After the Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in 2010, rescuers rushed to save birds, like this pelican. In the end, it didn’t really matter, most birds died. Louisiana Governors Office / Alamy Stock Photo ...

Cleaning up oil stains is among the top household nightmares for many, as they're notoriously stubborn. Still, some mishaps like spilling cooking oil on the kitchen floor can happen to the best of us.

A 1998 oil spill of more than 100,000 liters in the North Sea had killed 13,000 birds in Wattenmeer national park, and the scientist had learned that cleaning oil-soaked birds could be as harmful to ...