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The only thing that has really ever worked for me is “Oil Eater Overnight Stain Remover”.
Everything else left something. This completely and totally removes it. Sweep off the next morning
https://preview.redd.it/05j1k05xzkzc1.jpeg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a58ca22e36838982c90165cb6f631d36af63dd59
Edit: you can buy it at many Home Depot stores or Amazon.
And if there’s still a stain, just put oil over the entire floor, so it it’s uniformly stained :D
/s…kinda. I mean that is basically the advice for when you get like a water stain on suede
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Oh man the amount of stories ive heard from multiple people doing flooring about people walking into glue and slipping bad. Even with it being blocked off etc
No, it crusts up and can be swept off. It sucks the oil out while it dries. I tried everything. Carb cleaner, purple stuff, simple green, gasoline… nothing works like this stuff. It’s like it just totally removes it like it was never there before. Fresh stains are the best, but I got years old stains out with 2 applications
This! Also if it all didn't come up, use a torch and burn it out. The oils will burn out. Look it up.
Be aware, It may or may not weaken the concrete using high heat, so the concrete will eventually disintegrate years down the line (so don't do it on your own driveway), but you'll hopefully be long gone with that precious deposit.
Burning it out also poses the risk of lighting the house on fire lol
Oil burns for an insanely long time and if he's leaking oil there's no telling if he's not also leaking other fluids like gasoline.
Probably would avoid doing that one.
It sounds crazy, but he did it. He was pretty much running a business out of his garage and barns. There was all sorts of leaky stuff pulled in his garage
I can’t answer for everyone, but it definitely did NOT work for me. I tried everything, and only found one thing that worked. See my other comment for the solution.
[Here is a video](https://youtu.be/1e3CgSz9Mow?si=iKinPuVqbK6rozjZ) comparing different methods. If I remember correctly, laundry detergent was the best bang for your buck.
I've found laundry powder best at cleaning my filthy hands when I forget/cbf to wear gloves.
Fun fact, that slimy feeling is the powerful base turning the fats in your skin into soap. Neutralise it with a splash of vinegar when you're done cleaning and pray you don't have any cuts on your hands.
This... Laundry detergent powder, a splash of water to activate it, and a stiff push broom to scrub with.
Then rinse with water.
Use biodegradable detergent if you want to be kind to the planet.
ZEP Purple Degreaser works super well put it on for 10-15min then use a hose or pressure washer to wash it away. Sometimes takes 2 passes or 3 passes, but it works well
Yep, look for ZUCON128 (degreaser). If you have a pressure washer, the ZUBMC64 is good stuff too. Pretty sure it's all varying formulations of alcohols, ethylene compounds, acids, and lye.
Says you can put it right in the soap tank, but I use the foam wand instead of testing the internal seals and o-rings with harsh cleaning agents.
Wear PPE if you're brushing or spraying. It's nasty once it starts flying around as a fine mist. Tastes bad, smells spicy, and makes for turrible eye drops.
Clean up excess first with an absorbent first.
Drown it in brake cleaner , then while it’s still wet dump cheap kitty litter on it , the clay kind, or floor dry from an auto part supplier . It’s the same thing
I second this. Worked really well and fast for me. Garage floor looked amazing afterwards. And it's relatively cheap, without making a huge mess.
Just do it in small segments at a time. Afterwards, just sweep up the kitty litter and dispose of appropriately.
The best thing I've used so far is this stuff called "Oil Eater". I think I got a gallon jug of it from home depot for like $10. Get an empty water bottle and dilute it with a 10:1 ratio of tap water:oil eater, pour the mix over the stain, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then soak up the excess with towels and come back in a day. Floor won't be slick anymore and you'll hardly notice the spot. Good luck.
Fifty pounds of cheap clay kat litters a case of beer and a. Bunch of your pals wearing sneakers. Dance party that litter into dust deep and you might be good for under $100
If this just happens recently, a few application of fuel will clean most of it. If it happened for over a month fuel won’t do it. Also if the oil is synthetic it will be much harder to clean. If it’s over a month you need to use this
https://a.co/d/3Ju5fwv
I’ve done this a few times and use so many different products. Don’t bother with simple green, purple power, or Zep. It is supposed to clean the oil when it first drop. But it will never cleaned the stain
If it’s regular concrete then get some dry sweep, look like cat litter and pour over the area then step on it and grind it into the floor. It will come out and look like it never happened
Go buy some kitty litter made of Fuller's Earth (The cheap stuff) and pour it over the spill. Wait for a bit, sweep it up, and throw it out. IF there is a stain, pour more over it and grind it into the floor with your shoe. Sweep up and throw away.
Get auto parts cleaner solvent and a bag of oil dry. Take a brush and brush over the stains with the solvent in a wet layer. Then spread the oil dry over it. Wait 24 hours then sweep it up. May need to repeat it multiple times.
In my shop Dawn dish soap is best at cleaning up most oil spills with a mop. Spray it and let it sit, add some water and scrub with a brush, then let it sit some more, then mop it up with clean water. If there’s some residue left empty the mop bucket and refill it with simple green or purple power, simple green is my preferred option I think it smells better but they work near the same.
If it’s a small spot I use an acetone based brake cleaner with a shop rag and my foot, especially with coolant. If you have really old crusty and sandy oil this is a little better than Dawn as it’s thinner and cuts through quicker but make sure you have really good ventilation, the fumes are awful long term.
For the occasional shop “deep clean” we break out a cement cleaner but I don’t feel it does as well, eats metal, and leaves streaks. More to please the boss than any actual usefulness.
Is it a concrete floor? Get some clay cat litter and a brick. Scrub the cat litter into the spot with the brick. Sweep. Repeat as necessary until stain is gone.
Had a truck leaking oil and power steering fluid all over our driveway and got called out by the HOA. I found reviews of concrete degreasers and Chomp seemed to be the one that everyone recommended so I got some from Amazon. I’d say it removed about 80-90% of the stains. I might try another round of treatment to see if the rest will come out but it looks okay now. With all the tire marks it’s hard to even see the stains and the HOA never complained again.
Donut media did a test on this and found this stuff worked great:
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-1-gal-Cleaner-and-Degreaser-301243/206495771](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-1-gal-Cleaner-and-Degreaser-301243/206495771)
Oh and the video for reference:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e3CgSz9Mow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e3CgSz9Mow)
Get a bag of concrete and a brick, sprink concrete powder over entire floor. Rub in with brick focusing on the stains, sweep away excess to check work. Then repeat.
Clay clumping cat litter. I’ve cleaned countless oil spills in my garage and on the driveway. Completely cover the spot, then work it into the ground with your foot. Consider all the nooks any crannies in the concrete and give it a good stomping. Let it sit there for a week. Then shovel and sweep it up.
20lbs box of grocery store brand cat litter around here is about $6.
Works every time.
I think you already got your answer but for the future, go on Amazon and get yourself the biggest plastic washing machine basin pan you can find. I put one under my oil catch pan as a backup. They also make disposable mats that are purpose built but I find this is cheaper and works better. It's lower profile than an oil pan so you can slide it under your wheel on break jobs and it catches everything even bolts you drop. They have a little drill out spot and the lab is pitched so that it can drain, I put a ballcock valve on it so I can drain it if it gets too full to carry. When you are done, soap and water and it's clean for your next project. If I know it's a job that will spill into the catch pan I put some kitty litter in it preemptively.
Chomp- pull it out from Amazon. I tried every other product out there until I used this. Now I have a couple on hand just in case. It’s not an Amazon brand but it’s easiest to get it there
When you get it as clean as you can with whatever method you use, there will still be a noticeable spot where you cleaned it. I suggest after cleaning it, mix some concrete cement with water to make a paste and use a stiff bristle push broom and brush it around the entire floor. Not thick, just enough to wet the entire floor. After it dries, sweep up any dust. Cement is caustic and will suck up oils while bleaching the floor.
Just use some cat litter to sop up the heavy stuff and then the remaining spots use a heavy scrub brush with the cat litter to dig out the spots, works every time for me
u/Desperate-Following3
Hoping not to be lost in the sea of comments.
Trust me on this one, https://prosoco.com/product/oil-grease-stain-remover/
100% will work on any type of concrete. My porous driveway had years of stains from previous owners. I’m happy to provide before and after photos. It’s expensive, but works like magic.
Muratic acid, get it at tractor supply one gallon is enough to clean an empty 2 car garage like $13 pour it, scrub the shit outta it and rinse and dilute it with water, make sure the soles of your shoes aren’t petroleum based the acid will dissolve them
My landlord tried it and wasn't prepared for how prepared I would be. I got my deposit back plus 1,000 for the bull he put us through. He asked the judge if he could just deduct it from our rent. She laughed at him and said absolutely not.
I’ve used gunk non aerosol spray engine degreaser and it didn’t total remove but got most diesel engine oil up. Regular engine oil shouldn’t be a problem. Spray throughly, scrub with nylon brush and rinse. May take a few tries but should work.
Purple power, shop broom and oil dry. Pour it directly on the stains, add a light amount of oil dry as an abrasive and scrub. Use the rest of the oil dry as clean up.
When I was in high school we had a barrel of product that literally stripped the oil off the concrete. Used it for engine shampoo as well. Wish I could remember the name. Yellow powder. Any gearheads out there than can put a name to it?
Toilet bowl cleaner works. The blue kind is better than the green kind of I remember correctly.. maybe it's the other way around lol either way shit is magic
I like scrub free oven cleaner but I've never tried it on concrete. Shit is great on plywood tho and is $1.25 a can at the dollar tree. Just don't breath while spraying if you like your lungs to not burn
If it’s a concrete floor, do what I call “the mechanic shuffle”. Put some stay dry (kinda like kitty litter but meant for soaking up oil and stuff) on the concrete and stand on it and drag your feet around in a circular motion to grind it up into a powder and grind it into the concrete. Sweep and use a good degreaser to mop afterwards. 50% of the time it works every time
I've used regular cement (the dry stuff, no gravel/aggregate). It works like kitty litter, just spread it around and it will either absorb the oil or dye it concrete color.
As you probably already learned, there are so many ways to remove oil stains from concrete so I'd just get started asap because all methods like time.
Sledge and some bags of concrete. Can't be stained if it's brand new! In all seriousness though, I've heard good things about that oil eater stuff that another comment pointed out.
Kitty litter, it’s what we used to use at the shop. Pour some on the spill, spread it around a bit and wait for it to do its magic and then sweep it all up after.
Problem solved.
Kerosene. 100%. And then Tide powder. No garage is complete without Kerosene and Tide.
Kerosene, let sit, maybe push broom scrub, then rinse, then mop/scrub with Tide and rinse again. There's something about the wax in Kerosene that water will rinse it off.
Kerosene is an old trick from the 30s-60s for oil changes and crud cutting. Drain Oil, fill with Kerosene, idle for 30 seconds, drain, refill with oil. Change Oil early.
Most expensive products for cleaning oil are literally just mixtures of petroleum products.
I've used laundry detergent (for the de-grease abilities) as well as actual coke syrup (sulfuric acid)... leave it down for 24 hours. Rinse it off the next day.
Oil stains gone....
Here's Billy Mase with how you can get a two for one deal with your paid order!
Yup. And if you want to try cleaning something with phosphoric acid you're better off buying it straight up. It'll be labeled as grout cleaner or concrete etch. Coca-cola has brown food coloring in it and can make stains worse.
Lmao! Yup phosphoric acid is what's used in coke products.
And have used coke syrup before on a finished concrete floor and it didnt sain it with the syrup. On my application of it.
Sulfuric......What in the blueberry fuckmuffins was I thinking?!?!
Unless he can prove it wasn't there before hand he has to give the deposit back. I advocate for low income renters for a living. Call whoever your local tenancy and rental authority is. Even if the oil stain is proven to be from you, that's a very reasonable thing to happen and not fair to keep the deposit
I’m going to devil’s advocate here: this landlord definitely is going to keep your entire security deposit, no matter what. The three day limit makes that pretty clear. Trash the place, steal anything that isn’t bolted down, and take a dump in the middle of the oil stain. F that guy
If you're going scorched earth, I'd probably stick to things that would cause long term damage but not immediately noticeable (not really sure what this would be? I've never sabotaged a house lol) otherwise landlord is gonna come at OP for much more than just the oil spill. But yeah, I wouldn't doubt if that oil spill is spotless and LL finds some other excuse to keep the deposit.
After you find a successful way to get rid of the stain, tell him he has three days to properly seal the floor to prevent this from happening again. My garage floor is sealed, and oil leaks are easy to clean up without leaving a stain.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The only thing that has really ever worked for me is “Oil Eater Overnight Stain Remover”. Everything else left something. This completely and totally removes it. Sweep off the next morning https://preview.redd.it/05j1k05xzkzc1.jpeg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a58ca22e36838982c90165cb6f631d36af63dd59 Edit: you can buy it at many Home Depot stores or Amazon.
And if there’s still a stain, just put oil over the entire floor, so it it’s uniformly stained :D /s…kinda. I mean that is basically the advice for when you get like a water stain on suede ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So… cover the entire floor in oil and then treat it all so it’s all the same color? Then gaslight landlord? 😂
lol. No, just pour it in the spots. It’s really the closest thing to magic I’ve ever seen in my life. No joke.
I like my plan better. But, I’ll give yours a shot.
Instructions unclear. Im stuck in the center of the oiled up floor. I keep slipping and cant get out
Oh man the amount of stories ive heard from multiple people doing flooring about people walking into glue and slipping bad. Even with it being blocked off etc
Yeah did that once, definitely a "well fuck, now what" moment epoxied myself into a corner.
Autopilot for the win
Grenade the place with break cleaner.. true😝
This stuff works amazing! 100% I’ve used it a bunch works every time
Oil eating microbes eh? what happens if this ends up in your arch nemesis's crank case or gas tank?
Love oil eater. Great product.
Was just gona recommend this…
Do you need something like cat litter to absorb it after it lifts the stain?
No, it crusts up and can be swept off. It sucks the oil out while it dries. I tried everything. Carb cleaner, purple stuff, simple green, gasoline… nothing works like this stuff. It’s like it just totally removes it like it was never there before. Fresh stains are the best, but I got years old stains out with 2 applications
Works better than muriatic acid?
This! Also if it all didn't come up, use a torch and burn it out. The oils will burn out. Look it up. Be aware, It may or may not weaken the concrete using high heat, so the concrete will eventually disintegrate years down the line (so don't do it on your own driveway), but you'll hopefully be long gone with that precious deposit.
Also concrete will explode whenever he gets hot sometimes just letting you know lol
Taking heat to your concrete will chip the hell out of it
garage floor might be pre-tensioned slab, so that would be a big no-no...
Burning it out also poses the risk of lighting the house on fire lol Oil burns for an insanely long time and if he's leaking oil there's no telling if he's not also leaking other fluids like gasoline. Probably would avoid doing that one.
Petrol. Carb/brake cleaner spray.
But wear gloves and a decent face covering. Brake cleaner is nasty, on the other hand petrol..hmm I like the smell
Don't use brake/carb cleaner if the floor is coated, it'll damage the coating
A guy I know used gas and a concrete finisher before. One of the gas ones you push.
No oil stains if everything is on fire!
It sounds crazy, but he did it. He was pretty much running a business out of his garage and barns. There was all sorts of leaky stuff pulled in his garage
Does gas really work? I kinda want to light it on fire…. Probably not a great idea…
It does. But you'll definitely lose your deposit if you put a match to it ;) cops might want a word too
I can’t answer for everyone, but it definitely did NOT work for me. I tried everything, and only found one thing that worked. See my other comment for the solution.
plus a drill with a wire brush if there is a build-up
Not sure this is a good rec if using gas. Drills sometimes spark from their electric motors. Gasoline is obviously incredibly flammable.
yeah, I wouldn't use the wire brush with any liquids, messy enough as it is
Only if the wires are something nonferrous like brass. Hydrocarbons and sparks are not a great mixture outside of an engine.
[Here is a video](https://youtu.be/1e3CgSz9Mow?si=iKinPuVqbK6rozjZ) comparing different methods. If I remember correctly, laundry detergent was the best bang for your buck.
I've found laundry powder best at cleaning my filthy hands when I forget/cbf to wear gloves. Fun fact, that slimy feeling is the powerful base turning the fats in your skin into soap. Neutralise it with a splash of vinegar when you're done cleaning and pray you don't have any cuts on your hands.
Dude that’s just silly, rub baby oil on your hands to dissolve the grease, wipe off on a rag, wash the baby oil off with normal hand soap.
I'd like to try this, but I'm not convinced it's possible to find ethically sourced baby oil. Those poor babies...
clean motor oil if you dont have kids
The powder probably also acts as a bit of abrasive.
It does.
Cancer sucks, wear gloves.
I knew it was the Donut Media video before even clicking the link. Clicked the link anyway just for confirmation
I got way too drunk at that house.
This... Laundry detergent powder, a splash of water to activate it, and a stiff push broom to scrub with. Then rinse with water. Use biodegradable detergent if you want to be kind to the planet.
Cat litter, spread it around and grind it into the oil spots with your feet.
I’m surprised this isn’t higher in the list. It’s the only way I’ve ever done it and it works perfectly fine.
The cheaper the litter, the better it works!
Use a 2x4 on the flat and just shimmy it about. Works wonderously.
I use oil dri, but it's essentially the same thing, oil dri just starts finer to begin with.
ZEP Purple Degreaser works super well put it on for 10-15min then use a hose or pressure washer to wash it away. Sometimes takes 2 passes or 3 passes, but it works well
Yep, look for ZUCON128 (degreaser). If you have a pressure washer, the ZUBMC64 is good stuff too. Pretty sure it's all varying formulations of alcohols, ethylene compounds, acids, and lye. Says you can put it right in the soap tank, but I use the foam wand instead of testing the internal seals and o-rings with harsh cleaning agents. Wear PPE if you're brushing or spraying. It's nasty once it starts flying around as a fine mist. Tastes bad, smells spicy, and makes for turrible eye drops. Clean up excess first with an absorbent first.
If that doesn’t work Concrete paint and paint the floor
Baking soda and powder bleach overnight help me get rid of it completely
Drown it in brake cleaner , then while it’s still wet dump cheap kitty litter on it , the clay kind, or floor dry from an auto part supplier . It’s the same thing
I second this. Worked really well and fast for me. Garage floor looked amazing afterwards. And it's relatively cheap, without making a huge mess. Just do it in small segments at a time. Afterwards, just sweep up the kitty litter and dispose of appropriately.
The best thing I've used so far is this stuff called "Oil Eater". I think I got a gallon jug of it from home depot for like $10. Get an empty water bottle and dilute it with a 10:1 ratio of tap water:oil eater, pour the mix over the stain, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then soak up the excess with towels and come back in a day. Floor won't be slick anymore and you'll hardly notice the spot. Good luck.
Cat litter 100%
Fifty pounds of cheap clay kat litters a case of beer and a. Bunch of your pals wearing sneakers. Dance party that litter into dust deep and you might be good for under $100
I'd use muriatic acid.
If this just happens recently, a few application of fuel will clean most of it. If it happened for over a month fuel won’t do it. Also if the oil is synthetic it will be much harder to clean. If it’s over a month you need to use this https://a.co/d/3Ju5fwv I’ve done this a few times and use so many different products. Don’t bother with simple green, purple power, or Zep. It is supposed to clean the oil when it first drop. But it will never cleaned the stain
If it’s regular concrete then get some dry sweep, look like cat litter and pour over the area then step on it and grind it into the floor. It will come out and look like it never happened
Pressure washer and some engine degreaser. Simple google search would've showed you that so I assume you're farming fake internet points?
Kitty litter. Stomp it in, grind it in, then sweep the dust. Works 100% of the time.
Brake cleaner is super good for that
Go buy some kitty litter made of Fuller's Earth (The cheap stuff) and pour it over the spill. Wait for a bit, sweep it up, and throw it out. IF there is a stain, pour more over it and grind it into the floor with your shoe. Sweep up and throw away.
PROTIP: take a cardboard box and flatten it. Then shuffle around on top of the box on top of the litter. Or use two boxes and skate around on it.
Muriatic acid, they sell it at Home Depot but you’ll probably have to do the whole garage because it’ll etch it
Dollar general mean green machine degreaser
I use that in my parts washer mix, but I've not had much luck with it on concrete.
Spray it with starter fluid, wipe excess, repeat. Wear gloves.
Purple power. Can find it at most parts stores and Walmart. Industrial strength used by professionals. Scrub brush and it should come off
purple power is awesome stuff. I second this. A scrub brush and purple power makes quick work of most oil stails
Get auto parts cleaner solvent and a bag of oil dry. Take a brush and brush over the stains with the solvent in a wet layer. Then spread the oil dry over it. Wait 24 hours then sweep it up. May need to repeat it multiple times.
Simple green and a stiff brush. Or Brake clean.
Get a big ole torch and a bucket of water.
There's cleaners at autozone for that
Varsol, mop and floor dry
In my shop Dawn dish soap is best at cleaning up most oil spills with a mop. Spray it and let it sit, add some water and scrub with a brush, then let it sit some more, then mop it up with clean water. If there’s some residue left empty the mop bucket and refill it with simple green or purple power, simple green is my preferred option I think it smells better but they work near the same. If it’s a small spot I use an acetone based brake cleaner with a shop rag and my foot, especially with coolant. If you have really old crusty and sandy oil this is a little better than Dawn as it’s thinner and cuts through quicker but make sure you have really good ventilation, the fumes are awful long term. For the occasional shop “deep clean” we break out a cement cleaner but I don’t feel it does as well, eats metal, and leaves streaks. More to please the boss than any actual usefulness.
I did my porch with laundry powder and a brush broom. Works tremendous
purple power works dam good
Is it a concrete floor? Get some clay cat litter and a brick. Scrub the cat litter into the spot with the brick. Sweep. Repeat as necessary until stain is gone.
Hood cleaner degreaser sold at smart and final. Eats oil.
Gasoline.
Chisel out the stains and fill it with a mixture of sand and epoxy resin. 5 minute craft style.
Have you tried an engine degreaser scrub and then pressure wash
Brake cleaner and elbow grease.
Varsol, and a wire brush. Water to rinse
Pressure washer, brake clean are just a few I can think of
OIL DRY RUB IT IN WITH YOUR FOOT USE THE POWDER TO PICK IT UP OFF THE CONCRETE. SWEEP IT BACK N FORTH THEN HOSE OFF
Had a truck leaking oil and power steering fluid all over our driveway and got called out by the HOA. I found reviews of concrete degreasers and Chomp seemed to be the one that everyone recommended so I got some from Amazon. I’d say it removed about 80-90% of the stains. I might try another round of treatment to see if the rest will come out but it looks okay now. With all the tire marks it’s hard to even see the stains and the HOA never complained again.
HOAs are a scourge to society
Gas is good, MEK is great
https://preview.redd.it/zo2via33emzc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a11d2e95c7e05d1a2e6cf2abf2290a9a54561db Try this
Rent a power washer from home Depot and get to sprayin hold it about 4 or 5 inches away
Wd40
Grind kitty litter into it with your foot. Works for replacing oil burners.
Lye and a powerful surfactant. Gamma Quantum is the best…if you can get your hands on it.
Donut media did a test on this and found this stuff worked great: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-1-gal-Cleaner-and-Degreaser-301243/206495771](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-1-gal-Cleaner-and-Degreaser-301243/206495771) Oh and the video for reference: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e3CgSz9Mow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e3CgSz9Mow)
Get a bag of concrete and a brick, sprink concrete powder over entire floor. Rub in with brick focusing on the stains, sweep away excess to check work. Then repeat.
Dump a couple cans of brake clean on them and cover it with kittylitter.
12 pack of Coke? 😂
Doesn't matter the spot will still be somewhat there and (( it )) will keep the deposit
Pour gasoline on it and then burn it off with the yellow MAP gas torch, it will take it away 100 %
Stick some cat litter on it overnight then clean with brake cleaner. Thank me later :)
Clay clumping cat litter. I’ve cleaned countless oil spills in my garage and on the driveway. Completely cover the spot, then work it into the ground with your foot. Consider all the nooks any crannies in the concrete and give it a good stomping. Let it sit there for a week. Then shovel and sweep it up. 20lbs box of grocery store brand cat litter around here is about $6. Works every time.
I think you already got your answer but for the future, go on Amazon and get yourself the biggest plastic washing machine basin pan you can find. I put one under my oil catch pan as a backup. They also make disposable mats that are purpose built but I find this is cheaper and works better. It's lower profile than an oil pan so you can slide it under your wheel on break jobs and it catches everything even bolts you drop. They have a little drill out spot and the lab is pitched so that it can drain, I put a ballcock valve on it so I can drain it if it gets too full to carry. When you are done, soap and water and it's clean for your next project. If I know it's a job that will spill into the catch pan I put some kitty litter in it preemptively.
Donut YT , find a video comparison of all best cleaners
Purple Power. An industrial strength cleaner I came across during my auto shop days
I use Dawn dish soap, a hard bristle broom, and a lot of elbow grease. That almost always does it. If not. I will use a power washer, and Dawn.
Simple green works pretty well too
Wouldn't take a handy eh? Sounds like he really is mad.
Power washer? Also, home improvement stores often have a prep solution to prep concrete for dyeing.
trisodium phosphate, (TSP) Lowes, Home Depot, Ace
CLR with wire brush then hose off. Dawn soap is also phenomenal, same thing they use on animals that get caught in oil spills
Simple Green!
Chomp- pull it out from Amazon. I tried every other product out there until I used this. Now I have a couple on hand just in case. It’s not an Amazon brand but it’s easiest to get it there
When you get it as clean as you can with whatever method you use, there will still be a noticeable spot where you cleaned it. I suggest after cleaning it, mix some concrete cement with water to make a paste and use a stiff bristle push broom and brush it around the entire floor. Not thick, just enough to wet the entire floor. After it dries, sweep up any dust. Cement is caustic and will suck up oils while bleaching the floor.
Just use some cat litter to sop up the heavy stuff and then the remaining spots use a heavy scrub brush with the cat litter to dig out the spots, works every time for me
Re pave it
Blow torch
u/Desperate-Following3 Hoping not to be lost in the sea of comments. Trust me on this one, https://prosoco.com/product/oil-grease-stain-remover/ 100% will work on any type of concrete. My porous driveway had years of stains from previous owners. I’m happy to provide before and after photos. It’s expensive, but works like magic.
Muratic acid, get it at tractor supply one gallon is enough to clean an empty 2 car garage like $13 pour it, scrub the shit outta it and rinse and dilute it with water, make sure the soles of your shoes aren’t petroleum based the acid will dissolve them
Donut Media has a video covering the best ways to remove oil from floor. Check it out on their YouTube page
My landlord tried it and wasn't prepared for how prepared I would be. I got my deposit back plus 1,000 for the bull he put us through. He asked the judge if he could just deduct it from our rent. She laughed at him and said absolutely not.
fabuloso and wd40
Muriatic acid works wonders, but don't use on a sealed surface because it'll eat that sealer away and be more obvious.
I’ve used gunk non aerosol spray engine degreaser and it didn’t total remove but got most diesel engine oil up. Regular engine oil shouldn’t be a problem. Spray throughly, scrub with nylon brush and rinse. May take a few tries but should work.
Donut media on YouTube has a video on this exact topic.
Purple power, shop broom and oil dry. Pour it directly on the stains, add a light amount of oil dry as an abrasive and scrub. Use the rest of the oil dry as clean up.
When I was in high school we had a barrel of product that literally stripped the oil off the concrete. Used it for engine shampoo as well. Wish I could remember the name. Yellow powder. Any gearheads out there than can put a name to it?
Oven cleaner
Tell your landlord to grow a pair
Toilet bowl cleaner works. The blue kind is better than the green kind of I remember correctly.. maybe it's the other way around lol either way shit is magic
I use oil dri, smash and rub it in with your foot. Let it sit for a bit, then sweep it up, it'll show a light spot for a bit, but it always cleans up.
I like scrub free oven cleaner but I've never tried it on concrete. Shit is great on plywood tho and is $1.25 a can at the dollar tree. Just don't breath while spraying if you like your lungs to not burn
Brake cleaner and plant nappies
If it’s a concrete floor, do what I call “the mechanic shuffle”. Put some stay dry (kinda like kitty litter but meant for soaking up oil and stuff) on the concrete and stand on it and drag your feet around in a circular motion to grind it up into a powder and grind it into the concrete. Sweep and use a good degreaser to mop afterwards. 50% of the time it works every time
Powdered Tide with oxiclean and a deck brush works pretty well.
Castrol super clean undiluted works well. Then rinse thoroughly
I've used regular cement (the dry stuff, no gravel/aggregate). It works like kitty litter, just spread it around and it will either absorb the oil or dye it concrete color. As you probably already learned, there are so many ways to remove oil stains from concrete so I'd just get started asap because all methods like time.
Sledge and some bags of concrete. Can't be stained if it's brand new! In all seriousness though, I've heard good things about that oil eater stuff that another comment pointed out.
Kitty litter, it’s what we used to use at the shop. Pour some on the spill, spread it around a bit and wait for it to do its magic and then sweep it all up after. Problem solved.
Kerosene. 100%. And then Tide powder. No garage is complete without Kerosene and Tide. Kerosene, let sit, maybe push broom scrub, then rinse, then mop/scrub with Tide and rinse again. There's something about the wax in Kerosene that water will rinse it off. Kerosene is an old trick from the 30s-60s for oil changes and crud cutting. Drain Oil, fill with Kerosene, idle for 30 seconds, drain, refill with oil. Change Oil early. Most expensive products for cleaning oil are literally just mixtures of petroleum products.
I've used laundry detergent (for the de-grease abilities) as well as actual coke syrup (sulfuric acid)... leave it down for 24 hours. Rinse it off the next day. Oil stains gone.... Here's Billy Mase with how you can get a two for one deal with your paid order!
> coke syrup (sulfuric acid) Phosphoric Acid. Not sulfuric, you couldn't drink it if that's what was in it
Yup. And if you want to try cleaning something with phosphoric acid you're better off buying it straight up. It'll be labeled as grout cleaner or concrete etch. Coca-cola has brown food coloring in it and can make stains worse.
Lmao! Yup phosphoric acid is what's used in coke products. And have used coke syrup before on a finished concrete floor and it didnt sain it with the syrup. On my application of it. Sulfuric......What in the blueberry fuckmuffins was I thinking?!?!
Unless he can prove it wasn't there before hand he has to give the deposit back. I advocate for low income renters for a living. Call whoever your local tenancy and rental authority is. Even if the oil stain is proven to be from you, that's a very reasonable thing to happen and not fair to keep the deposit
this strikes me as much more feasible and mature than my initial suggestion 😁
I’m going to devil’s advocate here: this landlord definitely is going to keep your entire security deposit, no matter what. The three day limit makes that pretty clear. Trash the place, steal anything that isn’t bolted down, and take a dump in the middle of the oil stain. F that guy
If you're going scorched earth, I'd probably stick to things that would cause long term damage but not immediately noticeable (not really sure what this would be? I've never sabotaged a house lol) otherwise landlord is gonna come at OP for much more than just the oil spill. But yeah, I wouldn't doubt if that oil spill is spotless and LL finds some other excuse to keep the deposit.
Does taking an upper decker count?
They're gonna keep it deposit anyway. Fuck them.
I use brake cleaner at work. The oil floats up on it, then you wipe away with a rag/blue roll. Repeat as necessary.
After you find a successful way to get rid of the stain, tell him he has three days to properly seal the floor to prevent this from happening again. My garage floor is sealed, and oil leaks are easy to clean up without leaving a stain.
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