MarthaProvencher Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 I know it shouldn't happen with our machines, but... I oiled my machine midway through a quilt then restarted quilting without making sure the oil was thoroughly blotted up. Dumb, dumb, dumb. It left a 1 1/2 inch line of oil which didn't evaporate over night. What can I do to clean it up short of cleaning the whole quilt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 Marty, Try using baking soda and a very soft toothbrush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaProvencher Posted July 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 Have got the baking soda on there. Looks better right now as the baking soda hides the dark spot on the lovely white quilt top. But it doesn't look like it's soaking it up yet. Will give it more time, and more baking soda. Am advancing the quilt. So will have to check again later. Just when I began to think I could dodge all the bullets. I did remember to fluff my "end of the bolt" wrinkly batting in the dryer this time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 I would be careful with advancing the quilt too...the oil could soak into other areas of the quilt - where ever it touches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 Corn Starch. Works every time for me. Sprinkle, let set a while vacuum (for me, it might just wipe off ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhend Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 I use corn starch also and it has worked everytime, but I alway do it right away and never just noticed until the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 If the dry backing soda & corn starch still leaves a bit of oil on the quilt, I might try a little clear shampoo as this is to take oil out of your hair so it may work on the fabric. I would get a basen with warm water in it that you could put just that part of the quilt into. Work shampoo into the fabric with a tooth brush or other small brush. Be sure to rinse spot well. I've not had this problem, so I'm just thinking what I might try if it did happen to me. So, this is just a thought and not tried before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renae Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 I had this happen on one of my own quilt tops. It happened to be on the white fabric. I was lucky enough it was mine and not a customers but what I used was The Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Stick. I put a clean cotton cloth between the fabric and batting (because I caught it right away & it hadn't gotten into the battingyet) and then soaked the spot with the Tide to go and left everything set as it was until dry. Came back and you couldn't find the spot at all. So I took out the cotton cloth I had between the batting and the quilt top and continued quilting. When I was finished you looked like nothing happened, I was very happy. Hope this works for you. Renae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephannie Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 I've used dish soap (the kind that you use to HAND wash dishes) & it's good a removing the grease. I've only ever used it on clothes though. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaProvencher Posted July 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Thank you all. The baking soda barely touched it. Will try corn starch, shampoo, and Dawn. All sound like great ideas. I was under the silly misconception that sewing machine oil would evaporate and leave no trace. Dumb dumb dumb. Thanks again. Will post the results tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 I agree with all the methods expecially the DAWN. I wouldn't advance the quilt until you're sure the majority of the oil is gone. Oil likes to wick, and could end up on each layer of the rolled quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 I used the baking soda in water and sprayed it on a quilt to get rid of my blue marks. It worked like a charm. Then.... I used the same water (forgetting that the baking soda was in it) to spray on a quilt, and the fabric faded where I sprayed it! Thankfully it was on the backing, but now I have to tell a customer that I ruined the back of her quilt! I never dreamed that baking soda would do that!!! I use it in my laundry a lot......NEVER had a problem until this: a customer quilt! Not only that: this was my first quilt for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Jeanne, Are you sure that it isn't just the residue of the baking soda making it look like it faded? Maybe if washed out with clear water it would go back to normal. I can't imagine that it would fade fabric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Here's a picture of it. It's not the residue, which at first I hoped so badly it was. I tried it on a corner just to make sure that's what was happening, and the corner looks the same, faded to a brown color. I've used baking soda for years in my laundry and never had any problems. I've poured it directly on the clothes: no problem. I've washed donated fabrics with it to get out the musty smell: no problems. I'm at a loss as to why it did it to this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Are you sure that bottle didn't have a little bleach in it? I sometimes put a teaspoon of bleach in spray bottle to clean counters, and try to label it as such. But I have three or four spray bottles that look the same. Don't ever think of bringing that bottle into my sewing room:mad: Just a thought. It does look like a bleach result. Maybe it's the fabric? a dye error? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Boni and Heidi: I agree that it looks like bleach. I have this bottle by my machine and ironing table all the time. I needed to get out a lot of blue disappearing marker on a really important quilt (one for a book) and a close friend suggested that she understood putting a bit of baking soda in the water helps to keep the marks from showing up later. So I took that bottle, with the water that was in it, and added some baking soda, added more water, then shook it up. I used this exact mixture on the book quilt with no problem. I don't have any bottles in my sewing area other than ones with water, and one with 409, which is blue. I wonder if I put too much soda in it. But I've never had any trouble with it before. I think you might have hit on something about the dye in the fabric. But that's just a guess, and I'm afraid that it'll sound like I'm trying to dodge responsibility for this. I'm taking off 15% on this bill, and 20% on her next quilt (if she brings me anything again). I don't know what else to do. The fabrics feel like good stuff, but that doesn't mean they aren't susceptible (sp?) to something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaProvencher Posted July 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Yeah! Dawn, a little elbow grease and corn starch did great. Didn't have to resort to the shampoo (worried a little about any conditioners in it but otherwise think it would work like a charm). I'll give her a discount, too, in case I didn't get all the Dawn out. Thanks sooooo much. You saved my behind again!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Marty, glad you were successful and we could help. Shadow, WOW never saw baking soda bleach a quilt?? I wonder if the customer washed the fabic in something that caused a reaction with the soda and dye. It might be interesting to take a water sample out of the bottle for analysis at a pool store. Then I would throw the bottle and its contents away. Could someone else in the house accidently added something to the bottle? This one is interesting:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Marty I'm glad you got the oil out...I'm sure you feel much better. Jeanne - all I can say is WOW! I would never have thought that could happen. I think what I would do is pull some scraps out of my stash and test out the solution you have and see what happens. I would never have thought in a million years that it would cause something like that! I'm sorry you had this experience, especially on a customers quilt. I hope your customer isn't too upset and all goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 I agree with Connie...THERE has to be an answer as to why Baking Soda did this....I too have used it right out of the box to get nasty smells out of fabric...have used it for years to get blue marks out of quilts and have NEVER had this happen before and if it would happen to anyone it would be me. :P As Connie said there must have been something left in the fabric from either the factory or the customer to do this...I hope all goes well and that you can have a continuing relationship after this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaProvencher Posted July 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 The client and her daughter picked up the quilt yesterday. She was so cool about it. There was a very little bit of it still viewable if you know where to look, but she was fine with it, was going to wash it anyway (or said she was going to), and had some miracle stain remover she was going to use. But, man, was it nerve-wracking until then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 Marty, OK, so corn starch first to bot up most of the oil. Then you hit the spot with Dawn and rinsed. Is that right? I just know that I will need this procedure someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Well, I had thrown away the contents of the bottle, just in case, even though I know I had nothing other than baking soda and water in it. I decided to try it again with fresh water and baking soda. This morning I sprayed the corner right next to where I sprayed to check it the last time. I didn't wait as long as I did last time, but it's starting to change color also. By the way, this is Thimbleberries fabric! The first time I checked it is numbered one, the one this morning is number two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Here's the back: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Now less than a hour later, this is what it looks like: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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