How to Get a Gas/Diesel Smell Out of Jeans

Typically made with petroleum fuel oil, gas and diesel -- along with its vapors -- can cause various health problems including nausea, headaches, shortness of breath and skin irritation. In extreme cases, gas and diesel will cause lung damage. When these fuels come in contact with jeans, the fibers quickly absorb the liquid. Even after multiple washings, the fuel odor remains. These odors are not only annoying, but they also have the potential to cause a fire.

Paper towels
Plastic bag
Cloths
Petroleum solvent
Laundry detergent

Instructions

- 1
  Remove any fresh gas or diesel off the jeans by blotting with several paper towels. Throw the paper towels away in a sealed plastic bag.
- 2
  Dampen a cloth with several drops of petroleum solvent and blot the jeans. Continue blotting until you have saturated the area affected by the fuel with the solvent. Rinse the solvent off the jeans by blotting with a cloth dampened with cool water.
- 3
  Turn the washing machine temperature dial to the coldest setting and let the drum begin to fill with water. Add the appropriate amount of laundry detergent -- generally 1/4 cup of detergent -- to the water and submerge the jeans. Do not add any other items to the washing machine unless they too have the fuel odors.
- 4
  Remove the jeans from the washing machine and air-dry. To avoid a fire hazard, do not place the jeans in the dryer until you are sure the odors are no longer present. If the odors remain, repeat the process.

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