removing gasoline smell from washer

RRP

Yesterday unbeknownst to me my back pack blower leaked a lot of gasoline and my shirt, tee, jeans and shorts all absorbed it. Pat attempted to wash them and while she got the stains out the smell is still strong - those could be thrown away if need be, but now our washing machine smells of gas. We've looked at some "how to clean" books we have but found nothing. Anybody got any ideas? Right now she's running it with a gallon of vinegar that the ACE clerk suggested, but I have my doubts. Thanks!

Weekend Warrior

Maybe some Arm & Hammer Baking Soda? Works for other stuff.........

Misippi Egger

Not at the same time as the vinegar !!! :ohmy:

AZRP

See what you get for doing yard work. :laugh:-RP

fishlessman

that works for skunk odors outside, might be fun to try indoors :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ron, dont do that :laugh:

Weekend Warrior

haha. Thanks Doc. Guess that would be kind of an explosive combination. hehe

Rolling Egg

The vinegar trick would be my route as well. It's probably going to take quite a few runs to get it out though. After I did a couple vinegar runs I would do a couple with nothing. Then a few with powders. Just my thoughts.

Photo Egg

http://www.bigdind.com/product.aspx?id=BigD4

This stuff is good.

I have used their D Fire One Shot spray and it was amazing. A few years ago a car in my parking garage caught fire and my brand new Subaru was only a few cars away in the direct path of the nearest windows broken open by the Fire Department. My car windows and sun roof both open.
My car with only 2000 miles smelled like soggy burnt rubber and smoke like you would not believe. I put my car in the garage with the windows and hood open and fired off one these cans like a bug bomb.
The next day the smell was near gone. I could not believe how good it worked.
Part of your issue might be the oil-gas mix of your blower?

Good luck,
Darian

Grandpas Grub

 
To that add an equal amount of "Borax" & 1/4 part of citric acid (powder).

1 part Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1 part Borax
1/4 part citric acid
if you want a nice aroma add some drops of essence oil, lemon, orange or whatever aroma you like. The essence is only for the aroma.

Once the wash cycle ends add the same amount to the rinse cycle (the long rinse cycle).

For cleaning, the same formula works excellent on hard water stains & scum. Let the mixture sit on whatever you are washing so it can do it's work. Then rinse & dry.

If the cleaning is being done of cloth add some (not sure of spelling) Fells Bar Soap (grated)

GG

Spring Chicken

I think I would wash and re-wash a load of old towels or something and use lots of soap and hot water, and maybe some vinegar as a rinse. Maybe use a soap that has enzymes.

Soap is about the only thing I know that will attack petroleum products.

Good luck.

Spring "Spic 'n Span" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

Little Steven

RRP,

I would do what Leroy said and add the Zep Citrus Clean that Home Depot carries. It breaks up oil and grease so it should work on gas. It has a nice smell too.

Steve

fishlessman

simple green might work too. when i get stuff like that on my hands i skip the soap and use the lemon joy in the kitchen. do they still make tang :laugh:

Rusty Rooster

Throw in a handfull of coffee grounds. It is what used car dealers use to get cigarett smoke odor out & I know it will get gas or onion off your hands.

Semolina Pilchard

I cut and pasted this from answers.yahoo.com
Good luck with whatever route you take.

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
I used to work for whirlpool and here is the answer we always gave. Fill your washer with HOT water, when the machine stops filling it will be below the "lip" in your washer. (the lip being BELOW the rounded plastic at the top of the wash basin) you need to dump hot water into your wash machine until it is over the lip but is still below the hard rounded plastic.

then dump ONE cup of bleach into the washer and set your washer for the longest wash cycle possible and let it "wash" for about 5 to 10 minutes. after it has "washed" for 5 to 10 minutes push the selector knob (the knob you use to choose your wash cycle) in to stop the cycle and let your washer sit for a about 45 minutes and then pull your selector knob out to let you washer was again for another 5-10 minutes. you will begin to see black stuff and bits of hair and lint floating in the water... this is a VERY good thing!

After it has washed for 5-10 minutes push the knob back in to stop the cycle and let your washer sit for a few hours... preferably over night. In the morning pull the knob out and let the washer complete the remainder of the cycle and it will smell no more!!! I hope this helps good luck!

RRP

Thanks everybody!!! You folks are the greatest circle of cyber friends in the world! Looks like I have so many solutions that I ought to take a 5 gallon can of gas and go soak some more clothes to try them all! :woohoo:

lowercasebill

did not read the othere posts but i agree with your doubts re: vinegar.. you need an organic solvent [i.e. degreaser] gasoline is not soluble in vinegar and the acid won't do much.. i would run a load with either simple green or krud kutter followed but hot wash and rinse with standard laundry detergent.
please let us know what you tried and what worked, good luck . hope you this does not turn out like thenaked whiz and the smoked cheese :laugh:

Mike in Abita

Now you're talking my language. This is what I do for a living, not the washing machine, the gasoline vapors. I design, modify and maintain equipment that scrubs gas vapors from a source anywhere from 10-60% by volume concentration.

What I use is activated carbon, and lots of it. The units hold anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 LBS of the stuff. You would only need a few ounces to remove any vapor you could smell. You can find activated carbon located in filters at your big home repair supply stores. (Lowes/ Home Depot) I have not checked but aquarium charcoal may also be a source of activated carbon. Do not attempt to scatter aquarium charcoal around your washer as it will be very dusty. If you do try the aquarium charcoal then enclose it in an old sock. Give it a few spin cycles and you should be good to go. This will work and then you can just throw the filters away after use. If you actually spilled gasoline into the washer then you might have a hard time washing it out at it will float on water, a good grease cutter might dilute it enough for washing but I would try the filters or loose charcoal first.

hornhonk

No habla engles, senor. :huh:

loco_engr

Update plz

RRP

While there was many helpful hints for all degrees of contamination what worked for us was merely 3 washer loads of some old towels that I use for household chores. The clothes only had a patch about 4" in diameter so it wasn't like they were heavily soiled with the petro and 2 cycle oil mixture. I wasn't even convinced the 3rd time was necessary, but she already had the tub filling. Again thanks to everybody!