Oil in concrete

[brycez28]

I do most of the work on my trucks on a concrete slab next to my garage. I had some extra concrete resurfacer from another project and decided to put some down on this slab as it was rather rough and pitted, making it hard to clean up. Anyway, I washed it down and saw there was oil residue in the water. Also there were two larger oil spots that hadn't completely dried up yet. I sprayed the slab down with engine degreaser and rewashed the slab. Put the resurfacer down last night and checked on it this morning. I can see where the two oil spots were as some of the oil soaked through the resurfacer. If I put more oil dry on the spots, will that pull the oil out or am I SOL? Also, if I decide to epoxy the area, will those spots be an issue?

 

[jaye944]

I do most of the work on my trucks on a concrete slab next to my garage. I had some extra concrete resurfacer from another project and decided to put some down on this slab as it was rather rough and pitted, making it hard to clean up. Anyway, I washed it down and saw there was oil residue in the water. Also there were two larger oil spots that hadn't completely dried up yet. I sprayed the slab down with engine degreaser and rewashed the slab. Put the resurfacer down last night and checked on it this morning. I can see where the two oil spots were as some of the oil soaked through the resurfacer. If I put more oil dry on the spots, will that pull the oil out or am I SOL? Also, if I decide to epoxy the area, will those spots be an issue?

have a look for my thread, (pre-prepping oil spots) , its quite a saga for me

 

[brycez28]

have a look for my thread, (pre-prepping oil spots) , its quite a saga for me

I can see that. A real PITA and more work than I care to do

 

[Zeke]

I've had good luck with most solvents including gasoline. The run off is the problem. I wet a ring outside the stain and then pour the solvent on the stain and scrub. I'll scrub it right out into the wet ring so as to not have any dry edge. Before anything has a chance to evaporate I hit it with a nozzle stream or a pressure washer. The oil floats on out of there — but it goes somewhere else. The trick is to catch the stuff along with the evaporating solvent. A dam made from sand works pretty well as the oil is filtered and coats the sand.

I also wet out the area that the wash is going to travel on to keep the oil floating.

But, now you have oily sand. I know, a spot on the concrete doesn't produce the Exon Valdiz but you have to at least consider the contamination. Spread the sand out on some plastic and everything will eventually evaporate. If that's good enough for you, it's good enough for me.

Doesn't sound like you have much to deal with, just enough to mess with your resurfacer. You may have to do my trick more than once. It helps to let things dry before repeating. You want the solvent to reach the oil, dissolve it and let the water carry it off.

 

[brycez28]

I've had good luck with most solvents including gasoline. The run off is the problem. I wet a ring outside the stain and then pour the solvent on the stain and scrub. I'll scrub it right out into the wet ring so as to not have any dry edge. Before anything has a chance to evaporate I hit it with a nozzle stream or a pressure washer. The oil floats on out of there — but it goes somewhere else. The trick is to catch the stuff along with the evaporating solvent. A dam made from sand works pretty well as the oil is filtered and coats the sand.

I also wet out the area that the wash is going to travel on to keep the oil floating.

But, now you have oily sand. I know, a spot on the concrete doesn't produce the Exon Valdiz but you have to at least consider the contamination. Spread the sand out on some plastic and everything will eventually evaporate. If that's good enough for you, it's good enough for me.

Doesn't sound like you have much to deal with, just enough to mess with your resurfacer. You may have to do my trick more than once. It helps to let things dry before repeating. You want the solvent to reach the oil, dissolve it and let the water carry it off.

I'll give that a try! I'm not overly concerened with run off, it is gravel on two edges of the slab and I already dug a couple holes in it to hold the water from initially washing the slab and the engine degreaser. I just don't want the oil spots to cause my epoxy to peel off prematurely.

 

[Steelhorse27]

I use this stuff called Flash made by zep.... it seems to work really well at taking old oil out of concrete and even newer spots. I have about 1/2 of a 5 gallon pail left that my buddy an ex zep rep gave me and used it when we bought our house on some larger spots from the PO

 

[larry_g]

For oil spots I use some solvent to liberally wet the spot and then scrub with a stiff brush. While the solvent is still liquid I cover the area with floor dri to soak up the liquid. Leave the floor dri for a few hours/overnight and I usually have a clean/white spot on the floor where the solvent has cleaned up the oil. In theory the solvent dilutes the oil and holds it in suspension making the whole mess easier for the floor dri to absorb.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[skyking]

I have never sealed mine.I painted one once before and swore to never do that again.
I would love to have a better finish but with floor jacks ,welding , and dropping heavy pieces of iron on it ....I don't see how. I just use the oil dry products (kitty litter). Good luck

 

[jaye944]

Bryce; this is the issue

1> any fresh oil, is usually just on the surface and can be cleaned (if done immediatley)

2> OLD oil has penetrated into the porus surface of the concrete, could be as much as 4" (apparently),

I have tried everything except for PETROL and Pour&RESTORE and nothing works, although NOW, its slightly better,

IF WATER does not bead and the surface does not feel oily to the touch, then the OIL is deep in the concrete. so in theory, when you paint it, its only a problem IF and when it bubbles to the surface.

I'm awaiting some OIL SPOT PRIMER which I spoke to Armourcoat about. IT adheres to the surface as an epoxy does, and then prevents the oil from goin any further; your base then sits on the primer... WELL thats the speil.

I've spent pretty near to $300 in all the different types of cleaners recommened, which now brings into question having spent another 400 buck on paint for a single garage if all this prep is F8888ing worthwhile.

But now I'm so far down the line, I can just quit !

If I'm ever pissed off with somone I'll take a oil can and dump it on there driveway and get some sweet revenge on watching them get that out LOLZ

in short; whatever your doing to the surface WONT work; you need to draw it out and then see if that works !

 

[Zeke]

For oil spots I use some solvent to liberally wet the spot and then scrub with a stiff brush. While the solvent is still liquid I cover the area with floor dri to soak up the liquid. Leave the floor dri for a few hours/overnight and I usually have a clean/white spot on the floor where the solvent has cleaned up the oil. In theory the solvent dilutes the oil and holds it in suspension making the whole mess easier for the floor dri to absorb.

lg
no neat sig line

This is almost what I'm doing but I'm forcefully getting rid of the oil. What doesn't come up is too far down.

 

[SchifoneTile]

Oil Life works awesome. penetrates the oil and de-bonds it from surfaces like concrete, paving stone and asphalt. When Oil Lift has separated the oil, soak up the residue and rinse. The natural bacteria in the earth will biodegrade the leftover waste.

http://www.oillift.net/product/oil-remover/

You want to remove as much of the oil as possible before applying any type of coating. If you don't, you may experience bonding issues.

 

[jaye944]

the thing with Canada; there's nothing here

all these products are in the US and you get hit with import duty.

I think the gov't believe we use Poutine, Maple Syrup, or Labatts as cleaning materials.

In the UK, I could get military grade chemicals , uranium and 100% acid, from the corner store

 

[collision1]

Use cat litter on stain. Also heard putting sand on the oil stains will soak up the oil. Degreaser works

 

[dlcwent]

I've never tried it but a friend of mine once said he throws pre-mixed cement over his oil spots and the oil spots disappear.

 

[pauls340]

Actually jaye94 your not correct in saying nothing in Canada. I only use a product called Microbes by Specialty Products Group in Smithville, Ontario. They will eat all the bio-carbons in the concrete and when all the Bio-carbons are gone they start to eat themselves.

 

[jaye944]

with my expereinces; I am very pessimistic about anything that anyone says will work;
becuase when I see the words "oh yes this has worked for me!" hasnt.
For over 10 various methods

 

[D45]

What about TSP

 

[jaye944]

What about TSP

actually TSP didnt do a whole lot; regardless of what method I tried
the best one I found was Valspar Oil and Stain remover

but I'm still looking at ****** big oil stains

 

[flyng_fool]

What's seemed to work for me was kitty litter and then grinding it in with a brick. Makes the litter like dust so it penetrates deeper.

 

[jaye944]

I recieved some spot primer from Armorcoat; but prioir I'm just trying another trick told me

gasoline on one with dry cement

and on the others just dry cement heaped on the stains and the rubbed in and left
<leaving for a few days to do its stuff>

and I'm NOT HOLDING MY BREATH