How to Remove Tar and Asphalt Stains from Clothes
By TaVare · updated 2026-07-28
To remove tar and asphalt from clothes you have to dissolve the stain with oil or a solvent – water and ordinary detergent do nothing, because tar is fat- and oil-based. The first rule is not to rub: tar is both sticky and heavily pigmented, so rubbing spreads the glue and the black colour deeper into the fabric. Here is the step-by-step method, and the signs that tell you when to leave it to professionals.
Why water does nothing to tar and asphalt
Tar and asphalt (bitumen) are petroleum products: they are hydrophobic – water-repelling – and made of sticky oil mixed with black pigment. Water and ordinary detergent slide straight off and lift nothing, so the stain sits just as firmly after a wash. To shift it you have to use the principle 'like dissolves like': an oil or solvent softens the sticky mass, and then you break down and lift out both the grease and the colour. That is why tar needs a completely different approach from a coffee or juice stain.
Two things you should never do first
Most tar stains that become permanent do so because of two mistakes right at the start.
- Do not rub a fresh, soft tar stain. Rubbing pushes the sticky mass deeper into the weave and smears the black pigment across a larger area.
- Do not apply heat until the stain is completely gone. A tumble dryer, iron or hot water 'bakes' the oil and pigment in, and then the stain is almost impossible to remove.
How to dissolve a tar stain – step by step
Work patiently and from the inside out, so the tar is drawn out of the fabric rather than further in. Always keep a clean, absorbent cloth under the stain.
- Let the tar harden first. If it is soft and sticky, put the garment in the freezer for a while or hold an ice cube against the stain until the mass turns hard and brittle.
- Gently lift or scrape off the hardened part with a blunt edge (a spoon or butter knife) – without dragging the pigment sideways.
- Lay the stain face-down on a clean, absorbent cloth, so what you dissolve transfers into the cloth and not deeper into the garment.
- Soften the rest with a little oil – for example cooking oil, butter or eucalyptus oil – dabbed on from the back. The oil dissolves the remaining tar ('like dissolves like').
- Break up the grease with a little grease-cutting dish soap. Dab it gently into the loosened tar and let it work for a few minutes.
- Rinse from the back with lukewarm water, move to a clean part of the cloth, and repeat until no more black comes out. Then wash the garment as normal – but only once the stain is completely gone.
Always test on a hidden spot first
Both solvents and oils can affect colour and fibre. Try the method on an invisible part of the garment first – in an inner seam, a hem or a hidden fold – and check that the colour does not transfer or fade. Be extra careful with man-made fibres such as acetate and some synthetics, which can react to strong solvents. If you are unsure of the fabric, or the garment is coloured, delicate or expensive, it is safer not to experiment yourself.
Not getting there? Send it to us
Tar and asphalt are among the hardest stains, and on delicate or valuable garments it is easy to cause damage with the wrong solvent. In that case you can send the garment to us. We assess the fibre and the stain, choose a safe and professional method and treat it according to the garment and its care label. If the garment also needs a small repair at the same time, we can handle that. We help customers all over Norway – you order online, and you see the price before you order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a tar stain out with a normal wash?+
No. Tar and asphalt are oil-based and water-repelling, so water and ordinary detergent do not bite. You have to dissolve the stain first with an oil or solvent, break the grease with dish soap and lift it out – before you wash the garment.
Does putting the garment in the freezer help?+
Yes, if the tar is still soft and sticky. Cold makes the mass hard and brittle, so you can lift off most of it with a blunt edge before treating the rest – instead of smearing the sticky tar around.
Can I use petrol or white spirit?+
Strong solvents can dissolve tar, but they can also damage colour and fibre and are flammable. Always test on a hidden spot first, and preferably stick to milder options like cooking oil or eucalyptus oil. If the garment is delicate or expensive, let professionals handle it.
Why do I have to wait before tumble drying?+
Because heat 'bakes' oil and pigment into the fibre. Never put a garment with tar residue in the dryer or under an iron – check that the stain is completely gone, or it becomes almost impossible to remove.
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