray the stain with WD-40 to freshen it, then cover it with a generous amount of powder (1 inch thick) and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Brush off the powder into a dustpan or vacuum it up, then apply more powder and repeat the process as many times as needed until all oil is removed. You may or may not need WD-40 again depending on how deep the oil soaked into the cushion. If nothing works, you can usually find car parts online or by calling junk yards and replace the seat yourself if there are good tutorials or videos about your make/model vehicle online. Good luck!