Bar oil soaked military canvas bag

[georgerkahn]

Well... in my area having a chain saw behind the truck seat might not be the dumbest thing to have, as it doesn't not take thaaat big of a limb or branch or tree, fallen from snow, ice, or wind to put a quick halt to travel. That said, I have recently noticed an "oil" smell in my vehicle, and in taking out the canvas military zipper bag I keep the chainsaw in, I noted the bag's bottom and one side are saturated with (new) bar & chain oil. One of the plastic (a recycled Dawn dishwashing detergent) bottles had split and is now empty... "Stuff happens" -- not the issue or question.

What is, is that I do wish to continue using this WWII vintage bag. My first thought was to use a solvent -- e.g., gasoline, lacquer thinner, acetone, or similar -- but then I got the brainstorm (?) of filling the bag with Speedy-Dry or similar.

I'm happy I found the smell source in my truck; happy, too, that the Dawn container was at bottom of bag so the saw, chains, tool, files and the like stayed dry.

And am seeking advice/suggestions as to what best I might do to not hurt the bag while removing the bar oil?

Any ideas/suggestions will be appreciated... as of now, I have no idea as to what may be the best procedure to try...

Thanks much!!!
geo

[Outpost75]

Stuff with sawdust and wood chips, then leave in the sun. Knead, then pour sawdust out into bucket. Refill with fresh sawdust, knead bag in the bucket to coat outside too and leave for several days, empty out and let air dry. Melt a pound of Gulf canning wax and pour into the oiled sawdust. Knead mixture and pack into paper cups to use as fire starters. Repeat if needed.

[elmacgyver0]

The speedy dry or Cat Litter would be a good starting point.
After sitting awhile, (Days) You could wash it in a bucket hot water with Wisk laundry detergent.
Anyway, that is what I would try.
Have a friend that used to clean his car engines with Wisk.

[woodbutcher]

:D Something that I have found to get oil out of fabric is to scrub in some pine sol really well,and let it sit for a few days and then just wash it with the rest of the laundry.
How well does it work?Remember how nasty 50yr old rear end lube smells?It will
even get rid of that nastiness.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[country gent]

I would try a wash in soap and dawn dish soap Dawn is designed as a grease cutter. It may take a couple washes and the first will saturate with oil. Then a good drying. I remember reading once dawn was the soap of choice cleaning up oil spills

[elmacgyver0]

I would try a wash in soap and dawn dish soap Dawn is designed as a grease cutter. It may take a couple washes and the first will saturate with oil. Then a good drying. I remember reading once dawn was the soap of choice cleaning up oil spills

Hey, if it cleans up oily ducks it can't be all bad!

[georgerkahn]

Thanks for great suggestions. I think I'll pick up some speedy dry tomorrow morn, and coat the oiled areas with it. The bag is fairly large -- maybe 20" long by 10" each wide and high. (It does hold a small chainsaw and gear :)) In my locale, sun seems a rarity -- I have a Solar wristwatch which (the solar) seems to be an additive I wasted $$$ getting :). And... we have for certain a couple of months before "warm" weather descends upon us; hence, I'll try the speedy-dry both inside and outside the bag; then -- why not? -- as soon as I can open/turn on sillcocks and have water outdoors, try using Dawn and boiling water (another use for my propane smelter?).
For NOW -- you folks gave me a good place to start.
Thank you!
geo

[elmacgyver0]

Lots of good ideas!
let us know how it comes out.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’d try spraying break cleaner on it, while having a strong vacuum sucking it out the other side. They sell non flammable break cleaner. Then soak the area with pure Dawn, leave it over night and then put it in a washing machine.

[Eddie Southgate]

I would try a wash in soap and dawn dish soap Dawn is designed as a grease cutter. It may take a couple washes and the first will saturate with oil. Then a good drying. I remember reading once dawn was the soap of choice cleaning up oil spills

Beat me to it . I don't carry a chainsaw in my vehicles unless it's in a plastic case and then only to go from one place to another. I will carry one in a case in the metal locking tool box of a truck for emergency use . Every saw I ever owned leaks bar oil when it sits and I have a bunch of saws and have owned quite a few more . I have Stihl and Husqvarna both from 37 CC to 109 CC and every one leaks some bar oil. Keeping a saw inside a vehicle for long periods of time could damage seals or some of the electric items , especially in older saws.

Taxidermists use Plaster of Paris and gasoline to remove excess oil from skins . They wash the skin in gasoline then when they think they have washed all of the oil out they bury it in pop to remove the gasoline. Maybe they do different now but that's the way the guys I knew did it when I was younger. Would probably work on canvas also if the Dawn does not get it clean enough to suit you.

[ascast]

I doubt you wlill ever get it all out, a stain will remain, Do not dry in machine. I would go with Dawn, 2nd time a stubborn stain remover of some type, then maybe real gasoline or brake cleaner.

[Shawlerbrook]

Strong grease cutting detergent in a boiling tub of water. Might need to do it a couple times. Might always have a slight stain, but should remove most of the oil and smell.

[osage]

A couple things jumped out to me, vintage WW2 bag and desire to not damage bag more while cleaning new bar oil from material. I have used dawn to clean up oil stains on concrete and clothes. Tacky bar oil might take longer soak time with warm water and dawn. I'm curious to hear what worked for you.

[ShooterAZ]

Full strength Simple Green is what I'd use. Cuts oil and grease like no other.

[nseries]

Ether (starting fluid) will get grease and oil stains out of clothing. Ether and the shop vac trick mentioned above might do it. Then again...a shop vac may ignite that ether... Nevermind, Don't use the shop vac...

[kenton]

Another vote for Dawn dish soap, works great on my greasey hat. One thing to note is any remaining stain could be from the oil removing what ever fabric treatment the military applied to protect the bag and it's contents. It might be worthwhile to retreat the bag with fabric and tent waterproofing.

[myg30]

They wash oil soaked ducks in Dawn, should be safe for the sack !
Another dawn fan here.

Mike

[upr45]

We used to use concrete cleaner sold at delta do it hardware stores to clean old oil stains off of transformers. The rain would wash it away without leaving an oil sheen.

[Shanghai Jack]

:D Remember how nasty 50yr old rear end lube smells?
Leo

I can only hope we're talking differentials here?

[megasupermagnum]

I doubt you will have luck with floor dry, or anything like that.

Kerosene works really well, that's what I use for oiled air filters, but then your bag would smell like kerosene. Same for mineral spirits and gasoline.

Dawn does ok, nothing magic. Mix some hot water, a bunch of Dawn, and oxy clean in a bucket, and it does a decent job. I'm currently using Arm and Hammer laundry booster, and it seems just as good as oxy clean. This is how I wash shop rags.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

My hat gets covered in bar oil after a few weeks of cutting. I rub a generous amount laundry detergent into it, let it sit for a while, then wash it out in warm water. The result is pretty amazing.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My first thought was dawn dishsoap and hot water.
But when I read Outpost's solution, I began to wonder what a Mil Surp bag was originally treated with? I suspect he knows and that's why he suggested what he did. Because dawn and many of the other suggestions like Pinesol, Gas, or brake cleaner may remove the original treatment.


Stuff with sawdust and wood chips, then leave in the sun. Knead, then pour sawdust out into bucket. Refill with fresh sawdust, knead bag in the bucket to coat outside too and leave for several days, empty out and let air dry. Melt a pound of Gulf canning wax and pour into the oiled sawdust. Knead mixture and pack into paper cups to use as fire starters. Repeat if needed.

[mdatlanta]

Thanks for great suggestions. I think I'll pick up some speedy dry tomorrow morn, and coat the oiled areas with it. The bag is fairly large -- maybe 20" long by 10" each wide and high. (It does hold a small chainsaw and gear :)) In my locale, sun seems a rarity -- I have a Solar wristwatch which (the solar) seems to be an additive I wasted $$$ getting :). And... we have for certain a couple of months before "warm" weather descends upon us; hence, I'll try the speedy-dry both inside and outside the bag; then -- why not? -- as soon as I can open/turn on sillcocks and have water outdoors, try using Dawn and boiling water (another use for my propane smelter?).
For NOW -- you folks gave me a good place to start.
Thank you!
geo

This sounds like a good plan and should not do any further damage to the WWII-era bag. I've used Dawn (without the speedy dry) to clean oil-soaked canvas and it works pretty well. Sometimes, a couple of washes were necessary, but the oil came out.

[XDROB]

I like the idea of sawdust (if you can find that much) or speedydry. After you get the majority of the oil out. Then wash it with Dawn dish soap. After you wash it till you get it where you want it. Treat the trim with some leather oil. If there is any. Usually found at shoe store that sells good leather work boots. Try not to use any brake/carb cleaners. Drys out the leather and could eat the sticking

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[Texas by God]

Look into Soda Ash. An old oilfield hack.

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[Bmi48219]

I can only hope we're talking differentials here?

Classic!!

[rbuck351]

Gasoline was originally a cleaning solution and mixes very well with oil. I would rinse it a couple times with gas and then wash in a tub of hot water and dawn. You may have some stains but does that bother you?

[samari46]

Maybe try some trisodium phosphate?. TSP should be mixed in as hot water as hot as you can get it. Try getting the bag in a large metal pail or drum. Agitate it with an old broom handle. wash off with the garden hose and hang out to dry. Have used Dawn dish washing detergent getting greasy jeans clean. And yes has been used to clean up oil spills. Still have my old sea bag from when I was in the navy 50 some odd years ago. Frank

[poppy42]

Use speedy dry (cat litter) to remove the oil. Then soak the bag in dawn dish detergent! Remember all those tv commercials where they use dawn to clean baby ducks and geese that was saturated in oil? Guess what? The stuff works!

[edp2k]

Strong grease cutting detergent in a boiling tub of water. Might need to do it a couple times. Might always have a slight stain, but should remove most of the oil and smell.

+1 :)

[762 shooter]

Just put a Filson tag on it and call it good.

762

[414gates]

Squeeze off the excess oil.

Fill a bucket or tub with hot water and clothes detergent. Let it soak. Rinse.

Repeat as necessary.

The detergent won't hurt the canvas. The hot water will speed up the cleaning process.

[Wayne Smith]

AAH, guys, Dawn is used on animals because it's gentle, not because it's more effective than any other detergent!

[Rich/WIS]

Military items were treated with a mildew retardant, not sure what exactly. A lot of the canvas items were considered durable and would be cleaned, retreated if needed and reissued so were made to be washable. Clean off the worst of the oil with a solvent of some type and then wash in warm water with good grease cutting detergent.

[gwpercle]

1.) The stuff that soaks up oil off your driveway ... or kitty litter ... sawdust or whatever absorbent materals you have ... even shredded up news paper ... To get as much of excess as you can ...
Then...

2.) Wash in Dawn , maybe a couple times ... a big bucket , enough Dawn to cut oil and warm water ... Soak and rinse with hose ...back in bucket and repeat .

Dawn is the best grease cutting / removing stuff around ... we wash or baby ducks with it after an oil well blows .

If the wife isn't around ...wash on the bedding cycle in washing machine with Dawn . When clean ... Can dry in Dryer with a few old towels ...
cuts down on noise ... don't let her catch you .

Gary

[bedbugbilly]

I don't know if the bag will go in a washer or not . . . but if it will, blot up as much of the oil as you can with something like sawdust or even paper towel - then wash in the washer with soap and add a canon regular Coca Cola. My mother used to wash our jeans that were saturated with oil, grease, etc. in that manner and the Coke took the oil and grease out and left the jeans looking like new. If it is really soaked in, it might take a couple of washings. Afterwards, you can always treat the canes with a waterproofing if needed. Just pour the Coke in with the soap or dump directly into the water with the bag.

A friend of ours put us on to this. He owned a bulk and bag cement trucking company and his wife used a can of regular Coke on his jeans, shirts, jackets, etc. to get oil and grease out.

[poppy42]

AAH, guys, Dawn is used on animals because it's gentle, not because it's more effective than any other detergent!

Ah no it’s used on animals because it works quickly Thereby causing less stress for the animals in addition to being gentle

[waksupi]

Something else that will draw out oil, is cornstarch. I use it on old hats that get grease or oil stained, and brush it off with an old toothbrush.

[David2011]

Dawn is great. It seems to work better combined with some water than straight. L.A.’s Totally Awesome (“dollar” type stores) and Simple Green also work incredibly well. I’ve been rebuilding a bunch of model airplane engines lately using Awesome to degrease the old thickened oil.

[warren5421]

I would go with the sawdust as the soap can remove to much out of the canvas. You are dealing with a 75 plus year old item and the cleaners today may or may not be safe to use on it. The sawdust should pull the oil and not hurt the canvas. If you want it clean just put in washer with TSP and what Landry soap you use. but you will need to retreat with what ever Uncle Sam recommends. I think the thread was wax coated so washing will remove the wax and then the thread may break.

[Outpost75]

WW2 laundering practice did not use modern detergents, but only soap, similar to shaved Fels Naptha, Calgon or Ivory flakes and hot water, aided by scrub brush and plain scouring powder similar to BonAmi, being feldspar-based, not pumice. Mildew, flame retardant and insect resistant treatment would be renewed after laundering.

Treatment for so-called Army Duck was a commercial product which rendered the fabric waterproof, flame retardant, insect and mildew resistant. Not sure what was in it, but you can buy it in farm and building supply stores and there should be either a Mil-Spec or NFPA standard to identify it. I got mine at Tractor Supply.

[daengmei]

I don't know why I remember but our Army field jackets (possibly more items) were Quarpel treated. That might be what was used.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA481712.pdf

[Mal Paso]

Oil the rest of the bag so it all matches, blot up any excess and call it Good. Oil Cloth uses Boiled Linseed Oil but you've already started with bar oil and it's probably safer than Linseed.

[Geezer in NH]

I would take the bag add 1/2 gallon of diesel fuel into it then use it to start a brush pile on fire. Then buy the chainsaw plastic case to store it in and forget about it.

[Texas Gun]

I clean my shot gun mop with dawn and they come out looking new

[Greg S]

I'd say after the saw dust some fast evaporating solvent and saturate then wipe then saturate and add some dawn while still wet to get it in and start breaking up the oil. I believe stihl bar oil has detergent in it to thicken it up by the strands in it, kinda like mixing diesel and detergent.

[.429&H110]

+1 for Simple Green concentrate.
Dawn is great stuff until you get it in the washing machine.
Old old joke is to put Dawn in a dishwasher. Funny! Once.
Soak the bag for a few days in warm Simple Green, rinse lather repeat.
Fuel oil stinks, will make a washing machine stink forever.
A couple loads with hot water and Simple Green
now it smells like Simple Green...
I presoaked oily work clothes in Simple Green.
I convinced a boss to buy a 55 gallon drum of Simple Green concentrate,
We used it for degreaser and clothes, great stuff, cheap solvent!
Unlike Trich it's legal to dump it down the drain.
Almost edible, it won't destroy skin like hydrocarbon solvents.
Avoid the prediluted Simple Green it's expensive...