Can I wash gas-soaked clothing in my washer?

[Ellie]

Dh had the unfortunate experience of having the cut-off thingie malfunction when he was filling his gas tank this morning. Gas gushed all over him, his shoes, and the pavement. He had to turn around and come home and change his clothes. He put his shoes in the garage, but he put his pants and socks in the sink in the laundry room. You might imagine the odor which greeted me when I got up:( I called him at work and he told me the story, so I took the pants and put them outside until I could ask the hive mind:

Can I wash those clothes in my washer???

[Sandy in Indy]

I don't think so. I'd call a dry cleaners and see if they can get it out. I did a quick internet search and it appears that gas-soaked clothing/rags is a fire hazard in the washer/dryer.

[Tammy]

for a couple of days....put his shoes out there too. Then I would wash them alone with some vinegar.

Tammy

[HomeOnTheRanch]

Call the gas station manager, tell them what happened and they may have some advice. (Like them paying for new clothes!)

DH did something similar with diesel years ago. He dropped his jeans off at the cleaners (they were a brand new pair!). An hour later they called and told him to come pick them up. They wouldn't clean them and they didn't want them in their shop! We soaked them a few times with some Oxyclean, then washed them several times (like 5 or 6).

[JFS in IL]

Our washer has a label that states NOT to do so. I would agree with the others about calling to find out what to do - meanwhile keep those clothes OUT of the house!!!

[Unicorn]

BTDT. As long as it wasn't diesel, but 1st you need to follow Tammy's advice. Put everything outside in the sun for a day or two. Reg. gasoline evaporates like water. If you don't put it out in the sun first though, you won't get it out of the clothes. After that, wash as normal and they should be fine.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Dh is a pilot and spills gas on himself on a regular basis. Yes, you do need to let the clothes air dry, but you don't really need the sun. You just need to hang the clothes in a well-ventilated area. Once the gas evaporates, you won't be able to smell it anymore. Then, you can wash them.