Cleaning oil stained concrete using liquid dishwashing detergent

[yhprum]

I have seen this subject come up frequently on GJ. Maybe this subject deserves a sticky.
I found this tip buried on one of the many oil stain removal techniques posted on GJ here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=250655

This area in the garage has had oil leaked on it for a long time. I just moved in about a year ago and I eventually want to epoxy the floor if I can get the oil out. I have used pour- n- restore with great results but it is not available where I live now.
Here is a photo of the treatment using this method I did in one area. You can see the area where the oil was removed although several tries will be required.

 

[yhprum]

Uses diluted dishwashing detergent to lift the oil from the concrete using emulsification and deposit onto a paper towel. Mix the detergent with water one to one ( I had tried adding an equal amount of ammonia, but didn’t see much of a difference).

 

[yhprum]

Put down dry paper towels over the area a few levels thick.


Put the detergent mix onto the paper towels so it’s well wetted.

 

[yhprum]

Cover with something to make it airtight. I used a piece of melamine. You want it to stay wet so the detergent can lift the oil from the concrete. Wait a day or two.

 

[yhprum]

24 hours later, remove paper towels and and wash clean with fresh water. Looks to be working at the top R/H corner.
Reapply fresh paper towel with detergent mixture and re cover same as before. Will check back again in 24 hours.

 

[Pantone032]

This is also why you should not use dish wash detergent to wash your car.

 

[Johns12]

This is also why you should not use dish wash detergent to wash your car.

Dish detergent, is ok to wash a car, (I like dawn), if you will be waxing after. It will strip the wax off as well as tar and other oily deposits. I use dish soap with a clay bar.

Regular car washing, definitely, don't use dish soap.

 

[yhprum]

24 hours later. Oil still coming out of the concrete. Has the floro lights on, making it look a bit yellow.

 

[jaye944]

YIKES

Dish detergent, is ok to wash a car, (I like dawn), if you will be waxing after. It will strip the wax off as well as tar and other oily deposits. I use dish soap with a clay bar.

Regular car washing, definitely, don't use dish soap.

 

[40cpe]

That's gong to take a looong time.

 

[cadavjo]

Don't know how effective it is on oil, but I spilled roughly half a gallon of iodine on my concrete and used acetone to help remove it, with great results.

 

[Rookie2]

cover it with floor dry or cat litter then wet it with acetone , evaporation will lift the oil up into the floor dry.

 

[yhprum]

another 24 hours. Most of the oil has come out of the concrete. I may try the acetone and kitty litter next.

 

[FOWLER]

When I worked my first job at a garage way back when, the owner used to cover the floor with oil dry and pour gas on it lol. Stupid for a variety of reasons but the floor would be clean as new when he was done. I use the same process with the oil dry but I use cheap lacquer thinner on the worst spots and it works great.

 

[40cpe]

When I worked my first job at a garage way back when, the owner used to cover the floor with oil dry and pour gas on it lol. Stupid for a variety of reasons but the floor would be clean as new when he was done. I use the same process with the oil dry but I use cheap lacquer thinner on the worst spots and it works great.

What do you do after you pour the thinner on it? Sweep it up after the thinner evaporates? Wait a period of time? More details please.

 

[FOWLER]

What do you do after you pour the thinner on it? Sweep it up after the thinner evaporates? Wait a period of time? More details please.

Cover the area with nice pile of oil dry , then saturate it with thinner. I work it around a small amount then sweep it all up while it's still slightly damp. Actually the shredded paper type oil dry works a little better than the clay but it's difficult to find in some areas.

 

[yhprum]

Final update. Before and after.
Went on a trip for three days, left the spot covered.
Even though the photo doesnt quite show it as well as it looks in person, mostly all of the stain is gone and the concrete looks almost new.
While this method does take some patience, it does work, especially if you have a spot or two you need to remove.