Is my washer causing clear oil stains?

July 13, 2009 7:44 PM

I know that if a Chapstick goes through the wash, it will stain my clothes, but could identical stains be indicative of a washing machine malfunction? The stains in question look just like baby-oil stains, not grease or motor-oil. The research I've done so far suggests that a washing machine seal break or leak would result in a dirtier type stain, more grease-like. We don't use any kind of fabric softener or dryer sheets, so I've ruled those out. Thanks in advance!
posted by Tim McDonough to home & garden (4 answers total)

I get these, and the best explanation I've been able to come up with is that it might be splashes from (hand) washing oily dishes. I have not found a solution, except maybe to wear an apron.
posted by rhizome at 8:24 PM on July 13, 2009

A judicious application of Spray-n-wash should cure the stains (let it soak as long as possible, without letting it dry).

Do you use a shared washer-dryer? Maybe it is residue from a previous user's cheap dryer sheets.

Are the stains in a certain location on the clothes? Or random? How are they shaped? Little splotches, or streaky tie-dye looking things?
posted by gjc at 6:23 AM on July 14, 2009

What kind of washer do you have? If it's a high-efficiency front-loader, there might be some water left inside from previous loads of laundry (my Maytag Neptune does this; apparently it's part of the design, not a malfunction). If there was oil on some things you washed a batch or 2 ago, it might be floating around on that water and depositing on your clothes.

I see these oily spots on certain fabrics after I've washed oily aprons and kitchen towels, or rags used with Pine-Sol. The spots only show up on shiny fabrics like silk and polyester satins, not on matte fabrics (cotton, flannel, etc).

So think about possible sources of oil/grease on laundry items, including some non-obvious ones like pillowcases (sorry to be gross, but hair can get rather greasy; also some hair conditioners include silicones, which can be hard to get out of fabric).

My solution is kind of a pain, but I keep track of potentially oily items and make sure that no shiny fabrics go into the next batch or 2 of laundry. It takes a couple of loads for the oil to get completely flushed out of the system, but eventually it's safe to go back in the washer.
posted by Quietgal at 7:44 AM on July 14, 2009

My daughter's washer did this also and it was tracked down to oil from the machine, seeping in because its tub seal was faulty. She had just bought the machine (top loader) and the dealer replaced it immediately. YMMV.
posted by Lynsey at 12:46 PM on July 14, 2009