Forum menu
Does anyone have any experience removing putoline from pale material?
I managed to smudge my chainring on the headlining of the car Sunday (b*ll*x).
I assume I need a solvent, but equally don't just want to spread it like a GCSE chromatography experiment!
I've found isopropyl alcohol is pretty good at shifting oil based errors. No idea about Putoline though, so you may want to try it on a rag before attacking your car. Good luck.
Rubbing alcohol or nail varnish remover will likely do a good job
I have found "Elbow Grease" to be quite effective at removing normal chain lube from clothes - can get at most super markets too. No idea about putoline though, sorry
I believe that in these situations you want a solvent and something to wick it into like a kitchen towel. Use a non-volatile solvent such as WD40 - that will dissolve the wax and keep it in a liquid state. Part of that will then soak into the kitchen towel but the remainder should remain liquid enough to wash out with some detergent. You could try washing up liquid as it's aimed at grease, of course.
Source: 40+ years experience of getting oily marks on stuff.
As the best advice says test it on a small, unobtrusive, area first!
Rubbing alcohol or nail varnish remover will likely do a good job
I would not recommend nail varnish remover, as it's acetone and that dissolves all manner of plastics such as those that make up the fibres of the roof linings of cars...
molgrips has the right answer
soak in a solvent then mop it up with something absorbent. I would keep repeating the process tho. Detergents don't touch putoline
You can blame me - your wife does not know where I live ( hopefully) 🙂
As it's a wax, the iron+paper approach may work. Place some brown paper on the lining surface and basically run a low-temp iron over it. This should melt the wax so that the paper absorbs it. Works for candle-wax/tablecloths so worth a try.
Good tips - Ok I have some Iso. Alcohol so will try that, blotting paper and detergent rub in a test area first.
I use surf wax remover with limone in it, never fails.
As on wca thread
Brake cleaner. Used for all sorts in the motor trade
link / recommendation?
Also - make sure you have lots of ventilation when cleaning it and leave the car with doors open for a loooong time before driving it anywhere!
I believe that in these situations you want
flower, wine maybe chocolate!
The issue you have is that anything hydrophobic enough to dissolve the wax might also leave a stain itself. Someting like WD40 is probably the best candidate but make sure you do a good job blotting it away. And of course test it first!
The iron/paper trick would be my first port of call, but I might use an old tea towel or something instead of paper to make sure the wax gets wicked away. Should hopefully shift the additives in the putoline (I think it has graphite or something added?).
Best of luck!
The easiest thing to do in these cases is to get a new wife.
Good luck! I still have a putoline stain on a gilet thats been through the wash weekly for the last two years...
I'd go for neat fairy liquid, that's usually pretty good at shifting grease out of places it shouldn't be
Go for GT-85 - it smells nicer than WD-40! No idea if it works or not, but it smells braw.
Bilt Hamber Surfex HD, start with 1:100 and then work up. Also great for cleaning chains, greasy leather seats etc etc just change the dilution.
detergent will not touch it. It needs a solvent
Lunchtime experimenting revealed that on a test cloth neither IPA or brake cleaner touched it. Tried white spirit as I know that cleans it off the chain and better. Didn't try GT85 as that turns a putoline chain into a horrid goo, not got any wd40.
The white spirit didn't work on the headlining weirdly though. Its a sort of dual top mesh with finer mesh underneath. So changed tack to warm soapy water plus blotting and some came off without spreading so will persevere with that and if not try that surf wax remover maybe.....or get new wife....
Add Sudocreme, what could go wrong?
Out of interest, I googled wax remover and there are fabric stain removers which are designed to work with wax, resin and tar. I'd be tempted to try one of those in spot cleaning mode if you draw a blank with the stuff you've tried.
WD is pretty good at removing stuff. I've got a beige cloth interior, and it works on chainring marks etc (I use finish line though).
Be very careful cleaning headlinings. For no obvious reason they tend to be glued on with rubbish glue. The slightest moisture or solvent can result in a sagging headlining which is very hard to fix without refitting the whole thing (which is a big job).
I think ChrisFix did a video on YouTube covering it
I suggest not getting putoline on the iron. Then it'll be on all your clothes! It's like cat in the hat comes back! 🤣
Have you considered paint?
New patio? (might be easier)
Frozen sausages?
Ignore all these stupid suggestions. Clearly you should fight fire with fire by rubbing more putoline on it or setting it on fire!
Lots more putoline to change the colour?
Tipp ex?
Sticker?
New headliner?
New car?
My daughter got putiline stains on her track bottoms. I thought no chance they were ever coming out. In fact, soaked in vanish (pink box) and normal wash in the machine and they came out clean.
Might be worth trying scrubbing with vanish/washing powder?
Petrol. Lots of it. Cover the thing in it. Then add a bit more. Then burn it off.
Come back in a few minutes, voila. Not a trace.
Oh, and then stop using plutoline, rubbish stuff.
Lanolin base is much more effective, longer lasting, won't stain anything and is cheap as chops.
lamb chops, presumably 🙂
Oh, and then stop using plutoline, rubbish stuff.
This is manifestly not true.
Not sure an iron is going to be that usable in a car. Maybe a hairdryer on full beans?
Also might be worth rubbing some candle wax into it first as the putoline is likely more soluble in wax than in car headlining.
You'd then use red wine as the alcohol will dissolve the wax, then white wine to get rid of the red wine tannins. A big wad of chewing gum applied over the area will neutralise the smell of the white wine then just use ice cubes to freeze the gum which will then simply peel off.
Lots more putoline to change the colour?
Do it OP.
You'll eliminate any annoying squeaks as well, probably.
Dip the car in the tin of melted putoline.
Leave it to soak, take it out and let it drip dry.
All the old wax and dirt will have fallen away.
Alternatively added some wet lube on top and throw a winter of grit and salt at the headliner.
Cover wife in putoline
And then sit her in the car, presumably?
Permanent solution:
