Chain lube on your riding pants is almost a rite of passage on a chain-driven motorcycle. If you are wondering how to get chain lube out of pants, the short version is to blot it, lift the oil before you wash and keep the pants out of the dryer until the mark is gone. Here is the routine, plus how to keep the spray off next time.
Why Chain Lube Ends Up on Your Pants
A freshly lubed chain throws off a fine spray as it spins, and the spray lands on whatever is closest. On most chain-driven bikes the chain runs on the left, so the left ankle and cuff take the hit. The more lube on the chain, and the less time it has had to set, the more ends up on you.
Dark fabric hides the evidence. On black or army green pants, an oil mark is a slightly darker, shinier streak that is easy to miss until road dust sticks to it. Check your cuffs in daylight after any ride on a fresh chain.
How to Get Chain Lube Out of Pants, Step by Step
Start early. Fresh lube lifts far more easily than a mark that has been through a wash.
- Blot, do not rub. Press a clean cloth or paper towel onto the mark to soak up what sits on the surface. Rubbing pushes the oil deeper into the weave.
- Cover it with cornstarch or baking soda. Use a thick layer and leave it for at least 30 minutes. The powder draws oil out of the fabric. Brush it off, and repeat if it turns dark and clumpy.
- Work in dish soap. Test a drop on a hidden spot first, such as inside the hem. Then work a drop into the mark with a soft toothbrush or fingertip, leave it for ten minutes and rinse the spot under the tap.
- Wash as the care label says. Turn the pants inside out, use a gentle cycle and skip bleach, fabric softener and harsh stain removers. Our guide to caring for motorcycle riding pants covers the full routine.
- Check before you dry. Hold the wet pants up in daylight. If a mark is left, repeat steps two to four, then hang the pants to dry.
Skip the heat and the solvents. Heat sets oil, so a trip through the dryer can bake a faint mark into the fibers for good. Gasoline, lighter fluid and other solvents can damage technical fabric and are a fire hazard.
How to Keep Chain Lube Off Your Pants
Prevention takes less effort than any stain routine:
- Lube at the end of a ride. A warm chain takes lube better, and it gets a night to set. Lube just before you leave and the first few miles throw off the excess.
- Use less than you think. Apply a thin coat, then wipe off the extra with a clean rag.
- Wear old pants on chain day. Kneeling next to the bike with a can of lube is an easy way to get a mark, so save your good pair.
- Keep the cuff snug. A loose hem flaps close to the chain. The RoadVault riding pants have adjustable ankle openings that go over most riding boots and cinch down, and our guide to wearing motorcycle pants over boots shows how to make them stay put.
Where Else Chain Lube Travels
Greasy hands carry lube to everything you touch next, so wash up before you handle the rest of your kit:
- Zips and vents. Lube and road dust turn into a gritty paste in zip teeth. Wipe the teeth with a damp cloth and work the slider back and forth. If your pants have zip vents, our guide to ventilated motorcycle pants explains how they work.
- The belt. Wipe the strap and buckle before you put it on, so a smear does not move to a clean pair. The Tactical Belt has a stepless friction buckle with no holes, so there are fewer places for grime to hide.
- The seat. A smear on a gel seat cushion wipes off with a damp cloth. The gel rider cushion straps on in under a minute with no tools, so taking it off to clean is just as quick.
Common Questions
Does chain lube come out of pants?
Most of the time, yes, if you treat it before the dryer. On dark fabric a faint shadow can linger after a wash, so check in daylight and repeat the steps if you see one.
Can I use dish soap on riding pants?
Yes, as a spot treatment. Try it on a hidden spot first, work it in gently, rinse, then wash the pants as the care label says. Skip bleach and harsh stain removers.
Can I put the pants in the dryer to finish the job?
Not until the mark is gone. Heat sets oil into the fibers, so check the wet pants in daylight, repeat the steps if needed and hang them to dry.
Keep the kit simple
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