Cleaning garments with flamable liquids.

Q. Is there a safe way to clean garments that are soiled with motor oil or other flammable liquids?

A. The safest method of cleaning garments soaked in any type of flammable liquid is to let them air dry first. Once they’re dry (and take your time, because some flammables don’t evaporate very easily), you can wash them. However, I would recommend washing them in an open machine. A toploader would be best, or a frontloader with an open pocket (which most laundromats don’t have). If you wash the garments in a tightly sealed machine – such as a typical frontloader – the gases can build up, spontaneously combust and cause an explosion. In an open machine, the worst-case scenario would be a small fire.

Wash the garments in cold water with nothing containing bleach or ammonia.

When you get through washing, put the empty machine through a minimum of one hot rinse, and ideally an entire hot water cycle to remove the excess oils on the drum and agitator.