# I'm the idiot who washed his darks with sweatpants that had gasoline on them, ask me anything **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 14, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563 "2024-02-14T18:40:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/1 "2024-02-14T18:40:19Z")
ffs. I was pouring gas from a gas can when some spilled on my sweats. No big deal, I’ll just change. And oh, look, almost all my dark clothes are dirty, I’ll wash them together! Just jam them all in there! You know what happened next. I could smell it on every article of clothing when I pulled them out of the washing machine. In retrospect, well, obviously that was going to happen. Since then I’ve slow-washed them in vinegar, slow-washed them in ammonia, soaked them overnight in high strength grease-killing dish soap (which we normally wouldn’t have, but I won it as a gag door prize at a Super Bowl party. Thanks NFL!), then washed them again in ammonia, and…the smell is still pretty strong. Every pair of sweatpants I own. All my concert T shirts. Most of my other T shirts. Gah. My wife suggested starting over, since as she fairly pointed out, a lot of my clothes were pretty ratty. And I already threw out the $40 tennis shoes that also had gas on them. I dunno. Don’t actually ask me anything, I’m still pretty mad at myself. Thanks for listening. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/2 "2024-02-14T18:42:20Z")
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**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/3 "2024-02-14T18:52:12Z")
I’d have done the same, but I have no sense of smell. I’m glad this didn’t turn out to be a fire story! ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/4 "2024-02-14T19:13:40Z")
If it’s just the smell, I think that will go away eventually. It’s volatile, so eventually there will be nothing left to smell. Just air them out somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/5 "2024-02-14T19:33:59Z")
This (@Bear_Nenno’s) was the answer I had after an accident after refilling a balky lawnmower. If weather permits (not so much right now 14FEB2024) hang them up outside, preferably in the sun with some wind. Otherwise, hang them up somewhere where the smell won’t be an issue in the rest of the house (basement, garage) and come back to them later. I have -heard- of people having luck with multiple run throughs on high in a dryer (air flow plus heat to volatize) but I’d worry about leaving residue in the dryer, and or damage to clothes from lots of hot cycles. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/6 "2024-02-14T19:36:45Z")
In my experience, nothing really works but hanging them outside for a few days. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/7 "2024-02-14T19:39:14Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I have -heard- of people having luck with multiple run throughs on high in a dryer (air flow plus heat to volatize) I’d be worried about the heat setting the smell in, esp if the fabric is part polyester. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/8 "2024-02-14T19:43:26Z")
Yes, which is why I included the sentence right after, but you’ve correctly identified another possible risk. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/9 "2024-02-14T19:55:31Z")
Soak in a bucket with about 5 boxes of baking soda for maybe a week. Then hang out side for several days. Then wash at a laundry mat. Secretly, if you can. Peeps won’t like it. So go on maybe late night or Tuesday morning. Use Persil washing liquid(not pods). Buy the stinkiest laundry additive crystals. Use the whole container. You’ll have the awful lavender smell. Then sit in your favorite chair and decide what’s worse? Gas or Lavender? (Really the smell will go away, eventually) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/10 "2024-02-14T19:57:00Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > My wife suggested starting over, since as she fairly pointed out, a lot of my clothes were pretty ratty. God works in mysterious ways. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/11 "2024-02-14T19:58:32Z")
I agree. In my experience the gasoline smell, while really pungent at first, eventually dissipates and goes away. Hanging clothes outside I would think would help out with this. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/12 "2024-02-14T20:11:00Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Soak in a bucket with about 5 boxes of baking soda for maybe a week. Then hang out side for several days. This; though I don’t know whether a week’s going to work any better than a day or so. But definitely baking soda soak, and then hang outside. And I’d try just that before trying adding in the rest of Beck’s advice. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/13 "2024-02-14T20:39:06Z")
Activated carbon might help. I don’t know that you want it in contact with the clothing, but you could put them in a container together. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/14 "2024-02-14T20:51:24Z")
Borax/Boraxo has worked wonders for some of my cleaning projects, especially stinky laundry stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/15 "2024-02-14T20:57:49Z")
OxiClean is pretty miraculous stuff. You can soak it with 1 full scoop/1 gallon of hot water for 6 hours then wash again with a scoop in the machine. I would just hang it all outside first, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/16 "2024-02-14T22:10:34Z")
Thanks everyone, I feed some hope. The clothes are all hanging in the garage now, I’ll report back! ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/17 "2024-02-15T01:20:13Z")
Not an expert, but if you can maximize exposure to fresher air (i.e. outside in a breeze vs in an enclosed garage) I believe you’ll have better luck. If you can’t, please assure us you don’t have a gas-fired appliance (water heater) in that garage! Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/18 "2024-02-15T01:23:46Z")
It’s close to freezing here (or below at night), with the trees and roof dripping everywhere, so that’s not going to happen. As it is, during the day I’m going to scoot the clothes forward to some sun hits them though. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/19 "2024-02-15T01:41:22Z")
Sometimes us desert rats forget about things like freezing weather. Still going to harp about no open flames, though. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563/20 "2024-02-15T01:48:41Z")
Since this is an ask me anything thread… Are you going to do that again? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-the-idiot-who-washed-his-darks-with-sweatpants-that-had-gasoline-on-them-ask-me-anything/997563.md?page=2)