The Chainlink

How do I Get Grease Stains off my Clothes?

I have learned the best way to get grease off my skin is with a pumice stone. But what about clothes? I got some grease on my favorite jersey and don't know the best way to get it off. Help!

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Permalink Reply by vxla on September 25, 2008 at 8:18pm
Hand wash that in your sink with lukewarm water using Dawn (only Dawn, not the other stuff). Also, wash your gear regularly in cold water using Woolite if possible (or a non-bleach alternative), never use fabric softeners, and line/flat dry it*.

* - Some fabrics require drying to re-activate their water resistance or wicking qualities. Check the tags.
Permalink Reply by Kelly on September 26, 2008 at 8:34am
Yep, Dawn works. Put a little bit on the spot and let it soak for a minute or two if its a big stain or older stain. Then hand wash it all.
Permalink Reply by Tommie on September 26, 2008 at 9:06am
There are two reasons why one's kit (bike, shoes, helmet, shorts, gloves, jersey, etc) is "clean." 1) PRO - you get your bike washed every day, and are handed a new set of cloths and a still-warm baguette by your soigneur.

2) You have no idea what you're doing, went to a place like Cadence (in Tribeca) threw a wad of hundos at the first grease monkey and said, "1) Make me look pro. 2) Here's $700/mo. Yell at me on a bike until I'm not fat anymore."

A little grease makes it look like you actually ride and touch your bike in ways that most people only dream about. This greasieness can be taken too far though (as evidenced by smelly art-school kids who refuse to shower, use their chains as deodorant and insist that facial hair is as cool as it is ironic).

While dropping a "torpedo" is excusable and maybe causes a slight bit of discomfort for the person behind you, riding behind the type of person mentioned above is something that sticks with you for the rest of the day or week. Being stuck behind a dirty art-kid type person is the new drawn-and-quatering and far more ironic than any bearded dude with an Iron Maiden patch on his sleeveless jean jacket.


I digress . . . . . your question was about removing grease.

1) Mineral spirits can melt your jersey. It doesn't always happen BUT it is possible and kind've scary. The solvents used at dry cleaners are different, more toxic and don't melt clothing (I should know, my first job was working in a dry cleaners steaming cloths during the summer. I was 11. I believe work like this is a Hispanic (yes, I'm Bolivian and have the right to make these jokes) right of passage.)

2) Applying concentrated soap to fabric can lead to holes in the fabric. If you don't believe me go dump liquid soap on top of a tshirt and then run it through the wash. You'll see little holes develop.

3) Your solution is oxyclean. Listen to the man with the perfect non-ironic beard that screams at you from the TV. Oxyclean does work. Mix some up, apply it and scrub with your electronic toothbrush (use the electronic toothbrush because scrubbing by hand wastes large amounts of energy that should be saved for bike riding). If the stain doesn't go away, think of it as a battle scar---my sister told me that chicks dig scars and getting attention from chicks whether you're into them or not is always a good thing because chicks tend to be way less creeeeeeepy than dudes and they're soft.

Incidentally, you should be hand-washing or putting your riding cloths in the gentle cycle with woolite. Hang dry. Don't wring them out.


Finally, since we're talking about cleanliness. Please please please remove the padding from your helmets once and a while and rinse them off along with the straps. Stained, gross, salty pads and straps is not only gross and definitely "un-PRO" but you're totally encouraging bacteria to enter open pores and nest on your face. Not cleaning your helmet padding and straps is kind've like drying your face off in someone else's armpit.

The word of the lord.... thanks be to god.
Permalink Reply by William Mayers III on September 26, 2008 at 2:19pm
He's right about Oxyclean, it works better than any thing, get the shirt wet and make a past out of son oxy clean and water and rubit on and let it sit for a while then soak it in cold water with more oxyclean for an hour or more and it will likely come out.

I make the mistake of workin on my bike with jerseys and other nice shirts all the time, the jerseys always come clean since its harder to permanently stain polyester than cotton.


Oh and "drying your face off in someone else's armpit." is one of the grossest things I have ever read ;P
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 26, 2008 at 11:39pm
you are hilarious Tommie!

Tommie said:
There are two reasons why one's kit (bike, shoes, helmet, shorts, gloves, jersey, etc) is "clean." 1) PRO - you get your bike washed every day, and are handed a new set of cloths and a still-warm baguette by your soigneur.

2) You have no idea what you're doing, went to a place like Cadence (in Tribeca) threw a wad of hundos at the first grease monkey and said, "1) Make me look pro. 2) Here's $700/mo. Yell at me on a bike until I'm not fat anymore."

A little grease makes it look like you actually ride and touch your bike in ways that most people only dream about. This greasieness can be taken too far though (as evidenced by smelly art-school kids who refuse to shower, use their chains as deodorant and insist that facial hair is as cool as it is ironic).

While dropping a "torpedo" is excusable and maybe causes a slight bit of discomfort for the person behind you, riding behind the type of person mentioned above is something that sticks with you for the rest of the day or week. Being stuck behind a dirty art-kid type person is the new drawn-and-quatering and far more ironic than any bearded dude with an Iron Maiden patch on his sleeveless jean jacket.


I digress . . . . .
Permalink Reply by Tommie on September 27, 2008 at 11:08am
Homie Homie Homie (I assume h3 stands for a triple homie)

I had written something really long and drawn out but then I checked svelte cycles and fell in love with something that is way much more beautiful than Natale Portman.

http://www.sveltecycles.com/servlet/Detail?no=185
*****drooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllll*****
I'm currently contemplating selling the snot-rocket Lance blew right before his 7th win in order to buy something that I really don't need and my "Jesus is my life-partner." t-shirt idea in order to buy this thing. (YO! I already have a copyright on that tshirt so BACK OFF)



Lemme clean up and re-group . . . . .
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 27, 2008 at 3:50pm
Gojo's second ingredient next to water is pumice. (you can feel its rocky goodness) It's a great hand cleaner, but it would probably destroy clothing.

M.A.R.K. said:
Gojo might work too, but may stain your stuff, mineral spirits too.. I generally just use shout and throw them in the wash and it works out ok most of the time. But thats on my street clothes, not a jersey.
Permalink Reply by niconico on September 28, 2008 at 1:13pm
your clothes have officially been sacrificed to the maintenance of your bicycle. shirts that get grease on them? now you've got new rags!! pants that get grease on them? now you've got cut offs!! but really, my grease soiled garments are simply foul weather riding clothes now.
Permalink Reply by austin on October 13, 2008 at 9:23pm
Simple Green and a toothbrush. Then wash in the laundry. Works like a dream!
Permalink Reply by RodimusPrime on February 11, 2009 at 1:52am
I've also used Shout Pens. but that's right after it happens, oxyclean really does work.

(thought i'd resurrect this since everyone seems to be back on their bikes)
Permalink Reply by Vondo on February 11, 2009 at 2:10am
My mom has used this soap since she was a young girl in Mexico, it's called Zote. It is a big brick of pink soap they make down there. It is excellent on grease and most other stains. Supposedly because there is more animal fat in it than the soaps they make here... or so I have heard. But it works great on most stains and is pretty easy on most types of fabric. I've used it on grease myself and it gets the job done. Also, it's available here in the city, so keep an eye out and try it next time.
Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on February 11, 2009 at 9:16am
I have found an unbelieveable grease removing formula. It is a paste of simple green and baking soda and it removes grease with ease. BTW, I use simple green for most grease removal on bike builds/recycling. IT WORKS GREAT and is far less costly than "bike degreasers". I have been known to let a part soak in simple green over-nigh, and clean it off with little more than a scrub pad and water afterwards. That an a little ultrasonic cleaning will work on the nasiest, greasiest, most caked on nonsense ever on anything.

The baking soda is just for dealing with cloth materials.

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