OT - Oil Spill Cleanup

[dave5605]

Some years back worked in a fuel oil tank farm. WE stored #6 fuel oil the nastiest,smelliest,staining stuff you ever saw. Cleaning floors in the pump rooms had to be done on a regular basis. We'd go over the floor with a mop soaked in kerosene, then do the oil dry bit moving it back and forth with large squeegees. Sweep it up and then throw down another layer and literally grind it into the concrete surface with our boots. 95% of the time all of the stains and oil would be removed. Bleach is good for the smell. Not so good for your lungs. Frank

Bingo, that's how I do it.

From a more practical viewpoint, if that would have happened in my little 2 car garage shop I would have hurridly spread it around because it would have made the floor look nicer than it is.

I've done more than my fair share of engine/transmission work and hardly blink an eye when the tranny fluid comes pouring out of the tail shaft all over the floor. Or try to drop a transmission pan that doesn't have a drain plug.

[rws]

Portland cement is good - it's a trick I've used for years, and my father before me. I've no idea where he got the idea from - his father used sawdust, and his father before him...

George

Bingo! I worked with a Fire Chief years ago, and he told me they always carried a bag of portland cement to absorb oil and fuel spills at traffic accidents. He was also a plumber by trade, and when he would thread a pipe, and of course the pipe was being flooded with cutting oil, he would dip the end in a bucket of cement then wipe it off, so the metal was clean and the thread sealant would adhere. It evidently does work.

[Georgineer]

years ago I heard that spreading dry Portland cement would dry up oil stains and help remove them. I never tried it but at this point, if nothing else works it may be worth a shot. If not, then buy that new machine.

Portland cement is good - it's a trick I've used for years, and my father before me. I've no idea where he got the idea from - his father used sawdust, and his father before him...

George

[A.K. Boomer]

Get down on your hands and knees. Use a brick or short chunk of 2X4 and grind oil dri into the stained area. After clean up you won't be able to see the stain. Also it dosen't smell bad.

Ross

yup - gotta break it down into dust and keep rubbing it in, leave it sit too...

if there's any oil left it will attract it like a magnet...

[ogre]

Purple power is a great cleaner . You can get at walmarts and auto stores.

[BigMike782]

Don't you have a wife? Let her clean it up. That is why we get married isn't it!

A good wife couldn't clean this up because she is cooking his lunch,doing laundry and washing the kitchen floor.....all at the same time

[Black Forest]

I would've liked to leave clay there for a week or two, but it's right in front of the door into the house, so would've meant constantly tracking the mess into the house.

Don't you have a wife? Let her clean it up. That is why we get married isn't it!

[lynnl]

I considered saw dust. My saw has probably a nearly full collection bin in the cabinet. I also have a full (packed) large paper grocery bag of wood shavings from my jointer that I considered throwing down as the first stage mop-up, but was concerned that getting them up and disposed of, when soaked in oil, might be more messy than the clay.

I would've liked to leave clay there for a week or two, but it's right in front of the door into the house, so would've meant constantly tracking the mess into the house.

[Ed P]

I always grind in the oil dry into the concrete with my boot making it break down into smaller particles that I'm guessing get into the rough surface better.
I haven't noticed a stain when I do this.

Exactly. I also give it some time to work, a day or two and rework the oil dry a few times. Never a stain, and I've done it enough times to be considered an expert!

Ed P

[BigMike782]

My property is all clay and as such I have a constant source of oil dry on the shop floor I have drug in from outside.I sweep the floor over the spill after the majority of the spill is wiped up.Then I just grind the dirt,clay,sand mix into the effected area and that takes care of it.It only leaves a mark if I do not get to it soon enough.
If you get to the spill as it's happening saw dust does work very well.

[Arky]

Oil Spill

Lynnl, i agree with Bill736 about the sawdust for oil/water/antifreeze spills. I've been using it for years and it works better than anything else i've tried. A friend of mine has a cabinet shop and he saves me all his sawdust. I use " Super Clean" to get up any stains the dust might leave. It comes in a purple container, buy it at Wal-mart, Oreilly's etc. Just give it a try, works for me. Good luck, Arky

[fjk]

Anybody have any good suggestions for ridding the odor?

keep a window or door open for a few days?

maybe add some heat (turn up the heat in the building
or a small space heater or the like -- no direct flames!)
to encourage evaporation?

[lynnl]

What a great excuse to buy another machine! You need it to cover up that stain.
.

Problem is, I already had a machine to put there.

That was essentially the whole point of the exercise leading up to the spill: I was doing some reorganizing and shifting around in an attempt to gain some space. I really have more machines an "stuff" than places to put it. It's so crowded in there you can't cuss a cat without getting hair in your mouth!

Interesting how everybody has the same idea about crushing and grinding in the oil dri granules. I've never heard or read any directions to do that ...just one of those intuitively obvious concepts I guess.

I think the visible stain I'm now seeing is the result of this spot being cleaner than the rest of the floor. That Zep Purple is scary strong stuff! I had the mixture in an empty metal coffee can, and it etched all the shine from the can interior

[Frank46]

Some years back worked in a fuel oil tank farm. WE stored #6 fuel oil the nastiest,smelliest,staining stuff you ever saw. Cleaning floors in the pump rooms had to be done on a regular basis. We'd go over the floor with a mop soaked in kerosene, then do the oil dry bit moving it back and forth with large squeegees. Sweep it up and then throw down another layer and literally grind it into the concrete surface with our boots. 95% of the time all of the stains and oil would be removed. Bleach is good for the smell. Not so good for your lungs. Frank

[firbikrhd1]

What a great excuse to buy another machine! You need it to cover up that stain.
Seriously, years ago I heard that spreading dry Portland cement would dry up oil stains and help remove them. I never tried it but at this point, if nothing else works it may be worth a shot. If not, then buy that new machine.