If you somehow got tar on your cloth and now are wondering how to remove tar from clothes, you will find this article useful. Several mishaps or accidental spills may occur in our day-to-day life that can result in a cloth becoming stained with tar.
While the only solution for treating tar stains once was to throw away the whole cloth, with the development of several stain treatment products over time, removing tar from your clothes is not an impossible task anymore.
In this article, we are going to elaborate on how to get tar out of clothes using household remedies. There are several ways you can use to remove tar from your clothes; even white ones. It is also important to remember a few notions regarding tar stains on clothes. For example, exposing any tar-stained garment to heat will permanently set the stain on the fabric.
This is why heat exposure and methods that use high temperatures as the mechanism of cleansing (such as dryers) should be avoided by all means.
In this article, we will be telling you about different safe ways in which you can remove tar stains from your clothes. We will be describing the steps easily so that you can follow them correctly for the best result.
So if you want to know how to remove tar from clothes, keep reading our article to find out all about the use of both commercial and organic cleansers to remove tar stains from clothes. If you want to know more about such cleaning methods, you can read our article on how to get strawberry stains out.
How to Remove Tar from Clothes
Moving on to the main topic, let us now look at the various processes and steps on how to remove tar from clothes successfully.
There are a vast variety of solvents that can be used to remove the stain left by tar.
So, make sure you pick the one that works best for the fabric of your cloth and your convenience.
Step 1: Preparing the stained cloth for tar removal
Tending to the stained cloth as soon as possible is very important because the tar will dry up with time.
The sooner you remove the tar, the easier it becomes to clean the stain.
Use a blunt fork or dull knife to gently scrape off as much tar as you can off the affected fabric.
If the tar has already hardened, you can rub petroleum jelly over the stained area.
Let it seat for a while and then gently scrape off the tar.
Step 2: Using ice cubes
If there are still tar residuals left, put a few pieces of ice or ice cubes inside a plastic bag and rub them over the tar.
Allow the tar to harden up till it becomes brittle enough to be scraped off.
Use your fingernails or a blunt object like a butter knife, fork, spoon, etc. to scrape off the brittle pieces of tar from the cloth.
Step 3: Cleaning with a solvent
After you have completely taken off all the tar, it is time to remove the oily stain left behind by the tar.
There are several solvents you can use for this step.
But no matter which solvent you use, make sure they are equipped to counter the oil stain.
The most commonly used solvents include bacon grease, nail polish remover, penetrating oils, paint thinners, mineral spirits, alcohol, etc.
Be careful while using these chemicals solvents and never use them near heat or flame.
Soak a clean microfibre cloth or paper towel in any one of the solvents and wipe the affected area generously.
Let the solvent sit for a while.
Then, use another clean and dry piece of cloth to remove the dissolved solvent from the cloth.
Step 4: Using a prewash stain remover
Use any kind of prewash stain remover directly and liberally onto the affected area till it is covered or saturated completely. Let it sit for a while.
Do not forget to test out the product beforehand in an obscure part of your garment to make sure it does not affect the fabric or color of your cloth.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using the remover to determine the duration of time the remover needs to be left in the affected area to work.
Step 5: Using an enzyme laundry detergent on the stain
An enzyme laundry detergent will help to remove the oil stains left behind by tar.
Pour the mixture directly over the stain and use a clean cloth to blot up the stain.
Make sure you do not rub while cleaning up the stain ad it may smudge the stain further.
Step 6: Laundering the cloth
After you are sure that the stain has been removed, it is time to wash your cloth.
Put it in the washer after checking the cleaning instructions on the cloth.
Use the same enzyme laundry detergent to launder the cloth.
Step 7: Air drying the cloth
To prevent any missed stain from setting into the fabric, air dries the cloth after washing it instead of putting it in the dryer.
If the stain is still present, follow the same steps again but use a dry-cleaning solvent instead of the prewash stain remover this time.
Read Also: How to Remove Water Spots on Glasses
Final Words
We hope you will find our article helpful in getting rid of the tar on your cloth. If you have tried all our aforementioned methods and still failed to remove the stain (which is highly unlikely to happen), go to a professional dry cleaner as the last resort to help with the stain treatment.
Make sure they are aware of the source, time of staining, and any method that you might have already tried at home to remove the stain.
The stain caused by tar is not permanent if treated correctly. So do not get disheartened if the stain does not come on the first try. Keep trying out our given methods till you find the one that works for your situation.
