Oil clean-up advice

[AZmike]

My landlord is getting impatient about the mess I made when I pulled my tranny apart on my patio a few weeks ago. There's a nice oil trail about 8 feet long and an inch wide of the last bit that dripped out when I was lugging it to my disassembly cardboard. It was clean oil so the trail is not a lot darker than the red brick, but still clearly visible. I've tried degreasers like simple green. Right now some gasoline is evaporating off, but I'm not too sure it's going to work

Any ideas how I can clean this up?

[87Hybrid]

Tide laundry detergent. wet the area sprinkle the detergent on and scrub. should remove it completely. I use it on my driveway all the time.

[AZmike]

Ok, I'll pick someup next time I'm at the store and give it a try. I hope I don't need to buy a jumbo container. Do you think that liquid laundry detergent would work? I already have some of that so I'll try it too.

Other ideas?

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

You could also try a can of brake parts cleaner or carb cleaner -- those usually take oil and stuff off pretty quick. Try the laundry soap first though

And don't forget to use a scrub brush if need be

[Bobs89LXi]

If you would have sprinkled clay cat litter on the spills right after they happened, you could have swept it up after about 30 min or so. I doubt if it will work on your current stains.

[AZmike]

I tried the brake cleaner, no good. The gasoline seems to have helped some so next time I go out I'll dump some more on. It's just otuside so I end up with quite a stink if I stick around. Clay cat litter? I'll get some of that before I tackle anything big in the future. I heard that nothing beats pool acid. Does anyone have any experience with that?

[Bobs89LXi]

Yes, clay cat litter absorbs oil, along with both brake and transmission fluid.

[shepherd79]

i think they make special oil cleaner from concreate or anything else. check with a autostores about this stuff.

[smufguy]

rub ur ass on it and create enought heat to burn the oil up! just kidding man. Sorry about the landlord headaches, Try some engine degreaser and scrub it and power wash it if u can.

[YK86]

I used cat-litter stuff too. Cheap and it works great! Just make sure you clean it up before it rains though. As for the remover, I bought some of that Grease Magnet stuff they show on TV (made by the same guys who make CLR). Haven't tried it though.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

Originally posted by smufguy
rub ur ass on it and create enought heat to burn the oil up! just kidding man.

Don't even need to do that! He's already got gasoline on it, all you'd need to do to warm her up is....drop a match! Poof! heheheh...j/k

note: this was meant as a joke only--do not try this at home

:lol :lol

[KaMiKaZeE]

I used to use clay cat litter but I have discovered something far better if you can get it. Sawdust. You can usually get it for free by the drum at you local lumber mill, they are more than happy to get rid of it. It is AMAZING how much oil and tranny fluid and other crap this stuff absorbs! Also, it seems to "clump" when it is done absorbing and is so easy to sweep up. I used to work at a transmission shop and we bought a pallete of industrial "oil sorbent" which was clay kitty litter, and it just sits there since we discovered sawdust. I mean it! It works good!

[markmdz89hatch]

yeah, you can get the automotive version of that clay cat litter at autozone or someplace like that. It's called Speedy-Dry, and works like a charm. It recently removed year-old stains in my dad's driveway. Just sprinkle it on, cover the whole stain, walk on it to crush it into the surface, wait a day or two, and sweep it up. Repeat application if neccessary to remove stain entirely.

[AZmike]

Thanks, now I can call around with something specific. I hope it works as well on brick for me as it did for you on concrete.

[Neuspeed007]

Originally posted by Bobs89LXi
Yes, clay cat litter absorbs oil, along with both brake and transmission fluid.

[Coroncho80]

This is good shit, 'cause i have the same problem in my garage. My old engine was leaking oil and now there is a bigg ass stain that i gotta get rid off before my landlord see it. Thanks for the info!

[KaMiKaZeE]

Well after you clean the stain why don't all you guys with anal landlords seal the garage floor and driveway so you don't stain it again? And try sawdust. Its free and works better. Just a thought.

[AZmike]

Even 4 weeks after the spill?

I also think that I'd have trouble convincing my landlord to seal my patio. I don't have a garage to work here so I had to tear down my tranny on my doorstep.