How To Get Tar Out Of Clothes

Removing Tar from Clothing

Removing Tar from Clothing, Removing Tar from Upholstery, Removing Tar from Aluminum Siding

Whether it's from working on a roof, the roads, or just by accident, if you get tar on your clothes it's very difficult to get out. Get your clothes back to looking good by getting rid of the tar stain. This is a page about removing tar from clothing.

Solutions

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Tip: Removing Tar From Fabric

October 26, 2018

Use GoJo, Fast Orange, or similar products which are hand cleaners used to dissolve oils or grease. Moisten BOTH sides of the fabric to loosen, dissolve and disperse stain. Work both sides of fabric simultaneously and gently let the product break up the stain.

Do not overrub or break down the fabric. When stain has dissolved, wash immediately as normal.

Tip: Removing Tar and Black Oil from Clothing

August 20, 2013

Use machine or any white oil to remove tar or black oil from clothing. Just lay it out flat, soak in oil and gently scrape the tar.

Keep it soaked in the oil and rub. When out, wash well in suds.

13 Questions

Ask a QuestionHere are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question.

Question: Getting Tar Out of Clothing?

I need to know how to get road tar out of cotton jeans and 100% micropolyester.

Lucretia from Oklahoma

Answers

April 6, 2004 0 found this helpful

This is from the University of Minnesota Extention Service:

Removing Tar Stains

Once fibers are exposed to tar, whether it be a garment or carpet and rugs, it is often impossible to remove. If tar is in the vicinity, it is best to use every precaution to avoid getting it onto fabric or carpet.

You may wish to attempt to treat the tar stain. If the fabric is dry cleanable, gently scrap off the excess with a dull knife or spoon, taking care not to damage the fibers, then take to the dry cleaner. Be sure to identify the stain for the professional cleaner.

If the fabric is washable, place the stain face down onto paper towels or old bath towels or clean rags. Sponge the stain with a non-flammable dry cleaning solvent, flush with the solvent, and air dry completely. If using a powdered detergent, sponge the stain with water to wet it. Apply a paste of powdered detergent and water to the stained area. If you are using a liquid detergent, let the fabric dry completely, then apply liquid detergent directly to the dry fabric.

If the stain remains, try a bleach that is safe for the fabric. Test the bleach for colorfastness on an inconspicuous area such as seam allowance or hem area.

Then launder the fabric as usual, using the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

By joyann (Guest Post)

May 21, 2004 0 found this helpful

Try the concentrated orange based cleaner Goo Gone. There are several kinds but this is the most popular name brand. It will say 'removes tar' on the lable. I get it at Rite Aid for about $5. This stuff is amazing at getting out all kinds of stains and spots. It will also remove tar from cars and floors.

By Nadia (Guest Post)

May 24, 2004 0 found this helpful

What is the best cleaning solvent to use.. dichloromethane, turpentine, methano, isopropanol, or ethylene chloride?

By guest (Guest Post)

August 28, 2004 0 found this helpful

Drycleaning works great for tar of any sort, but if you want to avoid the cost. try lestoil or something called "no. 7 tar & bug remover" found in hardware stores. It smells but works like a charm and cleans with a normal cleaner afterward to rid the smell...

works on clothes, shoes, hard floors of all kinds. Be careful with hardwood, but I did it and it was fine.

By (Guest Post)

September 16, 2004 0 found this helpful

use gain bleech

By delores (Guest Post)

November 5, 2004 0 found this helpful

i need to get tar out of my dryer

By (Guest Post)

November 8, 2004 0 found this helpful

tar in your dyer; try some CLR to remover the tar from your dyer or bug and tar remover for cars.

By Kelley (Guest Post)

June 26, 2007 0 found this helpful

My fiance had a big black tar smudge right down his butt. In a very bad spot I might add.... So I tried 2 things to get it out. 1st I tried the dryel pre stain remover. Worked a little but definitely not enough. 2nd I tried Goof Off - WORKED GREAT. I used the pads that you get with the dryel to make sure it didn't go through the the other side, then saturated it, with goof off. Rubbing doesn't work but Patting and strong firm pressure dabbing did. Good Luck with whatever you got it on.

By Joanne (Guest Post)

November 14, 2007 0 found this helpful

I used nail polish to remove tar off my dining room chair. You have to rub it a little with a scourer but it works.

By duncan fox (Guest Post)

January 1, 2008 1 found this helpful

Suits, jackets/pants with dry clean only label should be cautious to follow instructions to avoid side affects after using home products bought at store. Especially on white or black colors.

The stain may come out but you have a 85% chance of color change. A costly suit should go to the cleaners so they have to pay for damages if there are problems.

Reply Was this helpful? 1

Question: Removing Tar from Clothing?

October 6, 2009

My grandson got fresh asphalt/tar on an expensive football jersey. Any ideas on how to get it out without ruining the shirt?

By Tammy from LA

Answers

October 8, 2009 0 found this helpful

My son used to be tar boy for a roofing company. He found that the drycleaners would run his pants through the old cleaning fluid before they discarded it.

October 9, 2009 0 found this helpful

I use Lestoil to remove tar and alot of other kinds of stains.

Question: Removing Pine Tar from Clothing?

May 15, 2010

How do I get pine tar off a baseball uniform that has already been washed?

By Susan Johnston from Louisville, KY

Answers

May 16, 2010 0 found this helpful

Sometimes Pine-Sol cleaner works as a spot treatment. I have had success with it before. Dilute with a bit of water, put on stain, let soak overnight and wash. Good luck.

May 17, 2010 0 found this helpful

I used to use clear Karo Syrup for this. I've also heard WD40 works well. I would try both and see what works. Don't put the clothes in the dryer until the stain is gone.

Answer this Question

Answers:

Removing Tar from carpet

Mega thanks to this site and the useful info, it has saved me buying a new carpet. WD 40 did a grand job. Thanks for all the useful info. (07/31/2008)

By Lesley

Removing Tar from Clothing

I used Fast Orange and it saved my shirt and a $40 pair of kids jeans. (11/29/2008)

By Tom

Archive: Removing Tar from Clothing

How can I get tar out of clothes and shoes?

Linda from Norfolk, MA

Answers:

Removing Tar from Clothing

Long ago when my 50 year old son was in middle school he walked barefoot over a newly paved parking lot and got tar all over his feet. He promptly jumped in the shower and got it all over the tub. I scrubbed it out as best I could before getting in my Avon Skin so Soft oil bath. When I released my bath water I discovered a clean, tar free tub. I never would have thought of it on my own. One of the best accidents I ever had. (08/31/2007)

By Marty Dick

Removing Tar from Clothing

I got a bunch of tar stains on the leg of my jeans. The original tar used in manufacturing for waterproofing the door got on my jeans and I had not noticed until I was finished. I thought, this will never come out. I figured regular laundry detergent alone would not be good enough. I thought I might need a really tough fabric cleaner. Lo and behold, I had it already in the trunk of my car.
'ARMORALL Multi-Purpose Auto Cleaner'. It's designed to clean all surfaces PLUS fabric and upholstery. I've had good success using it in my car. I sprayed it directly on the tar spots and began to rub the material together. The tar began to come out immediately. A repeat a couple more times and the tar was gone. I put them in the washing machine with some ALL laundry detergent, and just like that the tar was gone with no fade or fabric discoloration. I must note that I think that 'ArmorAll' makes many products but I can not speak on any of those products. In this case The product that I used was the 'Multi-Purpose Auto Cleaner' it comes in a white pump spray bottle with a a blue and black label and it is designed for use on fabric. (09/09/2007)

By joe from S.F.

Removing Tar from Clothing

Thanks for all the great ideas. We're a US Air Force family assigned in Israel. My wife got a large "glob" of tar on her new bathing suit while sitting on the beach yesterday. We thought all was lost. We're an "earth-friendly" / organic family, so I opted for the simple solutions. Julie's olive oil remedy worked like magic. Many thanks. (09/22/2007)

By CLARK

Removing Tar from Clothing

WD40 worked on my jeans with no problems. It took some of the color out of my nylon jacket which had some kind of oil/grease stain though. A pale spot still looks better than a black spot though. (01/10/2008)

By Don.

Removing Tar from Clothing

Fast Orange hand cleaner removed tar from the cloth seats of my new Jeep! Thanks for the tip (04/19/2008)

By Ken

Removing Tar from Clothing

I used a dab of WD40 (05/11/2008)

By brandon

Removing Tar from Clothing

Great advice. I had discovered the tar after I washed my pants. I used the waterless hand cleaner and then a couple shots of the WD-40 and it came out! Woohoo. Your advice rocks! Thank you. (05/28/2008)

By Carina

Removing Tar from Clothing

WOW! My boyfriend wore a new t-shirt to a flat-roofing course and got tar on it. He thought it was ruined, but I used WD-40 and it worked amazingly! Got it right out after a good soapy-water scrub afterwards! Thanks so much! (06/19/2008)

By Jordan