Removing motor oil from leather boots is none less than a challenge. Everything made of leather seems beautiful, but leather products will give you a tough time when it comes to cleaning.
Leather requires extra care; you can’t brush or scrub it hard because it will damage, taking care of its color, keeping it moisturized, and away from mildew.
Good news: we have spent hours trying, testing, and researching how to remove motor oil from leather boots, and we are too excited to share it with you too, so let’s go!
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Ways to Remove Motor Oil from Leather Boots
Gasoline-smelling toxic motor oil brings with itself two problems when it spills on leather: stains and smell. Fortunately, we have tested some super-handy techniques to remove tough motor oil stains and nasty odors from your leather boots.
How to Remove Motor Oil Stains from Leather Boots
We have researched and compiled nine different handy methods to get rid of motor oil stains quickly, so let’s check them out.
Method 1:
As soon as the oil spills, clean the affected area with a clean cloth. Make sure to get rid of as much oil as you can. Now, sprinkle baking soda onto the affected area and rub it gently. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
When you see it dry, brush off the baking soda and clean it with a microfiber cloth. You can also use talcum powder or cornstarch as an alternative to baking soda.
Method 2 :
In a bowl, mix half a liter of hot water with 2 tbsp shampoo. Take a clean microfiber cloth, dip in the solution and gently rub off the oil stains. If you feel the soap is in excess, remove it with a wet cloth.
Method 3:
Mix 3 tbsp of liquid soap in a bowl of warm water. Dip the sponge in it and start rubbing the affected area gently. If stains are tough, put liquid soap directly on the sponge to wipe it off.
Method 4:
Dip the brush and eraser from the leather cleaning kit into warm water and rub off as much motor oil as you can. Take a toothbrush, dip it in dishwashing liquid and gently rub it on the affected area in a circular motion.
Make sure you have cleaned it as much as possible. Now, sprinkle cornstarch on the affected area and let it dry overnight. Once dried, brush off excess cornstarch. The engine oil stain will disappear.
Method 5:
Mix 1 tbsp of white vinegar into 1 cup water. Drip sponge, cotton ball, or microfiber cloth into the solution and rub the area gently. This method will not only help lighten the stain but will also act as a leather conditioner.
Method 6:
Gently rub acetone onto the motor oil stain. This technique may greatly help lighten engine oil color. However, using acetone may dry up the leather, so you have to use a leather conditioner afterward.
Method 7:
Dry clean the boots thoroughly to get rid of tough engine oil stains.
Method 8:
Take a banana peel and gently rub it on the affected area. Wipe it with a clean, microfiber cloth and dry it.
Method 9:
Mix vinegar and linseed oil in 1:2. Dip a soft cloth into the solution and gently rub it on the affected area. Clean it with a wet cloth and dry it.
Method 10:
For tougher motor oil stains, you can use leather degreasers accompanied by a cleansing agent and protective spray.
How to Remove Motor Oil Smell from Leather Boots
Apart from those stains, motor oil leaves a nasty smell in leather boots. We have tested and combined four ways to help you get rid of the smell.
- Leather degreasers come with odor absorbing quality to so you can just apply the degreaser rub, clean, and repeat until the smell goes away
- Dip microfibre cloth, sponge, or cotton balls in vanilla essence and apply it to the affected area.
- When motor oil spills, clean the affected area and let it dry. Put on it odor-absorbing powders like baking soda. Repeat until the smells go away.
- Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar into one cup of water. Dip the sponge or microfiber cloth in it and clean the affected area.
The vinegar’s smell will exchange motor oil’s aroma and will go away in one day. Now, sprinkle baking soda or odor-absorbing powder on the area and let it dry.
Read our comprehensive guide on engine oil’s smell here.
How to Make Leather Degreaser: DIY Hack
Not everyone can afford those expensive leather degreasers, and why buy one when you can create it at home? Yes, presenting you with a super-handy DIY leather degreaser.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Baking Soda | 1 Tbsp |
| White Powder | ½ Tbsp |
| Salt | ½ Tsp |
| Water | ¼ Cup |
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and form a thick paste. Now, gently rub the paste on the affected area and wipe with a clean wet cloth.
Tip: Do a color test by applying this formula on a small piece of leather to make sure it won’t let leather’s color fade off.
You can use a mixture of water and vinegar, lemon juice and cream of tartar, vinegar, and linseed oil in 1:2 as an alternative to salt and water in the formula above.
Read our guide on how to recycle used motor oil at home.
Tips to Remove Motor Oil from Leather
Leather is delicate, so you need to follow these tips before removing motor oil from leather.
- Make sure to clean oil on the leather boots as soon as its spills. You can later apply the methods above to lighten the stains.
- Use a microfiber cloth, a sponge, or a brush with soft bristles to rub the leather. This is because stiff bristles can destroy the leather.
- Avoid scrubbing vigorously even if you are doing it with a soft cloth or brush.
- Leather is textured, just like trees. Make sure you apply the cleaning products, degreasers, or the formulas mentioned above in the texture direction. If you can’t find the direction, use the recipe from outside the stain to its center.
- If the leather boots have a protective finish use, water-based leather cleaners, make sure you follow the package guidelines.
- If you are buying leather boots for daily use, keep in mind that they are more prone to stains. We recommend you to purchase dark-colored leather boots because lighter colors won’t show up there.
- Never use soap on leather. This is because leather is porous and contains oils. Soap is alkaline; thus, it will suck up the oils, making leather boots dryer and discoloring them.
How to Maintain Leather Boots
Leather boots are difficult to clean and maintain their original condition, especially if you’re using them daily. This is why, for some people, these shoes will only last a year or even less.
Don’t worry that won’t be the case with you. We have bought you a daily maintenance guide for your leather boots, so make sure you stick around.
Dust and grit may damage your leather boots. Treat them with leather cleaners. They help your shoes moisturize.
Use leather conditioners for brittle leather on boots. These conditioners help increase its breathability. You can also use leather lotions to keep the leather moisturized and new.
For daily uses, use a shoeshine brush and a shoe polish to treat your boots. These brushes’ bristles are soft and made of horsehair that won’t damage the boot’s leather.
There are two types of shoe polish; wax shoe polish and cream polish. If you want to restore shine, use wax polish. Else, if you’re going to fix the color of boots, use cream polish.
Prevent Motor Oil Stains on Leather Boots
The best way to treat motor oil stains is by preventing them in the first place. No matter how hard you try, the boots don’t look like new ones once they are caked with motor oil, so the best you can do is prevent any engine oil spills.
When buying, choose the shoes that come with protection, especially if you buy them for daily use. Else, you can use a protective spray as a finish once you are done cleaning leather boots. Repeat spraying protective spray every few months.
Precautionary Measures Before Treating Leather Boots
Now when you are all satisfied and excited to follow these methods to remove motor oil from leather boots, let us explain some preventive measures, so you perform them well.
- Do not use products that contain silicone as they will break down oils in leather.
- Whatever method you choose, make sure to apply it onto a small patch to check if it fades color or not.
- Put a small drop of water on the leather to check if it damages the leather. If it does, do not use any method that requires the use of water.
- Do not use baby wipes for cleaning motor oil. They are highly alkaline and can destroy the leather.
- Do not use soap, toothpaste, sanitizer, or hairspray on it.
That’s It!
Removing motor oil stains from leather boots is no longer a nightmare. These tried-and-tested methods will not only help you remove motor oil stains but also its nasty smell.
Make sure to take the necessary precautions while performing the methods above. Moisturize and clean your leather boots regularly to maintain their shine and keep them new.