How to Clean & Remove an Oil Spill From Furniture

How to Clean & Remove an Oil Spill From Furniture
Written By
J. Johnson
J. Johnson
Published: Dec 27, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Paper towels
  • Baby powder
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Spray bottle
  • Hot water
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Cloths
  • Rubbing alcohol

When people within your household eat while sitting on the furniture, for example, any of that food can end up on the upholstery and leave behind a tough stain. Oil spills on furniture can be especially tough to deal with, but if you use the right methods, you can clean and remove oil spills and save your furniture.

  1. Use a paper towel to scrape up and blot the standing oil on your furniture. This will remove most of it and likely leave behind just a stain.

  2. Pour baby powder onto the oil spill on your furniture to soak up even more of the oil. Let it stand for several minutes.

  3. Vacuum up the baby powder using your vacuum cleaner hose attachment.

  4. Fill a spray bottle with hot water and add several drops of grease-cutting dishwashing liquid. Shake well.

  5. Spray the oil spill on your furniture with the cleaning solution, and allow it to set in for several minutes.

  6. Rinse the area with very hot water and dab dry with a clean cloth.

  7. Add several drops of rubbing alcohol directly to the oil spill. Dab immediately with a cloth. Never rub the oil stain. Continue to dab to remove the oil and dry the rubbing alcohol.

Photo Credits

Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

J. Johnson

J. Johnson has been completing freelance writing work since September 2009. Her work includes writing website content and small client projects. Johnson holds a degree in English from North Carolina State University.

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