How to get diesel fuel smell out of clothes?

[Robert Owens]

I use diesel fuel for my blade lubricant in my mill and am having a difficult time trying to get the smell out of my clothes after a day of sawing. Does anyone know of anything to use with the detergent? We tried a coke (my wife read about that somewhere) with the load of laundry but did not work real well.

[reswire]

Dawn dish washing detergent?  I know it breaks down oil really well. 

[beenthere]

I use a spurt of Simple Green when I pump diesel, and it seems to cut the smell rather well.
Don't have any idea if washing clothes with it would work for you.
I gather your regular washing machine detergent is not cutting the smell. Which laundry detergent isn't working for you?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I really don't know…but what I do know…..I won't put my Diesel clothes in the washer with my wife's dress pants again. 

[Robert Owens]

Ha, ya I learned the hard way to not mix any of my work clothes with the general laundry. My wife was not happy with me. I'll try the dawn and simple green and see how it works. Thanks

[barbender]

I don't know how to get rid of the smell, but I would say if you are using enough diesel for lube to leave you smelling like it, you're using too much. Look around on the forum for some of the felt wiper systems members have made for diesel lube. Cook's makes a system you can buy, too. I'd be surprised if you used a cup of diesel in a full day of sawing with a wiper system.

[levisthered]

Having been around diesel all my life and soaked in it on occasion evaporation is one of the better ways to handle the smell. if they are to bad let them dry a while before you wash them then wash and let them hang on the line for several days.

[drobertson]

It sounds like you got a good dose on your clothes,  I have done it before, not with the lube but inadvertent spills, we have been using a tide knock off,  it comes from the Sam's club, it works for my clothes, and for sure, I have been washing all my clothes separate from the rest, mill clothes are together, and that's all that's in the wash.  It works here, not saying it will work for you but worth a try, And the felt wiper is a better alternative for sure.  I don't use it, but know those that do, it works great for them.

[WDH]

I really don't know…but what I do know…..I won't put my Diesel clothes in the washer with my wife's dress pants again. 

Diesel clothes and wives don't mix. 

[highleadtimber16]

Why would you want to get rid of it? I love the smell of diesel! 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Why would you want to get rid of it? I love the smell of diesel! 

 

[Ohio_Bill]

I really don't know…but what I do know…..I won't put my Diesel clothes in the washer with my wife's dress pants again. 

Did  that once also . Now we have Two washing machines .  His and Hers.

[kelLOGg]

I use it for hair tonic. Gets a lot of attention.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I use it for hair tonic. Gets a lot of attention.

  You're as crazy as me!

[1woodguy]

We have twin washers and dryers also one set is for me and the dogs stuff!

Did  that once also . Now we have Two washing machines .  His and Hers.
[/quote]

[hacknchop]

My wife uses lestoil to get my work clothes clean works really good even cuts through pine pitch and 80/90 gearlube.
As far as bladelube switched over to water pinesol mix cheap and effective cleans and cools.

[goose63]

Lestoil works the best. DO NOT PUT DAWN in the dish washer don't ask me how I know

[kelLOGg]

I use it for hair tonic. Gets a lot of attention.

  You're as crazy as me!

Thank you.
Bob

[WDH]

My daddy always poured diesel on any kind of wound.  He said that it killed germs. 

We had a half grown dog that was chasing a rabbit, and the rabbit ran in between the tines of an up-turned chisel plow.  Well, the dog ran into the chisel plow and cut his head open.  My Daddy poured diesel fuel on the dogs head.

The dog did not make it.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

My daddy always poured diesel on any kind of wound.  He said that it killed germs. 

We had a half grown dog that was chasing a rabbit, and the rabbit ran in between the tines of an up-turned chisel plow.  Well, the dog ran into the chisel plow and cut his head open.  My Daddy poured diesel fuel on the dogs head.

The dog did not make it.

My daddy had a goat one time and he was…………..well never mind.

Poor dog WDH. 

[Chuck White]

My daddy always poured diesel on any kind of wound.  He said that it killed germs. 

We had a half grown dog that was chasing a rabbit, and the rabbit ran in between the tines of an up-turned chisel plow.  Well, the dog ran into the chisel plow and cut his head open.  My Daddy poured diesel fuel on the dogs head.

The dog did not make it.

My daddy had a goat one time and he was…………..well never mind.

Poor dog WDH. 

My daddy had a goat one time and he was…Poston………..well never mind.

[blade69001]

Lestoil works the best. DO NOT PUT DAWN in the dish washer don't ask me how I know

 I hope it wasn't clothes you were putting in the dishwasher!!!!
Sean P.

[goose63]

Nope just dishes that thing started to foam at the mouth  went back to washing by hand

[Jim_Wahl]

I may have mentioned this before. Chlorophyll is supposed to be one of the best of all natural deodorizers, and fresh cow manure is loaded with chlorophyll. I don't know how well that would work with laundry, but I am sure you'll want to rinse that manure out with some gasoline when you are done deodorizing.

[Herb Brooks]

Arm and hammer wash powder and 2 scoops of that Oxy stuff.  My day job involves an occasional diesel dousing.  ymmv. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Ya killing me Chuck.

[Holmes]

I wife has suggested I use gas and flames to get the diesel odor out.

[MortalWombat]

My daddy always poured diesel on any kind of wound.  He said that it killed germs. 

We had a half grown dog that was chasing a rabbit, and the rabbit ran in between the tines of an up-turned chisel plow.  Well, the dog ran into the chisel plow and cut his head open.  My Daddy poured diesel fuel on the dogs head.

The dog did not make it.

But was his head wound germ free?

[Solomon]

I have a diesel drip system also.
 The only time I've gotten fuel on my clothes it fillig the drip tank with a five gallon fuel can instead of a transfer pump. 
 But darned if I can get the smell out on the first trip to the laundry mat.  I dont run them through MY washer dryer thats for sure.

[tule peak timber]

When I fished commercially, the diesel smell faded away nicely after a couple of days of sleeping in fish guts and bait. No problem !

[WDH]

Fish guts are a great deodorizer.  After the fish guts, you can't smell anything else  . 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Fish guts are a great deodorizer.  After the fish guts, you can't smell anything else  .

Thats RANK!

[WDH]

So now a little diesel smell in the clothes don't seem so bad  .

[Robert Owens]

Maybe I have the drip line going too fast. I have a Cooks MP-32 with the wiper system and it works well. I'll slow it down and see what happens. Between my sawmill episodes and trapping season my wife has had all the strange and bad smells she can stand. I'm kind of partial to urine smells and skunk essence. All the more reason to get a shop built and get out of the garage.

[thecfarm]

I probably don't saw as much as you do,but I use half bar and chain and diesel. If I smelled like diesel the wife would have a fit. And than some.

[Banjo picker]

Maybe I have the drip line going too fast. I have a Cooks MP-32 with the wiper system and it works well. I'll slow it down and see what happens. Between my sawmill episodes and trapping season my wife has had all the strange and bad smells she can stand. I'm kind of partial to urine smells and skunk essence. All the more reason to get a shop built and get out of the garage.

If the mp32 has the same wiper system as my ac 36 you are using way too much...Keep a look at the blade and the wheel if its clean...that's enough.  You don't want excess diesel on the wood or you.  Banjo

[tule peak timber]

Fish guts are a great deodorizer.  After the fish guts, you can't smell anything else  .

Thats RANK!My wife is just now remembering how week old squid was almost a deal breaker. That and mixed with diesel......

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I always wore coveralls when I worked as a DIESEL FITTER.

[willmyers0169]

i had the same problem with fry oil after a day of cooking, washing in regular detergent wouldnt touch the smell, so i used 1/4 cup of blue dawn, about a cup of vinegar probly a 1/2 cup of baking soda and some regular detergent, with the hottest water i could get.  then i rewashed them on a normal cycle with normal detergent, gone.

[Nate379]

I just toss diesel soaked clothes in the wash with the regular clothes, come out clean and don't smell.

Also wash rags in the washer.  Have grease, oil, diesel, gas, whatever on them.  Usually run those through twice though.

Not like having diesel smelling clothes is a bad thing though.  I tell people that's what a working man is supposed to smell like... diesel/gas, grease, exhaust, etc.

[bandmiller2]

As stated, if your getting diesel all over your clothes your using/wasting too much use a wick and just apply a sheen of diesel no drips. I quit using diesel on my bands too expensive now I use used ATF, wick applied. Worked with diesel all my life don't find it offensive unless I'am soaked in it. Frank C.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I bought one of those bulb primers from WM for my diesel fuel line, this eliminated most of my diesel down the shirt collar problem. 

[Banjo picker]

As stated, if your getting diesel all over your clothes your using/wasting too much use a wick and just apply a sheen of diesel no drips. I quit using diesel on my bands too expensive now I use used ATF, wick applied. Worked with diesel all my life don't find it offensive unless I'am soaked in it. Frank C.

Where do you get the used ATF?  Banjo

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Frank, I'l bet your joints move like a teenagers. 

[bandmiller2]

Alas Poston those days of my youth are but a faint memory. I changed the oil in my tranny and saved it looked nice and clean. Take a few nice wood blocks to a transmission shop and you should come out with years supply of nice ATF. If its a nice red color fine if brown leave it. Frank C.

[Sixacresand]

I always wore coveralls when I worked as a DIESEL FITTER.

Post, Is that the job you had at the women's clothing factory?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I always wore coveralls when I worked as a DIESEL FITTER.

Post, Is that the job you had at the women's clothing factory?

Yep……waiting to see who caught on.  You win the ribbon. 

[redprospector]

 
Yep, diesel fitter. 

[Sixacresand]

I was once the guy who followed the guy with the chainsaw cutting up pulp wood.  I was the "pilot".  He cut it up and I pile it. 

[FarmingSawyer]

When I was working at the sawmill courting the sawyers daughter...Mama made me a quilted comforter for my bachelor bed out of jeans pockets. One of the patches was from the old boys work pants...and smelled like diesel. Well, we got married and divorced and one of the girls still has that comforter, cuase her Gran made it fer me. And yes, if you put your nose reel close to dark colored pocket......it still smells like diesel. Never bothered me cause it always seemed like I ended up using the stuff as mouth wash working around the mill.....

[Robert Owens]

Ok, so today I slowed the diesel drip way down while cutting pine and did not notice any difference with the blade staying clean. I did have a little bit of build up on the band wheels but at the end of the day when I was cleaning the mill it wiped off fairly easy. No smell on the clothes either, so I guess I was using too much on the wiping system. Good lesson learned. Now if I could just Gertrude a fur shed built my wife would have nothing to complain about.

[Robert Owens]

Meant if I can just get a fur shed built. Don't know where the Gertrude came from. Thanks for all the help.

[FarmingSawyer]

Meant if I can just get a fur shed built. Don't know where the Gertrude came from. Thanks for all the help.

Well now.....Perhaps ole Gert might take offense...... Coulda been yer wife's name....or your Mill's. I don't use it often, but I call my mill "Millhouse" when necessary.....or *@$*@&*#!!!

I think

Gertrude a fur shed

could just be a new Sawyer's euphemism for something or other.....
 

[Banjo picker]

That was my aunts name.  We just called her aunt Gerty.