How do you remove silicone based lube from fabric?

November 8, 2004 2:24 PM

How do you remove silicone based lube from clothing/sheets/cotton based material? Traditional stain removers have not helped. Ammonia was suggested, but I've no clue what that would entail doing and whether everything I owned was destined to smell like that forever.
posted by pieoverdone to clothing, beauty, & fashion (7 comments total)

Overdid it a bit eh?

Try a silicone valet.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 3:24 PM on November 8, 2004

Ammonia is basically a degreaser and, since it's very volatile, is quickly gone from things instead of hanging around to scent them. But, since a silicone lube is not just oily, I'm not sure that's where I'd begin. You might consider one of the citrus degreasers, which tend to mobilize things better, and doing a wipe-in, paper towel off for a few reps, then laundering in hot water. It'll probably take a few repeats. Don't wash anything else with this load, either, since it's common for silicone to just spread, not go away.
posted by salt at 4:53 PM on November 8, 2004

You might try dry cleaning fluid - this sort of stain just screams out for a good solvent.
posted by caddis at 11:09 PM on November 8, 2004

No help to offer, but " How do you remove silicone based lube from clothing/sheets/cotton based material? " has to be one of my favourite AskMe questions in a while!
posted by sixdifferentways at 11:21 PM on November 8, 2004

They still make silicone-based lube?
posted by agregoli at 7:09 AM on November 9, 2004

Yeah drycleaning fluid (perc, trike or chloroform). It's the only consumer product that can really remove silicone lubes.

Water washing will not be effective: soaps and detergents won't touch it. If you already have, don't fuss, silicone won't fix in fabric. Ammonia won't work on silicones either. It's ok for fatty acids, but won't touch true non-polars.

Take the sheets to your cleaner.
posted by bonehead at 7:10 AM on November 9, 2004

They still make silicone-based lube?

Yep, good stuff for the shower.

Dry cleaning as others have said. They may not be able to completely remove the stain if it manifests itself as a change in sheen. I've got some sheets that we were able to get the colour change out but from the right angle the former stain area is sort of shiny.

PS: keep this stuff away from anything you may want to paint/stain in the future. I got some on some unstained furniture and later it was like trying to stain a piece of glass.
posted by Mitheral at 11:16 AM on November 9, 2004