How to Get Gasoline Smell Out of Clothes Safely

Hang gasoline-soaked clothes outside to air dry before you wash them, and keep them out of the dryer: gasoline gives off vapor that can ignite at temperatures as low as -45°F (NIOSH; NFPA). Once aired, blot, sprinkle with baking soda, pretreat with dish soap, soak in warm water and hand wash (Whirlpool).

Repeat until no fuel smell is left. Only then is a garment ready for a machine, and many washer makers say it should stay out of machines for good (Maytag).

Key takeaways

Never put clothes that smell of gasoline in a washer or dryer: the vapor can ignite or explode.
Air them outdoors, away from flames and sparks, until dry and the smell has faded.
Blot, cover with baking soda for 24 hours, pretreat for 10 minutes, then soak 30 minutes in warm water.
Hand wash with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and repeat until no fuel smell remains; line dry.
Never mix ammonia or vinegar with chlorine bleach, and throw out clothes that were fully soaked in fuel.

Is it safe to wash clothes with gasoline on them?

No, not while they still smell of fuel. Gasoline is a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons with a flash point of -45°F, the lowest temperature at which its vapor can catch fire (NIOSH). CCOHS adds that it can ignite at room temperature, and its vapor can travel to a spark or flame and flash back.

That is why washer makers forbid it. LG's washer owner's manual says never to wash or dry items cleaned in, soaked in or spotted with gasoline, kerosene or oil, because the vapors could ignite or explode. It also warns that no washer can completely remove oil. Electrolux Professional, which makes commercial washer-extractors of the kind laundromats run, gives the same warning.

Can you put clothes with gas on them in the dryer?

No. The NFPA dryer safety sheet says clothes that touched gasoline, paint thinner or similar solvents should be laid outside to dry first. A dryer adds heat, a spark source and an enclosed drum to the vapor problem (CCOHS).

The sources disagree on what happens after airing

Source	What it says
NFPA	Lay the clothes outside to dry, then wash and dry them as usual.
Whirlpool and Maytag	Hand wash only, and treat the garment as hand-wash only from now on, since you can't tell when all the fuel is gone.
LG and Electrolux Professional manuals	Never wash items that were soaked in or spotted with gasoline.

The safer path combines them: air the clothes out, hand wash until there is no trace of fuel smell, and only then consider a machine (NFPA; Whirlpool; LG's washer owner's manual). If you can still smell gasoline, it does not go in a washer or dryer.

How do you get gasoline smell out of clothes, step by step?

Air, absorb, pretreat, soak, then hand wash. The times below come from Whirlpool and Maytag, who give the same sequence; the airing step is from the NFPA.

Take the clothes off and move them outside. Remove fuel-wet clothing, shoes and leather items, then wash your skin with soap and water (CCOHS).
Air them out. Hang them outdoors, away from grills, pilot lights and anyone smoking, until fully dry (NFPA; CCOHS).
Blot. Press paper towels onto any wet spot and lift; don't rub (Whirlpool).
Cover with baking soda for 24 hours. It absorbs leftover fuel and starts to deodorize. Rinse it away with water (Whirlpool).
Pretreat for 10 minutes. Saturate the spot with a solvent-based stain remover. If a mark remains, add a thin layer of liquid dish soap for another 10 minutes (Whirlpool).
Soak for at least 30 minutes in a bucket of warm water, then rinse well (Whirlpool).
Hand wash in a sink or basin of warm water with detergent, swirling gently (Whirlpool).
Smell test, then repeat. If any fuel odor remains, go back to step 4. Gasoline doesn't dissolve in water, so plain rinsing won't shift it (Maytag; NIOSH).
Line dry. Hang it outside again rather than using a dryer (NFPA).

Check the care label before any soak, and test each product on a hidden seam first (Maytag). Don't use another flammable solvent on the spot: the New York State Department of Health advises against flammable cleaning products on fuel-oil spills.

Can you machine wash it once the smell is gone?

Washer makers say no, ever, because you can't be sure all the fuel is out (Maytag). The NFPA allows a normal wash after airing (NFPA). If you choose the machine, borrow the routine extension services give for oily chemical residues on work clothes:

Wash it alone, or with a few other affected items, never with the family load (Montana State University Extension; the National Pesticide Information Center).
Use the hottest water the label allows; the guide's ideal is 140°F with a large water level (Montana State University Extension).
Use a heavy-duty liquid detergent, which removes oil-based residues better, at the full dose (Montana State University Extension).
Add a second rinse and line dry (Montana State University Extension).

What kills the smell of gasoline?

Time in fresh air does most of the work, then baking soda and detergent remove what is left. Maytag says small amounts of ammonia, baking soda or vinegar can help neutralize the smell once the fuel itself is washed out.

Option	How to use it	Caution
Fresh air	Hang outdoors until dry and the smell fades (NFPA)	Keep away from flames and sparks
Baking soda	Cover the spot for 24 hours, then rinse (Whirlpool)	Safe on most washable fabrics
Dish soap	Thin layer on the spot for 10 minutes (Whirlpool)	Rinse out fully
White vinegar	For odor left after washing (Whirlpool)	Test first; never with bleach
Household ammonia	1 cup in a bucket of water, soak 2 to 3 hours (Whirlpool)	Never with bleach

Does vinegar get gasoline smell out of clothes?

It can help with a leftover smell, but it is not the first step. Whirlpool says to start with stain remover and dish soap, and to use vinegar only if odor remains after that. Vinegar does not remove the fuel itself, which is oily and insoluble in water (NIOSH).

Never mix these with bleach

Chlorine bleach plus ammonia makes toxic chloramine gases, and bleach plus an acid such as vinegar releases chlorine gas (the Washington State Department of Health). LG's manual gives the same warning for the laundry room, so use one of these products at a time (LG's washer owner's manual).

Does gasoline smell eventually go away?

Mostly, yes, because gasoline evaporates fast. Its vapor pressure is 38 to 300 mmHg and it boils at about 102°F, so the lighter parts leave fabric quickly in open air (NIOSH). What lingers is the heavier, oily residue that air alone won't lift, which is why the wash steps matter (Maytag).

How to get gas smell out of clothes without washing

You can only reduce it. Hang the item outdoors until it's dry, then cover the spot with baking soda for 24 hours and brush it off (NFPA; Whirlpool). That is a fine first step for a few drips on a jacket sleeve. It doesn't clean the fabric, so the garment still needs a hand wash before it goes near a machine (Whirlpool).

How to get gasoline smell out of clothes fast

There is no safe shortcut through heat. Spreading the garment flat in a breeze speeds airing; a dryer, a space heater or a hot car does not belong in the plan (NFPA; CCOHS).

How do you get diesel smell out of clothes?

Use the same steps, but expect more rounds of pretreating and washing. Diesel's vapor pressure is 2.17 mmHg at 70°F, against 38 to 300 mmHg for gasoline, so it evaporates far more slowly and airing removes less of it (NOAA's CAMEO Chemicals database; NIOSH).

Diesel's flash point is 125°F, much higher than gasoline's, but NOAA still lists it as a flammable liquid (NOAA's CAMEO Chemicals database). LG lists oil and kerosene with gasoline among the substances that must not go in a washer or dryer (LG's washer owner's manual). Because diesel is an oily fuel, our guide to grease and oil stains covers the stain left behind.

How do you get kerosene smell out of clothes?

Treat kerosene like diesel: air it out, absorb with baking soda, pretreat with dish soap and hand wash, then repeat. LG names kerosene among the combustible substances not to wash or dry in a machine (LG's washer owner's manual).

What if gasoline clothes already went in the washer or dryer?

Stop the machine, take the clothes out and hang them outside. Don't start the dryer. Air the laundry room with a fan in a window or door, as the New York State Department of Health advises for fuel-oil odors indoors.

Then treat the clothes with the steps above, starting at the airing step. If the dryer ran, clean its lint filter before the next load, as the NFPA advises for every load.

How to get gas smell out of a washing machine

Run the empty washer through a complete cycle with hot water and detergent, the step extension guides give after washing chemical-soiled clothes (Montana State University Extension; the National Pesticide Information Center). Leave the lid or door open to air it, and repeat the empty cycle if you still smell fuel. Don't add bleach to the same cycle as ammonia or vinegar (the Washington State Department of Health).

How do you get gasoline smell off your hands and shoes?

Wash your hands with soap and water right away. NIOSH first aid for skin is a soap flush, and CCOHS says to wash gently with flowing water and a non-abrasive soap. Repeated skin contact can cause dry, red, cracked skin (CCOHS).

For shoes, take them off with the clothes and air them outside. CCOHS says to clean clothing, shoes and leather goods thoroughly before reuse, or dispose of them safely (CCOHS). Leather is the hard case: Montana State University Extension's guide to chemical-soiled clothing says contaminated leather boots, gloves and watchbands can't be decontaminated.

If you feel dizzy, sick or headachy from the fumes, move to fresh air first; these are known effects of breathing gasoline vapor (CCOHS).

When should you throw clothes away, and can a laundromat help?

Throw out anything that was fully soaked in fuel. The the New York State Department of Health says porous fabric items soaked with fuel oil are hard to clean and usually need to be discarded. Extension guides for chemical-soaked work clothes say the same (the National Pesticide Information Center).

Don't bring fuel-smelling clothes to a laundromat's machines. The commercial washer makers' warning covers them too, and a shared dryer puts other people's laundry at risk (Electrolux Professional). Hand wash at home first.

Once the fuel is gone and only a mark remains, laundromats can take it from there. More than 3,800 laundromats in the LaundroMaps directory list staff on site, as of October 2026, so you can ask an attendant before you load (LaundroMaps directory data). More than 2,100 list professional stain removal; tell them it was gasoline (LaundroMaps directory data). To compare hours and services, find a laundromat near you. Our dryer safety guide covers the other fire risks.

Frequently asked questions

Does gas get out of clothes?

Usually, yes, if you act before it sets. Air the clothes outside, cover the spot with baking soda for 24 hours, pretreat with dish soap, soak and hand wash, then repeat until the smell is gone. Clothes fully soaked in fuel are usually better thrown away.

What removes gasoline smell from clothes?

Fresh air, baking soda, dish soap and a heavy-duty liquid detergent do most of the work. White vinegar or household ammonia can help with a smell left after washing, used one at a time and never with chlorine bleach.

Can you put clothes that smell like gas in the washer?

Not while they still smell of fuel. Washer makers warn that gasoline vapor can ignite or explode, and several say to hand wash those garments from then on.

How do you get gasoline smell out of clothes after washing?

Keep the item out of the dryer and hang it outside. Then repeat the baking soda, pretreat and hand wash steps, adding a vinegar rinse if only a faint odor remains.

Is gasoline on clothes dangerous to wear?

Yes. Gasoline is highly flammable, and skin contact can cause irritation and dry, cracked skin. Take the clothes off, move them outside and wash your skin with soap and water.

How we researched this

We built this guide from fire-safety and chemical-hazard agencies (NFPA, NIOSH, CCOHS, NOAA), state health departments, two university extension sources on laundering chemical-soiled clothing, and washer makers' own instructions, including the manual for a commercial washer-extractor. We cited 12 sources plus LaundroMaps directory counts, all read on October 15, 2026.

Where the sources disagree, on whether aired-out clothes can go back in a machine, we say so and give the safer method. The extension washing steps were written for pesticide residues and are used here as the closest tested routine for oily chemicals. We did not lab-test these methods.

Explore states

Browse services