How to Get Tar Out of Clothes: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve gotten road or roofing tar or asphalt on your clothes, don’t despair. Tar can sometimes be tricky to remove, but with a bit of patience and some heavy-duty laundry detergent, your clothes can look like new again. In this article, we’ll teach you how to remove tar and asphalt from clothing with laundry detergent as well as several household items. Plus, learn when you should see a professional cleaner and how to remove tar from carpet and upholstery.

How to Get Tar Off Clothes

Hold a bag of ice on the tar so it freezes and hardens.
Scrape as much hardened tar off the clothes as possible with a dull knife.
Scrub the clothes with an enzyme-based stain remover.
Pretreat the garment with a heavy-duty enzyme-based laundry detergent.
Wash the clothes as usual and let air dry.

Section 1 of 4:

Best Way to Remove Tar & Asphalt from Clothes

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1
Harden the tar with ice. If the tar is still wet or there is a large glob stuck to the fabric, put some ice cubes in a plastic bag and hold it on the stain to freeze and harden the tar. Check periodically to see how it’s coming along, and only remove the ice once the tar is brittle and hard all throughout.^{[1]
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- Do not attempt to remove tar while it’s still wet, as this will only push it deeper into the fibers.
- If you don’t have ice, a bag of frozen vegetables will also work. Just remember to discard it afterwards.
- To protect yourself from fumes, wear gloves and a face mask when handling wet tar.
2
Scrape off as much tar as possible with a dull knife. Once the tar or asphalt is completely frozen, use a dull knife (like a butter knife or case knife), the edge of a spoon, or a scraper tool to gently scrape it off the fabric. Be careful not to scrape too hard or you could damage the fibers. If the residue is too hard to remove, rub some petroleum jelly on the asphalt and wait a few minutes before you continue scraping.^{[2]
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- If the stain is small, it may be possible to pick it off with your fingernail. This could be messy if it hasn’t hardened completely, though.
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3
Apply an enzyme-based stain remover. Enzyme stain removers or pre-treaters help break down the oily components in tar.^{[3]
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Research source} Follow your stain remover’s instructions to apply it directly to the tar stain. Work it in with a soft-bristled brush. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes so it has time to start breaking down the stain.
- Before applying the stain remover, test it on an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn’t affect the color of your garment.
4
Pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty, enzyme-based detergent. Tar and asphalt stains are oil-based, so pretreating with both an enzyme-based stain remover and enzyme-based laundry detergent is your best bet for removing them.^{[4]
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Research source} Pour the detergent directly onto the stain and scrub it with a soft-bristle brush to work it into the fabric. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse the stain with warm water.
- For extra cleaning power, add some hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to the detergent.
5
Wash the garment according to its care label. Check the garment’s care label tag to find out what temperature water it can be washed in. Then, launder it as you normally would in the hottest water possible, using the enzyme-based detergent. Do not put the garment in the dryer unless you’re 100% certain the stain is gone. Allow it to air dry to avoid setting any part of the stain that wasn’t completely removed.^{[5]
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- Laundry specialist Ayad Mirjan says to properly air dry clothes, “Hang your clothes on a clothes rack in a well ventilated room. If you have a ceiling fan, place your clothes immediately underneath the fan, ensuring the clothes are separated and not layered on top of each other. A floor fan can work just as well if you rotate the clothes rack to ensure every garment gets its share of the blowing air.”
6
Treat discoloration with a bleach solution (optional). If the stain remains after washing, mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach and water, following the product’s instructions to determine how much bleach to add per gallon of water. Then, submerge the garment in the solution and let it soak for at least 8 hours. If the stain is gone, wash as usual. If not, repeat the soaking process.^{[6]
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- Do not mix bleach with any other chemicals. Wear gloves to protect your hands and work in a well-ventilated area.
- Test an inconspicuous area first to make sure the bleach won’t discolor your clothes.

Section 2 of 4:

Removing Tar & Asphalt with Household Products

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1
Use WD-40 to dissolve tar. Take the stained clothes outside or to a well-ventilated area. Spray the affected area with WD-40 or a similar penetrating oil, then dab the stain with a clean cloth or paper towel, working from the outside of the stain toward the center. Then, wash the garment as usual.^{[7]
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- WD-40 can stain some fabrics, so be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area first.
- WD-40 is flammable, so do not use it near an open flame.
If the tar doesn’t come out in the wash, mix some baking soda with a little bit of water and stir it until it forms a thick paste.^{[8]
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Research source} Apply the paste directly to the tar stain, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then, wash the garment as usual.
3
Apply lamp oil or kerosene to break down tar. Lamp oil (not gasoline), white kerosene, and similar products can often loosen and dissolve tar due to their oil-based composition.^{[9]
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Research source} Take the garment outside or into a well-ventilated area and dab some lamp oil onto a clean cloth or paper towel. Then, gently blot the asphalt or tar until it comes up. When you’ve removed as much as possible, thoroughly rinse the garment, then pretreat it with an enzyme-based laundry detergent before washing as usual.
- Similar products include paint thinner, mineral spirits, turpentine, rubbing alcohol, and acetone (nail polish remover).
- These products are highly flammable, so do not use them near an open flame. Do not put the garment in the dryer either—allow it to air dry instead.
- These products may also stain some fabrics, so test them in an inconspicuous area first.
Club soda is a great way to clean up liquids before a stain has time to set.^{[10]
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Research source} If the tar is still wet, pour the club soda directly onto the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, then use a clean cloth or paper towel to gently blot the tar up. Once you’ve removed as much as possible, wash the garment as usual with an enzyme-based laundry detergent.
5
Try peanut butter for a natural remedy. As odd as it sounds, peanut butter can sometimes successfully remove tar from fabric and other materials.^{[11]
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Research source} Spread a thin layer of creamy (not chunky) peanut butter on the stained area and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, use a clean cloth to gently rub the peanut butter deeper into the tar, using circular motions. The oils within the peanut butter should cause the tar to loosen. Flush the stain with warm water, wipe off the remaining residue, then wash the garment as usual.
- Note that this method may not always work and other solutions may be more effective.
- Because peanut butter contains oil, there is a chance it could stain the fabric. Test it in an inconspicuous area to make sure it’s safe to use.
6
Use other oil-based products on small stains. There are several home remedies that can sometimes get tar off of clothes. Be sure to test your preferred product on an inconspicuous area, then coat it on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes before blotting it with a clean paper towel or cloth. Then, rinse and wash the garment as usual with an enzyme-based detergent. Here are a few products to consider:^{[12]
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- Warmed (not hot) lard, bacon grease, or chicken fat drippings
- Vaseline, petroleum jelly, chest vapor rub, or mineral oil
- Automobile tar and bug remover
- Vegetable oil or baby oil
- Orange hand cleaner or citrus degreaser
- Goo Gone or a similar product

Section 3 of 4:

When to Call a Professional

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Dry cleaners and laundry specialists often have access to tools and cleaning solutions unavailable to the public, so they may have a better chance at removing tough stains. Take your stained clothes to the dry cleaner if none of the cleaning methods above worked or if the item is dry clean only or you don’t want to risk damaging it.

Section 4 of 4:

Getting Tar Out of Carpet & Upholstery

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Apply a dry-cleaning solvent to the tar or asphalt stain. First scrape off as much of the tar from the carpet or upholstery as possible, using a dull knife, the edge of a spoon, or another scraping tool. Apply a dry-cleaning solvent to the stain according to the solvent’s instructions, and blot the area with a clean white cloth until the stain is absorbed.^{[13]
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- If the stain remains on carpet, mix 1 tbsp (15 ml) dish soap, 1 tbsp (15 ml) of white vinegar, and 2 cups (473 ml) of warm water. Sponge the solution onto the stain until the liquid is absorbed, then sponge the area with clean, cold water and blot it dry.
- Make sure the dry-cleaning solvent you choose is appropriate for the material you’re cleaning.

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Question

Where do I buy automobile bug and tar remover?

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Any place that sells auto products should have it. Try parts houses, Walmart's auto section, and maybe even your grocery store.

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Can I put WD-40 or any other product on my sweater that has a tar spot?

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Yes. If the spot is small, get as much as you can off manually, spray, then dab with an absorbent material. The WD40 will thin the stain, and it could enlarge the stain area; keep spraying and blotting, and you should win.

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How do I remove a small amount of road tar from my carpet in the house?

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If it is just on a few fibers you can trim the fiber of the carpet, otherwise use Endust dusting spray. Saturate the area, then blot, rubbing only slightly to avoid fraying the fiber. After that use a detergent to remove the Endust, such as a dot of dish detergent and water. Rinse, and then use isopropyl alcohol to help dry the carpet. Test first in an inconspicuous spot for colorfastness.

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If you get tar on your skin, apply a baking soda paste or exfoliant to remove it. Then, disinfect and bandage any raw areas of skin.

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Warnings

Do not breathe in the fumes of any volatile or flammable cleaners, and do not use them near a flame, cigarette, etc.

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Do not expose the fabric to heat until the stains have been removed, or they may set further.

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Seek medical advice and assistance if any chemical (including solvents and detergents) come in contact with your eyes.

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