/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>879093
And this is a picture of some of the oil stains. These have actually been accumulating over the course of the past 24 months, and while I did lay down a fairly large oil pan and some cat litter where I park after a couple weeks, someone rode their bike across it within a few days and bent it, and it also rained several times while my vehicle was not there, and I eventually got discouraged and just left it as-is and hoped that I parked over the pan and prevented the oil that leaked while my car was parked from getting on the concrete more than it already had.

Also, as mentioned, this oil pan and cat litter was originally put there almost two years ago, so there is also dirt/mud that has accumulated on it along with the cat litter, and that's why it looks this way.

>>879098
Another view of the oil stains and dirt/cat litter-covered oil pan.

>>879098
>>879099
And a side view of the oil stains and dirt/cat litter-covered oil pan.

>>879093
>Or will I probably just need to use some sort of concrete cleaning solutions and a scrub brush and my garden hose?
I'd go with this
I used some concrete cleaner my landlady left at my previous place to clean up some stains and it worked pretty well for the stains my car left which was more than oil as well.

>>879112
Thanks for replying! Do you recall the name of the stuff that you used? Also, how large was the area where your oil had spilled? How long did it take you to clean? And how noticeable were the stains after you got done?

Btw, was the concrete cleaner that you used powder or liquid?

>>879093
A hardware store will have stuff for this. Essentially it's the cheap ass kitty litter stuff. You need to actually rub this into the concrete.

Pour it on, rub it in with your foot. Sweep it away. Pour more on, rub it in, sweep. Continue till it's mostly gone. At this point it may be acceptable. If it needs to be perfect, scrub it with a hard bristled brush and a strong de-greaser or concentrated dish soap and a little water.

>>879130
Thanks for the response! I do intend on doing what you suggested with regards to rubbing in something with my feet over and over, but I'm curious, does it possibly matter that these stains have been setting on the concrete for almost two years? Have they been sitting there for so long that they just can not be removed? Or, after it's been on there for a few days/weeks, is the oil/power steering fluid as set as it's going to get?

Also, with regards to the cat litter-type stuff, does it basically just cover up the oil/fluid and make the surface look more like concrete? And if so, will this likely actually become part of the concrete? or will it wash away and make the stains visible again rather easily?

I'm just concerned that my landlord will notice if the stains become visible again and then try to charge me for the damage/potential cleaning costs. So, that's why I'm asking such detailed/thorough questions.

I am sorry if my being so thorough is annoying; I'm just trying to get some helpful information. And I most definitely appreciate the replies!

> Pic related: A picture that would seem to be similar to what you were suggesting.

>>879135

cat litter is meant to soak up freshly spilled oil to keep it from all seeping into the concrete. You typically lay it down over a fresh spill and then scoop it up once it has taken on as much moisture as possible (oil instead of cat urine). The point you are at you need to use either a hydrocarbon (gasoline) or emulsifier to get what is left out.

>>879122
if that doesnt work, get a spray can or brake cleaner from any car shop, they all work great.

i work in a lube shop, we use it for everything.

>>879155
can of*

Sup OP. I was in the same boat and got off with a few cans of engine degreaser. I found much to my delight the degreaser penetrated into the cement and lifted the oil out where it could be absorbed as per >>879135 (as has been correctly pointed out, this method only works for "wet" spills). I emptied two cans of degrease onto it, gave it an overnight soak up with sawdust (I'd go crushed kitty litter if I had the option, sawdust was all I had on hand) Next day I hit it with more degrease and some water (degrease = water soluble, oil floats on water, shit lifted to the top like cream) and a final hose off, the patch where the oil was ended up cleaner than the surrounding cement. After your initial overnight soak up, and if it's an option, give it a hose down, apply degreaser, let sit for 10 minutes, hose off, apply degreaser, let sit for 10 minutes, rinse, repeat until you stop seeing dem oily rainbows on the water, and you're pretty much good.

Meanwhile, as a property owner, don't stress too much about it. If it's obvious you've done your best to clean it and it's not so bad that you're leaving oily footprints everywhere I would have no fucks to give about it (and prolly ask you what you fucked up, then laugh at your misfortune). End if the day it's a garage, can't be expected to be pristine if a vehicle is being kept in there. Worst comes to worst tell your landie you got your car fixed, the spanner who did it cross threaded your sump plug, and the thing dropped its guts when you got home. Shit happens etc.

Godspeed anon.

>>879149
>>879149
>>879162
First off, thank you both very much for your replies and the information you provided. I greatly appreciate it!

I also posted this on another site and this is the first response I got:

>Sweep up the dirt and crap.
>Get a gallon of lacquer thinner and a bag of NON clumping kitty litter. The cheap stuff
>Pour lacquer thinner straight n the stain. Scrub with a stiff floor brush. Pour litter ver the area. Sweep up

>The lacquer thinner penetrates and lifts the oil. The kitty litter absorbs it. I've successfully used this tactic. It may take a few applications if it's really embedded

>Why is your Ford leaking so bad?"

---------------------------------------------------------

OK, OP back now. Out of the 3 fluids that have been mentioned, is one of the 3 a better option than the others (likely to be more-effective on these old stains, cheaper, more easily-available)?

1.) Spray Brake Cleaner
2.) Engine De-greaser
3.) Lacquer Thinner

And should I consider renting a power washer to spray off the cement after trying out these cleaning methods? Or will a regular garden hose with a spray nozzle likely be sufficient to wash it off afterward?

>>879178
Well, every time I have tried to use brake cleaner it has evaporated in minutes, I would be going with de-greaser (ya know, that stuff made specifically to break down engine oils), but any solvent that can break down oils and does not evaporate in seconds will do the trick. The process mentioned in this post looks on point though.

>>879162
Also, I should clarify that this is not actually concrete in a garage. I live in a apartment fourplex (small single-level building with 4 units) and these stains are on the concrete that is out back near the alley in the rear of my unit. There is concrete out back where we can park our cars, and it is about 15 feet by about 60 feet and I park both of my vehicles on one side of it, with none parking on the other side, so after I move my vehicles, the area where they were parked will be completely out in the open and highly-visible. So, my landlord (the owner of the property) is going to notice how bad the stains are, for sure, and she has specifically wanted me to clean them up for months.

As I mentioned earlier, though, there would not be much of a reason to clean up these areas, as my vehicles were still going to be parked there and would just continue to leak motor oil and power steering fluid on these same areas.

However, now that I am moving, I really want to try to do a good job of cleaning the parts of the concrete that my vehicles leaked on and, hopefully, make the stains significantly less-noticeable.


Btw, with regards to pouring kitty litter and grinding it in to the cement, I'm assuming that part of this is because the litter will actually be ground into the concrete and make it look like normal concrete, since they are similar-looking. Am I right about that? Basically, the cat litter will actually help to literally cover up the stains?

> Pic related: The NON-Clumping cat litter that I am planning on buying.

>>879179
Thanks for replying!

Are you referring to this being a good process to try:

>Sweep up the dirt and crap.
>Get a gallon of lacquer thinner and a bag of NON clumping kitty litter. The cheap stuff
>Pour lacquer thinner straight n the stain. Scrub with a stiff floor brush. Pour litter ver the area. Sweep up

>The lacquer thinner penetrates and lifts the oil. The kitty litter absorbs it. I've successfully used this tactic. It may take a few applications if it's really embedded


And are you suggesting to try this process, but with some sort of degreaser instead of lacquer thinner? If so, is there a specific or general type of degreaser that I should try to use? And where would you suggest trying to look for and buy the degreaser from? Auto Zone or O'Reilly Auto Parts or some place like that? Or Lowe's or the Home Depot? Or Walmart or Target? If possible, I'd like to be able to buy it from an actual store, as I don't have enough time to wait several days for shipping.

Sorry for asking so many questions. I'm just trying to get myself informed and be through and detailed while asking questions.

As always, much thanks for the replies!


Btw, has anyone here tried this Oil Eater Cleaner Degreaser stuff that I'm uploading a picture of? And would this likely be a good product to try? Or probably not, for oil and power steering fluid stains that are several months old?

>>879187
I'm not the same anon, but in my experience, it's generally the cheap noname stuff that works better when using it for it's non intended purpose. I paid a dollar for a bag of cat litter at the dollar store and it worked better than I expected (and even on its own took out some worked in stains). I say just go to the dollar store and find some generic degreaser. Work your way up from there and report back.

>>879191
Thanks for the response! I actually have to be out by Sept. 30th, 6 days from today, and I also have to find a place to move my Explorer to, before I can even start working on the motor oil stains underneath it, so I've got to start working on this soon. I meant to start this thread many times before this, but with my OCD (I'm not saying that jokingly), I hate the thought of having to type, as I suck at typing, and I know that I am going to end up typing way more than is necessary, so I just kept putting it off.

As for something that I can realistically do later today, I can certainly get some cheap (under-$5) degreaser and some cheap ($1-$2) non-clumping cat litter and see how much it might help. And I will plan on coming back and posting updated pics, if this thread is still active. I have no idea how long threads typically stay active on here, though; so I'm not sure how likely it is to still be active 12-16 hours from now.

And if it 404's before I come back to reply again, much thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. Please know that it is very much appreciated!

>>879198
>I meant to start this thread many times before this, but with my OCD (I'm not saying that jokingly), I hate the thought of having to type, as I suck at typing, and I know that I am going to end up typing way more than is necessary, so I just kept putting it off.

Sweet jesus I know this feel. Crippling IRL, I know I have a point to make but am too scared to open my mouth in case it becomes a ramble. More often than not it doesn't but dat fear man, dat fear.

bbl, >>>/adv/

>>879203
Thanks for the empathy. And, I'm sorry to hear that you have this stupid, ridiculous shit, too! :)

Many people think they suffer from a little O.C.D. (and they might), but most people have no idea how difficult this stupid fucking way of thinking actually makes one's life. And something that really pisses me off about it is that I realized long ago (several years ago, actually) that it's not logical to think that my O.C.D. "rituals" realistically have any affect on anything that actually benefits me (or anyone else) in any way. But, I've been having these stupid, fucking ridiculous thoughts and worries for so many years that it's seemingly fucking impossible to stop my brain from thinking this way, after having done it for about 25 years now.

I like to try to describe O.C.D. to others as having an incredibly powerful superstition, that causes you to severely worry that something bad will happen, to someone you care about, if you don't do something/stop doing something while having a (positive) thought that you are comfortable with. It's fucking stupid and unreasonable and irrational, and seriously draining and aggravating. It has made me late to work and caused me some sort of completely unnecessary inconvenience/annoyance many times over the years - yet, I still can not stop myself from going through the same stupid fucking routines and thought processes that I have gone through thousands of times over the 25 years or so.

Sorry for the rant. As for the >>>/adv/ link, is that to ask for advice about the oil/power steering fluid stains? Or the O.C.D.?

>>879093
to get old oil stains off concrete (not asphalt) the best way is to pour some gasoline or kerosene on the oil, let that sit for about 30 seconds to soak in, and then pour some plain cat litter down and sweep that around. the gasoline dissolves the oil temporarily, and then the oil sticks to the kitty litter when you pour that on. the gasoline will evaporate away from the kitty litter in a couple hours.

the first time you do this, it will get around 90-95% of the stain off with almost no effort. after that it helps less and less, but you can try it twice.

DO NOT use water! that won't work. the oil stain must be totally dry..... water and oil don't mix, and there's no soap worth a shit for this. Just use the gas and it will work.

proof: next time you are at a gas station, look at the ground where all the cars stop to get gas. there is one big huge oil spot, but it has clean spots in it. the clean spots is where people spilled gasoline and it dissolved away the oil stain.

>>879240
Thanks for the response and the suggestion! I am reading all replies and trying to determine which method and cleaning materials will be most-likely to help with my situation, while also factoring in safety issues and accessibility of materials and convenience of buying/using them.

You seem quite sure of your method of using gas and cat litter, and seem to make a good point with the gas station analogy, so I'm certainly willing to at least consider trying this.

I must ask, though, will this gas+cat litter option likely work with motor oil and power steering fluid stains that have been on the concrete for several months (and for over a year, with regard to the oil stains)?

Also, to get rid of the considerable amount of dirt that has accumulated on top of/along with the oil and power steering fluid stains on the surface of the concrete, should I just scrape/sweep it off and specifically NOT spray any water on the stains to try to remove some of the surface stains?

Or would using a water hose to spray off the dirt and some of the oil/power steering fluid stains, and then allowing it to dry in the sun for a few hours, likely help?

If you would respond and clarify this for me, I would appreciate it!

>>879266
>I must ask, though, will this gas+cat litter option likely work with motor oil and power steering fluid stains that have been on the concrete for several months (and for over a year, with regard to the oil stains)?
gasoline always dissolves oil, the age of the oil won't matter
>Also, to get rid of the considerable amount of dirt that has accumulated
you can spray water to get the dirt off first, but to get the oil off the concrete must be totally dry. if you get it wet then the gasoline isn't going to do anything, since gasoline floats on water

note that this method does not work on asphalt, since the gasoline will also dissolve the tar in the asphalt (this is why gas stations always have concrete where you stop your car to put gas in it)

>>879217
>oil/power steering fluid stains?
Actually the stated above post and deal with your own O.C.D traumas, but appears you are losing the battle.

>>879354
Thanks for the response and the detailed information. Using some gasoline to dissolve some of the oil definitely seems to be a good/effective method; but I have to ask about potential dangers while using the gasoline outside on the concrete? Should I just pour a fairly small amount of gas on the oil stains (like 1/2 cup)? Or will I likely need to pour enough gas to thoroughly cover the stains and soak in?

Also, how long should I let the gas soak in after I pour it on the stains? 10 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Longer?

And will the gasoline also likely work to dissolve/remove the power steering fluid stains?


>>879367
I think you may have left out a word in that post, so it's a little confusing. Were you just trying to say that you were suggesting to check out >>>/adv/ for both the oil stain question AND the O.C.D. issues?
Also, someone mentioned on another forum that they used Pour-N-Restore Oil Stain Remover and that it worked really well for them. Has anyone on here tried this stuff? Or does anyone have reason to believe that this product might work well for my oil and power steering fluid stains?

Link to product for 16 oz bottle for $9: http://www.pour-n-restore.com/products/oil-stain-remover.html

> Pic related: Pour-N-Restore Oil Stain Remover

>>879354
Thanks for the response and the detailed information. Using some gasoline to dissolve some of the oil definitely seems to be a good/effective method; but I have to ask about potential dangers while using the gasoline outside on the concrete? Should I just pour a fairly small amount of gas on the oil stains (like 1/2 cup)? Or will I likely need to pour enough gas to thoroughly cover the stains and soak in?

Also, how long should I let the gas soak in after I pour it on the stains? 10 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Longer?

And will the gasoline also likely work to dissolve/remove the power steering fluid stains?

>>879367
I think you may have left out a word in that post, so it's a little confusing. Were you just trying to say that you were suggesting to check out >>>/adv/ for both the oil stain question AND the O.C.D. issues?

Also, someone mentioned on another forum that they used Pour-N-Restore Oil Stain Remover and that it worked really well for them. Has anyone on here tried this stuff? Or does anyone have reason to believe that this product might work well for my oil and power steering fluid stains?

Link to product for 16 oz bottle for $9: http://www.pour-n-restore.com/products/oil-stain-remover.html

> Pic related: Pour-N-Restore Oil Stain Remover

Kitty litter, stack of news paper on top of it. Soaks up the bulk of it. Do it as soon as possible.

>>879640
Do that to get any liquid still up.

Then use
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Seal-Krete-64-oz-Oil-Stain-Remover-141064/203380202

phosphoric acid will take care of that. find it in the paint section at a home improvement store. works great.

I've never used it on a mess that bad, so you might want to try cleaning some of the grime off first, or use it to clean the residue left behind from other methods. can't see where oil and transmission fluid stains were on my driveway after this.

Google process/safety/etc.

>>879093
scrape off what you can
apply powdered laundry detergent liberally - I prefer Tide
(apply like Oil-Dry absorbent)
allow to sit in place several hours
(days are better but you don't have time)
if the detergent turns black, sweep it off and replace with fresh
when it has absorbed as much as it can, wash it off with warm water and a stiff brush or broom
rinse with clean, cool water

>>879640
>>879641
>>879653
>>880012
OP here. I just wanted to say thanks for all of the replies and let y'all know that I'm still monitoring the thread. I've just got a lot on my plate right now, with there being 5 days left before I have to be out of my place, but I will be checking the thread through the next 2-3 days. I will be off work on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, so my plan is to start trying something to remove the stains on Sunday, two days from today.

Also, for the record, I fully intend on sweeping and scraping off the dirt and gunk that as accumulated on top of the power steering fluid stains, before actually pouring any sort of gas/cat litter/laundry detergent on them.

> Pic related: A pic I just took a few minutes ago, to show how larger the power steering fluid stain is.

OP here again. I want to ask (again, possibly), will whatever works to remove the oil stains also work for the power steering fluid stains? Or will I possibly/likely need to try something different for each of these stains?

> Pic related: A pic (that I forgot to attach to the last post) I just took a few minutes ago, to show how larger the power steering fluid stain is.

>>880020

Use this and then water with soda powder when stain is gone, may take a few times.

>>880154
Are you suggesting to use this specifically for the power steering fluid stains? Or for both the power steering fluid and the motor oil stains?

What is "soda powder"? And where would I be able to buy it?

And where might I be able to buy the 'Safe Muriatic Acid' that you posted a picture of?

Also, what sizes of these products should I be looking to get? And what are some expected prices for these products?

As always, thanks for the replies and information!

>>879093

tri sodium phosphate

like 3 dollars from home depot for a lb or 2. mix with water to a paste, apply, scrub, rinse off.

done.

>>880184
Thanks for the response! Are you suggesting this specifically for the power steering fluid stains? Or for the motor oil stains? Or for both the power steering fluid and motor oil stains?

>>880186
Power steering fluid is usually an oil it just has different properties compared to motor oil

>>880186

TSP will leech ALL oil out of the concrete, how long it takes depends on viscosity or contamination or other factors (temp).

ive used it, works well, i changed engine oil and power steering pump and brake cylinder at my brothers place, spilled some of all three (yea beer was involded). like i said, add water to a paste apply scrub a little (to work it into the pores of the concrete) when you let it sit youll see it "pull" the oil from the concrete.

the TSP will not stain or effect the slab in anyway

I work for mcdonalds. we have this degreaser shit that is very powerful... I mean even diluted its very effective and working with it at full strength is even better. shit will clean anything. I will think of you OP when I steal some from work to clean my oil stained driveway from my old car that leaked every damn fluid, but I got rid of it and wont have that problem. 5 mins of using this shit and my driveway will look like new. enjoy your ghetto methods to clean your shit I hope you lose your deposit

>>880342
You are a fucking nigger.

>>880020
the gasoline + kitty litter will get all that off in one go--any petroleum-based fluid it will dissolve
in like 5 minutes, 95% of it will be gone, with little cost and very little effort

>>880342
Well, you sure seem to be a piece of shit.

>>880354
Thanks for replying. It sure seems like gasoline and cat litter is likely going to be an effective way to go; as well as cheap, simple and convenient. So, I'm thinking of trying that suggestion first.

But, is gas and kitty litter most likely going to be better/more effective/easier/faster than the Trisodium Phosphate, Muriatic Acid, or paint thinner options?

So, to some of you with specific experience/knowledge about removing oil stains, should I just try gas and cat litter as my first attempt?

While searching for a picture on Google Images, I came across some DIY page with comments from several people and there was a post from a guy who mentions having worked in the concrete industry for years and suggests a method using dry cement and Tide detergent. I;m curious what some of y'all might think of this suggestion.

> Here's the exact description:

Bob Higgins October 29, 2013, 11:26 AM

Having been in the concrete industry for years..one method I have found that works incredibly well is is to combine dry cement with dry Tide Detergent.

Mix them 50/50 and apply it over the oil stain…brushing it in helps break the surface tension and starts the action. It is important to NOT let this poultice get wet, nor apply it to damp concrete!)

The cement acts as a drawing agent, and the Tide breaks down the absorbed oil…let this sit for several hours, and simply sweep off the mixture..if the powder changes color, remove and apply fresh mixture until it no longer changes color after 4-6 hours…no elbow grease, just patience is needed.

P.S. repeated applications has even successfully removed oil stains that are over a decade old..and be patient with the stains, they continue to fade after the poultice/mixture has been removed…

>>880395
I also just came across a suggestion of trying something called Oil Vanish Oil Stain Remover. They claimed it worked very well, so I did a search for it and found a YouTube video of it (it had comments disabled, tho, which makes me skeptical), and it looks like a really simple process to use this stuff (just spray it on the stains with the can it comes in, scrub it in with a brush, then rinse off with water).

> Here's the post from someone on the DIY website:

Mark Barnes June 4, 2014, 4:39 PM

I recently found a product at Auto Zone that works great removing oil stains – Oil Vanish Oil Stain Remover. It is simple to use and works fast.


> And here's the description from the YouTube page:

Published on Sep 30, 2014

Driveway and garage stains are more than just a nuisance. They lower the value of your home, present health hazards to children and pets and provide a source of stains to be tracked into your house or car. Until now, it was nearly impossible to completely remove an oil stain that had penetrated deep into driveways or garage floors.

If your driveway looks as bad as this or if it is just a few stains from a friend’s or contractor’s car – Oil Vanish Oil Stain Remover can eliminate your problems.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's $11.48 for a 16 oz. can of it at the Home Depot

Link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oil-Vanish-16-oz-Oil-Stain-Remover-8005-020/205617317

> Pic related: A picture of the before and after results shown on the YouTube slideshow.

>>879093
Simple Green and a powerwasher.

>>880395
>The cement acts as a drawing agent, and the Tide breaks down the absorbed oil…
>>880012
>apply powdered laundry detergent liberally - I prefer Tide
Using gasoline and other solvents first does remove some of the stain but they also allow the stain to penetrate farther into the concrete.
Use Tide first. Several times. Use solvent after the Tide.

TSP. Kicks ass.

>>879130
>>879135
You could also try cornmeal. Works wonders for oil stains. And its cheaper than kitty litter. Masa would work too.

>>880812
>cornmeal cheaper than kitty litter.
what? no.

Hey, y'all. OP here. I'm probably going to hit up a store today and buy something that was suggested in this thread and try to clean some of these stains I've been asking for help with. I will be sure to take before/after pictures and post them in this thread, assuming it's still active.

If anyone has any other specific suggestions and wants to post them before I get started, though, please feel free to post them.

And thank you very much to all of you who posted replies and tried to help me! Please know that it is definitely appreciated.

>>880847
OK, I just got back from Auto Zone, but I did not end up buying anything, as I'm incredibly indecisive and I was not sure what to get.

So, I'm going to post a few pictures of the cleaning products they had at the local Auto Zone. They did not seem to have any Trisodium Phosphate, but I'm guessing that I could get some at the Lowe's that is by the Auto Zone, if I decide to try that option. If someone wants to say that the TSP is likely the best way to go for my first attempt, please do so, as I am trying to determine which method to try first.

> Pic related: A shot of the full shelf of cleaning products.

>>880934

> Pic related:
- Simple Green, $16.99.
- Purple Power Driveway and Concrete Cleaner, $9.99.
- Oil Vanish Oil Staing Remover, $11.99.

>>880934
>>880939

> Pic related:
- Purple Power Concentrated Industrial Strength Cleaner/Degreaser, 2 for $7
- Gunk All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser, $5.99
- Super Clean Tough Task Cleaner/Degreaser, $6.99
- Super Clean Foaming Tough Task Cleaner/Degreaser, $7.99
- Simple Green Comcentrated All-Purpose Cleaner, $5.99

>>880934
>>880939
>>880941
Some Brake Cleaners they had for around $5/can.

>>880934
>>880939
>>880941
>>880944
Some more Brake Cleaners they had for around $5/can.

>>880948
And some Carb Cleaners they had for around $5/can.

>>880949
And some more Carb Cleaners they had for around $5/can.

>>880934
I use simple green on literally everything

>>880966
I don't doubt that Simple Green is powerful stuff, but do you think it will be effective on removing/cleaning motor oil stains on concrete that have been sitting for over 6 months? And/or power steering fluid stains that have been accumulating daily for 6 months?

Also, if I were to decide to try Simple Green as my first effort on the power steering or oil stains, would I just use the spray bottle of it (like the picture I am uploading with this post) that I can get for $5.99? Or would I need to get the bigger bottle of the stuff? Or are they exactly the same stuff?

Here's a picture that I just took a few minutes ago, to try to show exactly what the power steering fluid looks like as of today, and to give a better idea of how large the concentrated power steering fluid stain is, as well as some smaller stains that have accumulated below the main stain/spot.

As for these smaller power steering fluid stains that have trailed below the larger stain, will these likely be easier to remove? And should I even use any kitty litter to start on these smaller stains? Or just some cleaning/degreaser fluid and then scrub them and rinse them off with the hose?

As always, much appreciation for the helpful replies!

>>879198
>Thanks for the response! I actually have to be out by Sept. 30th,
>>880934
>I just got back from Auto Zone, but I did not end up buying anything, as I'm incredibly indecisive and I was not sure what to get.
You should be finished with this clean-up by now.
do. something. now

>>880972
>but do you think it will be effective on removing/cleaning motor oil stains on concrete that have been sitting for over 6 months?

Maybe
Its a great degreaser, but its gentle on your hands and lungs so its nice.

Carb cleaner or red brake cleaner would probably work better, but they are harsh as fuck. Not really a big deal on a driveway though

Im just saying you should buy simple green for the fuck of it and keep it around.
And yes the big bottles are the same shit. Buy it at walmart its a lot cheaper.

For spills, ive always just used cat litter, and once the cat litter picked most of it up I would sweep it away and then use Dawn detergent on it. Never let it soak the concrete for so long though

>>880934
>walk into auto zone
>buy engine degreaser
>sweep up everything you can with a broom
>spray engine degreaser onto stain
>let it sit overnight
>pick up dead animals that got near it and died
>scrub the shit out of it with a brush
>spray it down with pressure washer or hose, letting it run into the sewers ruining the local water supply

And you are done, good as new.

>>880981
I agree. But I have a lot on my plate, including that I work nights, and have been feeling overwhelmed with shit that I need to take care off. Also, I am indecisive to the point of it being a major fucking problem, a byproduct of the O.C.D. It's no fucking fun whatsoever and has made my life much harder than most people can understand. Stupid as fuck and really pointless, but it's hard to change the way your brain works after it's been functioning that way for about 25 years or so.

Some good news, though: I found 2 bags of kitty litter that I bought like a year ago, and it appears to be the non-clumping kind. So, I'm planning on going out and pouring a half-bag or full bag over the power steering stains after I post this.

If anyone's in here and replies, please try to answer a couple things for me:

1.) Should I scrape/sweep off the top part of power steering fluid and the dirt, grass and other shit that has accumulated on top of the power steering fluid before pouring the kitty litter on it?

1a.) Should I specifically use my feet and grind in the kitty litter all over the power steering fluid stains?

2.) How long should I leave the kitty litter on the power steering fluid stains before spraying on the brake cleaner-degreaser/Simple Green/whatever I try first?

2a.) How long should I leave on the brake cleaner-degreaser/Simple Green/whatever I try first before spraying it off with a hose?

3.) After spraying off the brake cleaner-degreaser/Simple Green/whatever I try first with a hose, should I then also use some sort of dishwashing detergent mixed with water to try to clean it up even more? Or would this likely be unnecessary?

> Pic related: The kitty litter that I just found in my apartment.

>>880992
Should I specifically let the engine degreaser/brake cleaner soak overnight? Or would it likely be as effective to just let it soak for an hour or two?

Also, is the dead animals effect a realistic possibility from letting the engine degreaser soak in an area where animals might be? If so, I need to know, as this is actually the cement parking area in the back of my little fourplex and there are little fucking ghetto dogs running around out there constantly and they actually belong to people whom live by me.

>>880993
kitty litter is only for when its first spilled, it soaks it up out of the concrete and gives you something you can easily sweep up.

It wont help your stain.

You need to extract the oil out of the concrete.
Use engine degreaser, its made to break down oil.
What you are trying to do is break up the oil in the concrete (scrubbing with degreaser and brush) and then spraying it away after its back into a liquid form.

Simple as that.

>>880992
Should work, so just do it.
If it doesnt go back to the drawing board. Lots of variables that no one can know. Dont worry, just do.

You arent going to hurt the driveway

>>880994
>Or would it likely be as effective to just let it soak for an hour or two?

The longer you let it sit the better itll be
And yes, brake cleaner, carb cleaner, degreaser are all nasty and can kill animals.
But they will work better than any spray bottle stuff which might not work at all. It will be pretty stubborn at this point turning into gunk shit.

Maybe do the process several times when you have the ability to watch it and not let animals near it.

>>880995
>>880997
Thank you very much for the prompt response! I just went out and swept off the dirt and shit that had accumulated on top of the power steering fluid stains. I'll post a picture of it with this post.

Now that the top part of the power steering fluid has been swept off, it's probably still somewhat moist on the surface of the concrete, as these PSF stains have been actively accumulating up until about 2 weeks ago, when I finally got the high pressure line replaced on my Accord.

So, should I pour some kitty litter and let it try to soak up some of the PSF for like an hour or two?

Or should I just go straight to running back to Auto Zone and buying some brake cleaner and then letting it soak for like an hour and then scrubbing it in with a brush and spraying it off with the hose?

FYI, I'm in Arizona and it's 5:42 p.m. right now and the sun is still shining, but is about to set here pretty shortly. However, it's still pretty fucking hot, probably, in the 90s.

> Pic related: What the PSF stain looks like now, as I just took this like 5 minutes ago.

>>881000
> Pic related:
What the pile of dirt and shit that had accumulated on top of the PSF stains looked like after sweeping it up.

>>880992
>>880994
>>880997
Does it make any difference if I buy Brake Cleaner, Carb Cleaner, or some sort of Engine Degreaser? Or are they all essentially the same thing for the purpose I'm needing them for?

And should I just buy the cheapest Brake/Carb Cleaner they have?

> Pic related: Should I buy this brush for $6 to do the scrubbing?

>>881000
The little bit of oil that might actually come up with the kitty litter will be negligible. It wont make the stain come up any easier when you start with the cleaner.

>>881003
Dont buy brake cleaner, its made so that it breaks up oil on brake rotors and then shortly after evaporate.

Brake cleaner will eventually evaporate, but not real fast like brake clean.

Degreaser is meant to foam and sit for a while.

>>881004
Brake clean, fast evaporate
Carb clean, not as fast.

And yes I think a brush would be beneficial

FYI, I'm inside Walmart right now. So, should I buy brake cleaner or carb cleaner? The last two posts seem to be conflicting.

Also, does anyone have a suggestion for which one of these brushes I should buy? The really long one is $9, the middle sized one is $7, and the really small one is $3.24.

Here is the shelf with the brake cleaners and carb cleaners here at Walmart.

I will post a picture of the engine degreasers they have after this.

FYI, if you think the Gunk engine cleaner degreaser is worth it, I don't have a problem spending $5.50 on it, as opposed to the $2 for the generic engine degreaser.

And there's also this Gunk engine degreaser that's in a spray can for $4.67.

I think I'm inclined to go with this Gunk Original Engine Degreaser or the Gunk Multi-Surdace engine Cleaner and Degreaser.

Is one of these things likely to do a better job than the Brake/Carb cleaner?

I think I'm just getting up buying these two engine degreaser cans and the long scrubbing brush, which looks like it's going to run me around $16 total.

>>881021
If anythings gonna do it, that shit will

Should these two 16-ounce cans of engine degreaser be enough to do that entire power steering fluid spot and the oil stains? Well I like I need to buy more than just these two cans?

Also, while I'm at Walmart, should I buy some sort of dry laundry detergent to plan on using with some warm water after using the degreaser and scrubbing it to try to clean it off a little more thoroughly? Or will that likely not be necessary?

Well, I'm back at my apartment and I just got back inside after pouring out some kitty litter and grinding it in with my shoes, and I'm going to let it sit there for 30-60 minutes and see if it might help at least a little.

> Pic related: The kitty litter that is currently on top of the power steering fluid stains as I'm typing this.

Also, will it make any difference if I spray the Engine Degreaser outside on the power steering fluid stains right now, at night, as opposed to doing it while the sun is out?

In case it matters, it's still probably around 85-90 here in the phoenix area.

>>881058
Also, FYI, I deliberately left the one corner uncovered by kitty litter, so I could try to get a better idea of how much difference it made.

> Pic related: Some of the old oil stains from my Explorer that I also poured some kitty litter on.

Haven't read thru whole post so somebody might have already suggested this. I used to work delivery for small auto parts store. When it got slow I had to take kitty litter and use cinder block to get rid of oil stains. Just lay out litter and work cinder block over it till it turns to dust. Repeat as necessary.

>>881067
Thanks for the response. As of right now, 9:03 p.m. Arizona time, there is kitty litter covering up the power steering fluid stains as I'm typing this. It's been out there for about an hour now. However, these are stains that have been accumulating for around 6 months, so they're not freshly-wet. However, being that the PSF leak on my Accord had been dripping on to the concrete for the past 6 months collectively, there was likely some fairly-wet/damp stuff on the surface of the concrete; so I'm hoping that the kitty litter will help at least a little.

As for the oil stains, my Explorer (which has the oil leak) has not been moved or even started in about 6-7 months (since early March), and I have not added any oil to it in the past 6-7 months, so I'm guessing that the oil leak ran out of oil to leak several months ago. And I actually placed an aluminum oil drip pan underneath it long ago, but there were at least a few weeks when the oil did drip directly on to the concrete, which was now almost two years ago. So, the concrete underneath the aluminum oil drip pan is going to have some completely dry oil stains that have been setting for almost two years now. I'm skeptical if even the Engine Degreaser spray that I bought is going to lift/remove those stains from the concrete.

Also, before I forget, since my Explorer has not been started in 6-7 months, obviously, I will need to add a quart or two of oil before trying to start it, but is there anything else I should worry about before putting a working battery back in it and trying to turn it over and start it up?

>>881067
By the way, what I meant to specifically ask in that last post was if you did anything after grinding the kitty litter in to the concrete with the cinder block and then sweeping it up with a broom? Did you need to rinse/spray it off with a hose after sweeping it off? Or put some sort of dishwashing soap and water on it and then scrub it and then rinse it off with a hose or a bucket of water? Or did just sweeping the kitty litter off after letting it sit for a few hours remove the oil stains?

My guess is that this only works with fresh stains that have not yet set in to the concrete?

So, my stains are going to need lots of work after the kitty litter, i.e. spraying them down with Engine Degreaser and letting it soak in for an hour or two, then scrubbing it with a brush for a few minutes, and then spraying off the concrete with the hose nozzle for a couple minutes.

>>880980
This pictures shows what the power steering fluid stain looked like earlier today, before I swept it off.

>>881000
This picture is what the stain looked like earlier today after I had swept off the dirt that had accumulated on top of it.

>>881058
This picture is what it looked like about an hour and-a-half ago with the kitty litter spread over and ground in to the concrete with my shoes.

And the picture I'm going to upload with this post is from about 10 minutes ago, after I swept off the kitty litter.

> Pic related: Taken about 10 minutes ago, after I swept off the kitty litter.

>>881079
So, it looks like the kitty litter has made a noticeable difference, but has it actually helped to lift/remove any of the power steering stains? Or did it just cover it up and hide them, since the kitty litter is similar in color to the concrete?

Also, the picture uploaded with this post is what a small part of the oil stains from my Explorer looks like after letting the kitty litter sit on in for about 90 minutes and then being swept off.

> Pic related: What a small part of the oil stains looks like after letting the kitty litter sit on in for about 90 minutes and then being swept off.

>>881081
Oops! I forgot to add the picture in that last post.

> Pic related: What a small part of the oil stains looks like after letting the kitty litter sit on in for about 90 minutes and then being swept off.

This is a picture of the generic engine degreaser that I just sprayed on the power steering fluid stains around 9:45 p.m. Arizona time. I'm planning on letting it soak for about 30-60 minutes and then washing it off with the hose. If anyone has any suggestions to try other than this, please do reply ASAP. Thanks!

>>881084
have you tried dawn dish liquid? sounds dumb but cleaned my motor oil spill on concrete that was few months old so maybe? I also have done it with a pressure washer and dawn to clean up sealed flooring so that might do something too.

if all else fails find some concrete colored spray paint and try to blend it in

>>881096
I actually just got done spraying almost a full can of generic Engine Degreaser on the Power Steering Fluid stains and then letting it soak for about 20-30 minutes, but it started to soak in/evaporate more-rapidly than I though it was going to, so after about 20-30 minutes, I started scrubbing it with the long-handled brush I just bought.

It seems to have have helped to remove some of the stains, but now there seems to be a ring of PSF residue around the outer edge of where I scrubbed.

How do I now try to get rid of this rind of residue? Would the Dawn dishwashing liquid and water likely help with this?

> Pic related: What the power steering fluid stains now look like after scrubbing in the Engine Degreaser and then spraying the area off with the hose.

>>881096
>>881099
Also, I seem to recall someone mentioning to try using dry laundry detergent flakes (It may have been on another site I posted this on), oi I bought a cheap $1 bag of this stuff called 'Roma Laundry Detergent'. Does anyone have any experience using this type of dry laundry detergent to remove stains from concrete?

> Pic related: The Roma Laundry Detergent that I bought for $1.

>>881096
By the way, I don't have access to a pressure washer, but I'm curious, how exactly did you use Dawn dishwashing liquid to remove the oil stains that had been there for a few months? How long did you let the Dawn soak in before rinsing it off? And did you just pour Dawn by itself and let it soak at first? Or did you pour some Dawn on the stains and then pour some water on it at the same time and then let the water+Dawn soak for a while? And did you scrub it afterward? or just rinse it off with a hose?

Sorry for asking so many questions. I'm just desperate and in something of a rush, so I'm trying to get answers quickly. Please know that I genuinely appreciate all of the helpful replies!

If anyone this is still monitoring this thread, here are what both of these stains look like today, after soaking them both with engine degreaser and then scrubbing them and then pouring some Dawn dish soap and warm water on them and then spraying them off with a hose.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might help get rid of the stains that are left here now?

Dump a bottle of degreaser on it and agitate the oil spot with a wire brush for a few minutes. Then let it sit for about 30 minutes and wash it off with a high pressure cleaner.
Works a treat for me.

rent power washer

use gallon of gas

if not try liquid dish detergent

>>881312
its deep in the concrete, outside of painting it or tearing it up, you will never get it to look pre-spill.

stop pouring all those chemicals and dollars into this. its a lost cause.

I didn't read the whole thread, so I don't know if someone suggested this or not, but try mixing two parts bleach with three parts baking soda.

Muriatic acid worked on my buddy's driveway

>>881558
Just cover it in it and leave it

Hi. Mcdonalds guy here again... I used the degreaser we use at work (which is more powerful than your store bought shit) put tshit 100% undiluted on my big oil stain... scrubbed that shit let it sit for an hour, hosed it off. driveway is clean.

didnt need to spend hours shopping for brushes and chemicals. didnt need to plan my whole day around this. didnt need to worry bout security deposit.

SHITS CLEAN YO. good luck OP with your k-mart oil removal solutions

>>881800
>food grade degreaser more powerful than chlorinated engine degreaser

Keep it up son, youll be a manager there someday!

>Mix some cement.
>Put thin layer over the stain.
>Leave it to set.
>Don't drive on.
>Move out.
>No longer your problem

>>881810
>yfw you realize it's the same shit

head to home depot and pick up a bag of loose absorbent. loose absorbent is made for shit like this. before using the absorbent, use some dry tide detergent powder and let it sit on top of it, then rinse it after a day or two, once it's almost dry, lay a bunch of the loose absorbent on top of the area

>>880394
>But, is gas and kitty litter most likely going to be better/more effective/easier/faster than the Trisodium Phosphate, Muriatic Acid, or paint thinner options?
>So, to some of you with specific experience/knowledge about removing oil stains, should I just try gas and cat litter as my first attempt?
I worked at a gas station. now and then they'd tell us to clean the driveways off. they sent all kinds of soap, told us to use all kinds of stuff. none of it worked.

the gasoline + cat litter method works, it works fast, it takes very little effort and it costs way less than any of the "special soaps" sold for doing this. it's not friendly to the environment maybe, but oh well. neither is all that other stuff, quite frankly.

kerosene or paint thinner would work also, but they're probably not going to be as cheap as gasoline is.
carb cleaner/brake cleaner/other car parts cleaner and that "oil stain remover spray" probably work too--and all they are is petroleum solvents in a can with a high price tag.
gasoline is [most likely] going to be a lot cheaper than any of them.

------

to do it this way: you just wet the oil spot with gasoline, let it sit there for maybe 30 seconds at the most, and then dump the cat litter and sweep it around. the cat litter will turn slightly black from the oil sticking to it. sweep up the cat litter and you are done.

look at the clean spots at the gas station driveways--they get nearly totally clean--and yet nobody did anything to them except spill gasoline in that spot. no scrubbing is required.

>>881810

you are just jealous that our stuff is better than your simple green/gasoline/brake fluid solutions.

>>881530
This!

Unfortunately it seems to be too far gone, OP. That oil is probably embedded close to an inch into the concrete. No need to throw any more money at it. Too bad you didn't catch these oil stains earlier.

>>881870
Muriatic acid will eat that up

Let the dawn soap soak in for a hour or more with no water

>>880966
I too use simple green on everything around the house, but my major problem with it is that it takes a lot longer to work on things than more powerfull chemicals.

>>879093
this is beyond simple.

step 1 get some old fashioned clay at litter.
step 2 scrape up as much of the old oil as you can
step 3 put a generous amount of cat litter everywhere there is oil.
step 4 put on chubby checkers "the twist" grind the cat litter in to the oil let sit for several days.
step 5 sweep up cat litter.
step 6 repeat where oil is still there.

>>879181
>Btw, with regards to pouring kitty litter and grinding it in to the cement, I'm assuming that part of this is because the litter will actually be ground into the concrete and make it look like normal concrete, since they are similar-looking. Am I right about that? Basically, the cat litter will actually help to literally cover up the stains?

no it will actually remove it.

>>881940
I forgot to add fix the oil leaks in your car, modern cars don't leak.

>>881940
>let sit for several days.
OP has to be out in a few hours.
He fucked away days deciding how to do it.

>>881945
>modern cars don't leak.

lel

>>881945
this is probably a good idea as well.

>>879093
hey OP, go clean your engine at the car wash. select the engine degreaser option and spray away.

>heat engine up to operating temperature
>avoid spraying the exhaust header at all costs
>exhaust pipe not terribly important but best to avoid
>keep engine running while washing
>avoid flooding spark plug sockets
>avoid directly high pressure spraying radiator fins
>get the majority of the gunk off that you can
>if the car stalls while washing, lel, you got water in something, stop washing, remove spark leads, wait 10 minutes, the heat of the engine will dry it off.
>drive about 100km
>check all around the engine for fresh leaks

a leaking engine is usually caused by an overheating engine or over filled engine. check oil level, make sure it is below the high oil mark. replace seals that are leaking. do an oil/filter change, transmission oil/filter flush and radiator flush.

most often it's the rocker cover gasket which is extremely easy to replace.

>just turn the drive over.

>>881312
use one of the acids already. if you pour another hydrocarbon (gas or the automotive part cleaners) you are putting down more staining material. the soaps will help you move and spread it. that's why you are getting the ring.

phosphoric acid. (I'm that guy) the only ring left will be the ring that separates the clean spot from the rest of the driveway.