Washing Greasy Coveralls

[Snagglefoot]

I wanted to mention how good these two products are for washing greasy coveralls. My local Walmart is selling the Oxy pre-treat for only $1.00 US per bottle. I had to ask the clerk for a price check it seemed so low. Anyway, in combination with the detergent it did an awesome job on the coveralls, and the washing machine drum is just fine. Other recommendations out there?

 

[Srt20]

Ive cleaned the nasty grease and oil off with hand cleaner before putting it in washer. Works like it does with your hands.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Yes lots of recommendations from me lol. I use Zote, Fels-Naptha, dish soap, Tide with Oxi, Biz and WD40. All of those get my clothes and shop rags completely clean so my mom doesn’t yell at me lol. Those products have saved my clothes multiple times.

 

[ripcord]

Hehe... I washed a load of greasy rags in my wife's washing machine one time. Oh, boy did I get it. I ran that batch of rag a half a dozen times with double the detergent before the smell and residue was mostly gone.

 

[Dave9]

If it's isolated to a few spots, I spot treat with either dish detergent, whatever concentrated washing detergent I have, or a product called Lestoil which is like a petroleum solvent soap something, is like an oil and does not foam, but doesn't smell the greatest either so can need an extra washing machine cycle to get the smell out.

If there's grease everywhere, TSP works great. It used to be in detergent, then they (at least for the US market) decided it serves as a fertilizer and makes vegetation grow too much in lakes and streams, which is true, but only if done on a wide scale with everyone using it, which is why you can still buy TSP in the US but it's not automatically put in detergent any longer.

 

[4WD]

If it's isolated to a few spots, I spot treat with either dish detergent, whatever concentrated washing detergent I have, or a product called Lestoil which is like a petroleum solvent soap something, is like an oil and does not foam, but doesn't smell the greatest either so can need an extra washing machine cycle to get the smell out.

If there's grease everywhere, TSP works great. It used to be in detergent, then they (at least for the US market) decided it serves as a fertilizer and makes vegetation grow too much in lakes and streams, which is true, but only if done on a wide scale with everyone using it, which is why you can still buy TSP in the US but it's not automatically put in detergent any longer.

Yeah … only see TSP in the paint section around here …

 

[Lubener]

I have pretreated with Tide and work it in with a scrub brush just prior to washing. It has worked for me.

 

[Drew7a]

For my wrenching clothes, I use Simple Green added in with the regular laundry detergent.

 

[Astro14]

If they're really bad - scrape off any excess, pre-treat with Simple Green. Works well, but I cut it 4:1 with water. If they're really, really bad, throw them out. I'm not risking a $1,200 HE washer over a set of pants...

For everything else: pre-treat with "Shout". Wash cycle includes pre-wash soak with Chlorox II (not the bleach, the soap pre-wash), hot wash on extended cycle, second rinse. Machine runs for a good 90 minutes.

Then wash a load of my jeans or causal clothes to get rid of any potential smell and/or grease before my wife puts her nice stuff in there.

I used to use Lestoil. It has a slight petroleum smell. Using it reminds me of my days in the Navy, when all of my laundry on board the ship would smell ever so slightly of jet fuel.

My wife doesn't like that reminder...

 

[vwmaniaman]

My son was working at an amusement park on boats and go carts and roller coasters. Very greasy clothes. He would pre treat with Mean Green and tide. Made his clothes presentable.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Regarding the overly greasy coveralls I found a laundromat that reserves two machines for greasy work clothes. It’s five bucks ($3.50 US ) per load. Check around for something similar.

 

[MacManus99]

I have a large tupperware full of 15 year old t-shirts, hoodies, old construction pants, etc. They're disposable at this point.

 

[4WD]

We have an extra machine … a basic full agitation Kenmore for the worst loads … a box of Borax sits above that machine to boost the detergents

 

[spasm3]

I have washed some pants in a bucket first outside, rinse then in the washer. Hand cleaner on bad stains like brake fluid.

 

[PimTac]

I always washed my grimy clothes in the utility sink first. Lots of hot water, detergent soap and a slug of Twenty Mule Team Borax. After a good soak then hand scrub and rinse I would then run them in the washer with the same soap combo.

 

[Pablo]

For my wrenching clothes, I use Simple Green added in with the regular laundry detergent.

Yep. This. In fact the greasy parts, I just pour SG, neat, right on. Allow to sit then wash with extra soap, SG and powdered Oxiclean oxidizer, sometimes followed by nothing but water wash if worried about soap residue.

 

[Fattylocks]

Pre soak in your laundry sink with a heavy on the Dawn dish soap slurry. Works wonders.

 

[Silver]

BABY Oxy Clean.
Goop.

 

[JC1]

Hehe... I washed a load of greasy rags in my wife's washing machine one time. Oh, boy did I get it. I ran that batch of rag a half a dozen times with double the detergent before the smell and residue was mostly gone.

Yeah I wouldnt do that. I don't wanna be the dog house. I normally use the laundry tub (but that can get stained too), but now that I have hot water in the garage I put those clothes in a bucket and wash it in the garage.

 

[wpod]

Over dose on the detergent and hot water.