I was going to put this under the 'music to unpack by' thread but I thought it would add a little levity to the board, esp as maybe no one would read my other thread. <BR> <BR>I am unpacked - other than smooshed soap, I fared well, that and the bottle of olive oil. funny, it was double wrapped in plastic, and i put that in a bag with two HUGE folded tablecloths - it only soaked through one, but somehow managed to get the BAG soaked on one side... but not my clothing (that I can tell so far)? everything that does not smell like soap smells like olive oil. but EXPENSIVE olive oil, ha ha <BR> <BR>don't pack bottles, no matter how well they are guarded. <BR> <BR>however, the other bottle was OK ( next to it) and the one wine bottle was ok... and my camera. so maybe it is not as bad as I think... <BR> <BR>how do you get olive oil out of clothing? tablecloths? <BR> <BR>?? <BR>Beth

Here's an idea: <BR> <BR>Take tablecloth. <BR>Spread with tomato slices. <BR>Top with chopped basil. <BR>Eat and enjoy, as a good source of fiber. <BR> <BR>(Not that the past week has made me addle-brained or anything.)

Welcome home! My husband always buys his olive oil at a coop that packs three bottles in a carrying case that he carries. Since my accident he is really hot on cooking, using my provencal cookbooks. Try very hot water with joy, that worked for me. I'll try to find another method for you, if possible. I am sipping a pastis.

Beth, <BR>Luggage arrived !?! <BR>KT, great suggestion. <BR>Mimi, does that really work? I have found oil stains very perseverant. <BR>What accident? <BR>

Nancy - yes, finally - one piece... still waiting for number two... <BR> <BR>see "music to unpack to..." <BR> <BR

Mimi and KT <BR> <BR>thanks for the suggestions: <BR> <BR>these are huge, I fear I would choke before finishing them. for a very big table... <BR> <BR>I had thought to take them to the cleaners? they are BEAUTIFUL and handmade too.. <BR> <BR>wah!

If you take them to a good dry cleaners and tell them what the stain is, they should be able to get the olive oil out. Shouldn't be a problem for a professional.

When we were in Italy a few months ago, we bought 4 bottles of wine that the proprieter put in one of those heavy cardboard carrying cases. We drank the wine while we were there and was able to pack 6 bottles of olive oil in it and carried it on the plane.

Hi, whenever we spill oil on the table here, it is not a big deal, we just throw the table cloth in the washer and there is no problem. <BR>I am also a fan of Dawn dishwashing liquid. <BR>I have used it on pratically everything that is greasy or oily. <BR>Hopefully, your things can be washed in the washer and that will be a good start. <BR>Even better if they can be washed in hot water. <BR>Otherwise, if only by hand wash, throw them in the tub, hot water, and ad Dawn. <BR>I would think as a last option, or if you didn't want to be bothered with them, your cleaners should have no problem. <BR> <BR>

I would recommend the cleaners first -- it you try and fail, then the stain will be "set." <BR> <BR>On another stain note -- my dissertation adviser was the one that showed me the boiling water through the cloth gets out red wine trick. I've found that it even works [sometimes] on old stains. <BR> <BR>Beth -- next time take ziplock bags and roll the bottles in your UNDERWEAR

hey Sally, <BR> <BR>believe it or not, the two huge huge thick folded up tablecloths, while absorbing much, (in the same bag - I did that as a cushion) did NOT completely prevent the olive oil from going elsewhere. one bottle, maybe the size of half a bottle of wine. <BR> <BR>I bought 4 bottles of oil, 4 bottles of wine, and was only able to fit 3 wine and 2 olive oil in my small carry on... the others - I had no choice. the wine and one olive oil was OK... so I think I got off easy. <BR> <BR>the bottles were individually wrapped in their own plastic bag, and put into a bigger plastic bag with the two tablecloths as a buffer. this at least kept the glass in one place (and there was still a LOT of oil in that indiv bag where the bottle was!) <BR> <BR>all in all, not too big of a deal, the tablecloths took just about all of it, and in truth, I cannot call it a STAIN as they are uniformly soaked throughout. HA HA <BR> <BR>but they are SOOOO pretty, bummer if I cannot use them... (or rather, give them as a gift. I was going to keep one and give one to my Mom, which I still can I guess but it is a littly ucky now).

Sheesh -- that was olive oil with a WILL. And you are home safely with an aroma to remember by

What are the tablecloths made of? I'd be more inclined to wash them myself than give them to a drycleaner, because I think detergent will work better than PERC (or whatever that solvent is called). Lestoil gets out oil well, but it doesn't smell too appetizing, so it may not be a good choice for tablecloths.

I'll cede to Martha's superior wisdom on this one.. this category is not a local specialty around here

All those home ec classes are starting to pay off . . .

There's a stain remover called "Zout" that works well on oily stains. I'd douse those cloths with that and then wash them in the hottest water the fabric can stand. Line dry in the sun, if possible. <BR> <BR>Bonne chance

Martha should have mentioned that if you dry the laundered cloths in the dryer, any trace of residual oil will be baked into the fabric by the heat of the dryer and will never come out.

For future reference -- breakables should be wrapped in padding first, and THEN in plastic bags, so that if they do break, the broken glass doesn't cut a hole in the plastic.

Hey Shrimp, here's some magic.....if you spill red wine, just pour some white wine on it...the red wine disappears immediately. Absolutely amazing!

Hey Laura -- thanks, but I'd rather DRINK both ;-)