How to Clean Up Fuel Oil Spills From the Basement Floor
Fuel oil spilled on a basement floor is a daunting task to face. The sooner you can clean up these types of spills, the better. Unfortunately, you may not always notice a fuel oil spill immediately. The good news is that there are steps you can take to draw as much oil out of the floor as possible.
Things You Will Need
- Clay cat litter
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Trash bags
- Dishwashing soap
- Bucket
- Scrub brush
- Old towels or rags
Instructions
- Spread a thick layer of clay cat litter over the spill. Spread the cat litter just over the edge of the spill. If the spill is older, leave the cat litter on the spill at least overnight. Fresher spills may only need a few hours to absorb into the cat litter. Dust the cat litter aside periodically to see how well the oil is absorbing. If you need to add cat litter, do so.
- Use a broom and dustpan to sweep up the cat litter once you have determined that the litter has absorbed the fuel oil.
- Scoop the used cat litter into trash bags to dispose of it. Check with your local regulations to determine if you need to dispose of the fuel oil and cat litter in a particular way or if you can dispose of it in your normal trash.
- Mix a generous amount of dishwashing soap with hot water in a large bucket. Dish soap works well on oily stains since it is formulated to break up grease and oil.
- Scrub the area with the hot, soapy water and a scrub brush.
- Rinse the area thoroughly and wipe up excess water with old towels or rags.