gholt

I made the collossal mistake by cleaning off the dirt / oil balls off the derailurer above the carpet. There were a few of the dirt balls that got stuck to the carpet and made a slight stain on the carpet.

Does anyone know what will take the grease off the carpet?

It was philwood oil and was the dirrt from the commute that got caught in the chain. I know the Costco dish soap (Hand wash works well on the hands, but I am for certain it will work well on the carpet. The wife is on vacation this week and I don't want her to find this in the carpet. I will be a dead man.

Any help would be appreciated.

cmherrmann

You can try this, it does amazing things to the floor mats in a car. https://www.turtlewax.com/main.taf?p=2,1,4,16

DallasSoxFan

Simple green as a first shot.

Paint thinner might do okay, but test for colorfastness in an inconspicuous place first.

gholt

OK, thanks. I will try these tonight. Hopefully, it comes out fine. and I would have to explain how it happened.

iforgotmename

Wd 40 worked for me...now I have a piece of cardboard.

Mr IGH

Zylene or Accetone will do wonders on oil stains in synthetic carpet fibers.

Mr Danw

Do not use dish soap on carpet. You won't be able to get all of the soap out of the carpet and it will attract more dirt like a sticky magnet. Any mild solvent will work. Rubbing alcohol will dissolve the oil and not leave a residue. Blot from the edge of the spot to the center, do not scrub under any circumstance as it will distort the fiber. If the spot is very stubborn, apply mild solvent, cover with a clean cloth and pound the heck out of the stain with the heel of your fist.

colleen c

I would try something mild and simple such as 409. Do not just use spray and wipe with towel. It works much better if you scrub it well with a toothe brush until it is foam. Let it sit for a while then spray somemore and scrub again till there is foam on top. Then rinse off and check. If there no result then use the stronger stuff mention such as simple green. There is also Orange by GoJo that is mild. Whatever you use, make sure that you use some kind on fine brush to get down into the carpet. Next time buy one of those black 3x5 industrial rug from Home Depot. The have a soft pile on top for kneeling down and the bottom is plastic. They absorb a lot of liquid if you happen to spill anything on top of it. About $15.

LOL. If all else fail, you can go out and buy the best Persian rug and cover the spot. She might like the rug so much that she may not look under it

Powerarranger

There's a product called Folex which is amazing at getting stains out of carpet. I've never used it for oil stains, but it might surprise you.

CACycling

Folex has saved me (and my sons) from my wife's wrath many times over the years.

DallasSoxFan

+1

gholt

I did not get to it last night, but I will tonight. I think I will try a variety and I think I will invest in one of those rugs for the furture. Thanks again.

CliftonGK1

Careful with the concentration of xylene or acetone that you use around synthetics. Carpet fibers may not be color-fasted well enough to resist that sort of intense solvent.
Plus, enclosed exposure to xylene fumes is toxic.

Artkansas 

I've even seen WD-40 recommended by the pros. Use a little, being careful to take up a bit at a time and not make the spot bigger. Several applications and be patient. Once you have the grease out, then maybe try something like 409 to get the WD-40 out.

mmm12

Goop hand cleaner is very good for getting grease stains out of carpets or clothing. Other brands of hand cleaners might also work. Make sure the carpet is completely dry before applying the goop. Work in a liberal amount with a brush. Clean the goop out with warm water or carpet shampoo. I learned about this when I over-greased a swinging door hinge.

freefallkev

I lucked out by having a roommate who owned a steam cleaner. My bike hasn't made a mess that I haven't been able to steam out. If none of the above suggestions work, maybe you could rent one?

DallasSoxFan

I degrease with WD40 on the bike, so I'd imagine it would be decent off the bike.

MisterJ

Windex is good too.

gholt

Man, I guess I will have a good cleaning time tonight trying all these thinks. Thanks.

imi

gholt: You MUST report back on how it went!

colleen c

There's still the backup plan with the nice Persian rug cover up.....say no Evil, did no Evil.

CACycling

...or just blame it on the pizza delivery guy.

Wake

Call BP and file a claim. I'm sure they have some great ways to remove oil/tar stains.

snafu21

Ronsonol /Zippo lighter fluid and kitchen paper. Works 100%.

(no smoking)

MichaelW

I use a mechanics handcleanser (Swarfega is the UK brand).
I emulsifies oil, grease and other gunk so you can wash it out with soapy water or detergent. Works every time and is harmless to fish or fowl.