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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil stain on concrete floor

I think I remember reading a post on this BB a long time ago about some way to remove oil stains from concrete floors but I can't find it. Anyone know of anyway to do this or know of the post that told how to do it.... Thanks for any suggestions.. John
J Ostergren

John, Go on the net and ask the same question. We bought some liquid stuff a couple years ago that you just pour on the oil spot, let it set overnight and then sweep it up in a dust pan. The spot is gone as if it was never there! I dont remember the name other than it was in a narrow plastic jug, I think about a quart. PJ
Paul S Jennings

John, I pour kerosene on the oil spot and then put oil-dry on that and grind it in with my foot. Gets most of it out.

Bill
TD 24570
Bill Brown

kitty litter does the same thing grind it in and let sit overnight
W. A. Chasser Jr

Wow.

I am impressed that your garage floor is that immaculate. It is a credit to you that you take so much pride in it.

I have an old carpet on my garage floor. Great for lying on. Great for hiding those oil drips. Great for finding those dropped nuts and bolts.



Doctor Bob

I painted my shop floor with epoxy as many aircraft hangars are. Wipe it up with a paper towel and some 409. Every now and then it get swabbed with a purple liquid soap and water that really cleans it up.

For bare concrete gas or kero(safer)and speedi-dry does a great job. Followed by the same commercial degreaser and water and it looks good.

Kitty litter is an expensive way to buy speedi-dry. They're the same ground clay product; the cat box stuff might have a little less dust.
JE Carroll

Use brake-cleaner...
JL Nederhoed

Oven cleaner works. Regards, Tom
tm peterson

The best oil stain remover I have found is a white powder manufactured by ZEP. You can buy it in 20 lb. white plastic bags from Home Depot. Unlike liquids and kitty litter, the action is almost instantaneous on fresh spills, a bit longer on old stains.
Lew Palmer

Maybe the product you are looking for is made by CLR, and is called "Grease Magnet" I use Oil Dry (Kitty Litter) for the worst then I use Tide Detergent (liquid) on the spots .... leave overnight then wash off with a pressure washer.
C.R. Tyrell

I use "Gunk engine bright" in a spray can. Wipe up the oil spot with a paper towel and spray the spot with Gunk then wash it out the door with a water hose. I try to do this to the entire garage floor every couple years.
F. Driver

John, Here's the stuff I was talking about. It's amazing stuff! Pour it on in the evening, come back in the morning and sweep it up! PJ




Paul S Jennings

I display my oil stains proudly!
Gene Gillam

Gene, I'm kinda with you on that, but the wife wants "her" garage floor spotless, so that's where it gets used if needed. In my shop, that's another story, I'd need a 55 gallon barrel of the stuff! LOL. PJ
Paul S Jennings

I decided it would be easier to poor oil on the rest of the floor so it matches!
David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

John,

How lucky you are! Not all T-owners are able to retrieve their signature oil stain. Its a bit like menopause - but usually around 50 years. Mine came very early in life - right after my first rebuild.

It is a code encrypted in the chassis nbr and has something to do with the oil leaking as a result of a strange signal emanating from the front left dumb-iron. Only Cecil Kimber had the code to install and/or remove it.

Sadly 'ole Cec has croaked, so you'll just have to live with it, like the rest of us.

Don't erase it. Its bad luck.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A Clark

OMG... Just got back in town. Thank you all for the great suggestions.... Will try them all until the 'stain' is gone. I probably should just click 'submit' and go to bed but I have a confession to make. The 'stain' that I want to get rid of is not in my work shop. There are a bunch of them there and they will stay. My TF would not be happy without them. The 'stain' that I need to get rid of is on my new one week old 35 cubic yards of concrete driveway! My wife had the oil changed in her car just before leaving on a 200 mile trip. She was parked for about 15 min on the new driveway and then left. About 10 min later I went out and saw the 'stain'. It was the size of a dinner plate. Called her to come back but if the oil light went on to pull over and shut down. She was going past a garage when I called so she stopped there and they found the filter seal to be bad and put in a new one. I hope you will forgive me. When I first posted I knew you didn't want to know all this BS. But now we have a great thread for what all the options are for cleaning up oil stains. Thanks again, I appreciate all the info... John 54TF
J Ostergren

All of the above suggestions are for MG leaks. They won't work for modern car oil leaks. ;)

My method usually involves getting to the spill as quickly as possible, dabbing it up with a rag, then soaking the area with a degreaser like Simple Green. I then scrub the area with a stiff bristle brush (or wire brush) and rinse well. This usually gets it out. If it's an older stain, a bit of acid misted over the area and then scrubbed with a stiff broom works well. Often the tenacity of the stain will depend on what kind of gunk is mixed in with the oil. Fresh oil cleans up well. Old oil is tougher. And old oil that has been there a while is nearly impossible to fully clean. The smoother (and less porous) the concrete, the easier it will clean up as well. Good luck!
Steve S

Steve, if I had to go through that routine every time my MG leaves a stain, I could spend my life on the floor :-)
I usecardboard on the garage floor that I change when it gets soft (regularly). Invisible when the car is in the garage and I don't see it when it's not since I sit in the car then.
For good manners I have a piece of cardboard in the car when I travel...
John, a good example that cellphones can be (engine) life savers...
Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

The Pour & Restore actually draws the oil up out of the concrete and turns it to a dry powder. No scrubbing, mopping or rinsing and leaves no mess other than a white powder where you poured it. You just sweep it up. This is for dry non painted concrete, not epoxy painted floors where a rag will wipe the oil up. It makes life a little easier, I need easier! PJ
Paul S Jennings

My garage floor is an unpainted light grey colour. My TD drops dark oil stains when it is told to "sit & stay". I take the grey ash from my fire place and sprinkle it over the oil droppings and the ash soaks up the oil and after a little scrub with a brush, can be swept up. It leaves a slightly darker stain on the floor, but this is after all, a garage floor. In case anyone cares, the ash is from Lodgepole Pine.

George
George Raham [TD4224]

FYI,

Recent reviews on Amazon suggest that the Pour-n-Restore formula has been changed and that it is no longer any where near as effective as it once was.

Jim
James Neel

This thread was discussed between 29/08/2014 and 31/08/2014

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