How to Get Oil Out of Wood

Oil is one of the most difficult substances to remove from wood. Unlike water, which dries easily, or paint, which stays on the surface, oil can permeate the wood, making its removal much more difficult. It is possible to clean oil from wood floors and furniture in a few steps, but it's important to clean the wood as soon as possible after you notice the stain. The longer the oil remains on the wood, the harder your job will be.

Paper towels
Newspaper
Paint can
Dry cleaning fluid
Rubber gloves
Mineral spirits
Cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Blot the oil stain with paper towels as soon as possible. Do not wipe the oil, as this could make the stain worse.
- 2
  Place a dry newspaper over the oil stain and weigh the paper down with a can of paint or other heavy object. This helps absorbs more oil and should make the removal easier. Allow the newspaper to soak up the oil for about 10 minutes.
- 3
  Spray dry cleaning fluid, available in hardware stores, over the stain. Wait for at least five minutes and check the stain. Reapply the fluid if marks remain.
- 4
  Use mineral spirits if the dry cleaning fluid was not effective. Put on rubber gloves and apply mineral spirits, available at hardware stores, to a clean cloth. Rub the cloth over the stain using force. Allow the area to dry. Reapply if necessary.

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