# Oil stains on a Barbour?



## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Any advice on cleaning motor oil from a waxed cotton Barbour? ... I know, stains and scratches are supposed to beautify the thing... Not these stains. Thanks for any tips.


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

Out of luck man. Oil is hard to get off of anything. And you can't wash a Barbour. So it looks like you are going to have to convince yourself that the stains make the jacket look more rugged and tough. Which they do.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

What would possess you to wear such an expensive jacket while performing auto maintenance?


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

I'd let the jacket soak in cold water for at least 24 hours (no Soap) and hope that the water help displaces some of the oil out of the fibers (change the water every now and then). After it dries, I'd re-wax it and hope that the new wax covers up the darkness of the oil stain in some way and will cause the stain to "age" in some confmority with the wax finish which will hopefully diminish with time.

Or, depending on how bad it looks, I must just let it ride and consider it a bit of personalization.


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## sowilson (Jul 27, 2009)

Pack cornstarch on it to soak up the excess then brush out. You may need to do this a few times and leave the cornstarch on for a day or two at a time. Once that's done you need to decide if you want to apply the oil/wax formula to part of the jacket. If you do, and have the stuff to reapply (I do this with Filson gear, Barbour may be a bit different). Then you can go at the stain with some soap/degreasing agent mixed with luke warm water. Let this soak on the spot and then blot out. Do this until you're happy with the stain removal (you probably won't remove all of the stain). This will also remove the jacket's coating. You can also try some naptha as a solvent to liberate the oil from the fibers. Blot out and don't rub. When you're satisfied then you'll need to reapply the oil/wax treatment to the area to rewaterproof it.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

I think in Barbour's older literature they suggested you could hand wash their jackets in cold water, but I don't think motor oil will ever come out. I pulled out my old Barbour and the stains and crud which it accumulated make it look like an old, stained, and crudded up jacket, full stop. I should throw it out, since it is unwearable (I'm not a farmer), but it's the only one I have left and I won't buy another so I keep it for old time's sake.

Next time, wear something that can be tossed if it soaks up too much motor oil (or other chemicals or substances).


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

How did you even end up with oil on your Barbour? I've never met anyone who actually uses it as a work jacket.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
You have now, youngster (well, at least in Cyberspace)!  I wore my old one (the one I passed on, after buying the Moorland jacket system.) for clearing brush and performing other jobs around the property and the game pocket had been christened with it's share of rabbit and upland bird carcasses, over the years. I must scratch my head and ask, if a Barbour owner isn't going to use the jackets for the purposes they were designed for, why spend the money? :icon_scratch:


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

Don't get me wrong, I'll wear mine to go fishing in, and I guess I can see using it the way you describe once it is fairly worn out and replaced by a newer model. I just don't think I would risk it being ruined while I was still depending on it for casual use.


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