OT Oil stains on concrete

Stain the rest of it to match?

Jeff (Ducking...)

Lol, are you always as much of a smartass as you are tonight? (am i allowed to say sm*rt*ss here?)

chem

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

I have heard to wait for a big rainstorm, go out right beforehand and sprinkle tide laundry detergent on the stains.

Jim

================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ==================================================

Sounds like you won't pass the phase 1 enviromental assessment required by most lenders before a buyer is granted a loan to purchase the property. I was looking to buy some property and the seller had to pay for a phase 1 assessment by a certified enviromental engineer who reports directley to the lender, the seller had the same problem with oil stains, the bank said no loan until the enviromental issues were resolved ( hydrocarbon contamination ) and the property was declared clean by a follow up inspection.Needless to say that killed the deal.

Best Regards Tom.

From

"Make sure soap from car washing stays out of storm drains. Even a phosphate-free soap like laundry detergent can make fish sick. You can wash your car over a grassy area to trap soap, or go to a commercial car-wash where water is recycled."

jim rozen wrote:

AZOTIC wrote: Selling house and trying to spiff up a long concrete driveway. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^ I seem to recall that TSP, sprinkled on the stains, and then mopped will work. Obviously, though, if these stains have been soaking in for a long time, and they keep working their way back to the surface, you may have to do a great many applications, over a long period, to get it all. That may not be practical. If the sale of the property hinges on this, you may have to cover the surface with something, such as paint or asphalt.

Well, I agree I deserved that!

I think it was a stupid TGIF reaction to the end of a somewhat frustrating work week.

I'll do my best to remember that the reason they don't send donkeys to college is that nobody likes a smartass.

Jeff

Tri-sodium phosphate...aka TSP and a power washer

Craig C. snipped-for-privacy@ev1.net

Use SHOUT aka laundry stain remover with a nice big scrub brush and plenty of water.

Chief

Tide with bleach.

michael

Followed with kitty litter.

I've removed oil stains from concrete that have been there for years, with exceptional results. It involves liquefying the oil and giving it a place to go, and a way to go there. Start by dissolving any free surface oil with Stoddard solvent (or mineral spirits) and wiping up the mess with an old rag. Again, saturate the soiled area with more Stoddard, brushing it in a little, then cover the soiled area with OilDri (or kitty litter), making sure that the entire area is saturated, including the OilDri. The slow evaporation of the solvent will gradually pull the oil from the concrete. Leave the OilDri until it has completely dried out. Inspect the old stain, and if it's not gone, do the same thing again. Even hypoid gear lube can be removed to the point where it can't be detected visually by this method. Best part is it takes almost no effort on your behalf.

Good luck with the oil stain removal.

Harold

I've used the same method. It works. Sorta like chromatography. It's just like K2R on a grand scale.

Pete Keillor

I use sodium hypochlorite ( 12% ) with good results. This is a concentrated form of ordinary household bleach ( 3% ) & is sold as 'Liquid Chlorine' for salt water pools, or 'Sanichlor' for sterilizing dairy farm equipment.

Paul Cordell, Nth. Qld. Australia.

Another good (or better) absorbent is Portland cement. I.e., the dry powder used to make mortar & concrete.

A variation on Harold's method is the Tide powder laundry detergent that others have recommended, but apply a thick coating of powder (about 1/8"), sprinkle it with water and stir with a scrub broom to make a thick paste, and cover with a plastic drop cloth to keep it wet. Uncover, add water, and stir it around some with a broom every so often (try not to let it dry out). The detergent will soak into the concrete and dissolve the oil, which migrates upward into the paste. Save the bleach and/or muriatic acid for a final surface whitening after all the bulk oil is gone; they won't pull oil out from below the surface.

-- Regards, Carl Ijames snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net

I got rid of a oil stains on a paved drive with a few squirts of "Engine Degreaser" aerosol.

I have never understood how it is a no-no to wash a cup of soap down the storm drain but it's OK for my city and County to flush ump-teen thousands of tons of salt down the storm drain every winter into the local river. I guess it just shows how adaptable the fish are. BilM

Good point... I hadn't thought of that one. Salt is a big thing here too, and pesticides are another.

chem

Bilmundus wrote: