Wax and gum family: freeze, scrape, melt
How to get road tar out
Asphalt is a heavy oil. Soften with oil, then degrease.
Do this first
Scrape
Fresh stain
- Scrape
- Soften with WD-40, a solvent remover, or even butter
- Dish soap
- Wash hot
Dried or old
- Repeat soften and degrease
- Fabric care
- Oil leaves its own spot: dish soap after.
- Time
- 20 min
- How to tell
- Look: black sticky spots; Feel: tacky; Smell: tar
Where this fix comes from
- Household folk practice, checked against the guides above
- University of Illinois Extension, Stain Solutions
We check every fix against these published guides. We do not run a test lab of our own.
Before you start
- Test on a hidden seam first.
- Never mix cleaners.
- Keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.