I was putting new glow plugs in the ZX, a familiar winter ritual and somehow managed to pull off the fuel return pipe. I didn't notice, of course. A hour later the wife wants a lift to the shops. I fire up the engine, noting with satisfaction the lack of shaky engine syndrome and reverse down the drive. On the ground in front of the car appears the most incredibly large pool of diesel. I jump out with engine running and lift the bonnet. I spot the pipe doing a gusher and put it back on. What a tit. How does one remove the stain from concrete? :-)
Oops. Diesel spill on Driveway
Nov 14, 2007
17 Replies
Sell the house.
Steam cleaner.
Gunk!
I've had some success removing fresh oily stains from driveways with washing up liquid. Squirt some on, scrub it in with a stiff brush, maybe leave it for a couple of minutes and hose it off. There's lovely.
Or neat washing powder for a day, presuure wash it off & wash it all over with milk.
8 out of 10 cats prefer it.
(c:
Yup, but more usefully so's the mould.
Don't bother, just stain the rest of the concrete to match.
Willy Eckerslyke wrote in news:5q2godFu1564U1 @mid.individual.net:
I've steamed it with gunk, washing up liquid, washing powder and milk as per suggestions above, but it looks like I'll have to pour diesel over the whole drive to get a uniform colour. :-) I wish I'd listened to Conor's suggestion... LOL
I bet your wife will banish you from tinkering with the car on the driveway now lol.
I wonder if theres some wonder chemical that might be of help.
If there is, this is where you should find it:
'tis the bible of all things paving on uk.d-i-y. Which is probably also a good place to ask.
I've also seen mention of using Hydrochloric acid (also known as Muriatic acid) on it....
very very carefully.
On concrete it seems like a flamethrowing solution might do some good, but I haven't tried it.
PCPaul wrote in news:kw1%i.48234$c_1.32928 @text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
Now that I do like. As an aside I've noticed that diesel is a very very efficient weed killer. I have gravel between the concrete bits, which were a bit weed infested. I'm a lousy gardener, but at least I know I don't have to go to the Gardening section of B&Q etc. to buy weedkiller that doesn't work.
Not for nothing do people paint fences and sheds with old engine oil instead of creosote...
[...]
What, you mean apart from the fact that the use of creosote is illegal for private individuals ;-)
Chris
Well, it is *now* but a soup of any old oil, diesel etc has been used for many years as an alternative.
Probably just as illegal, though.
Yep, I've used creosote and old engine oil mixed 50/50 for years. I'm down to my last 5 litres of mix; just enough for next spring.
I've used the creosote substitute; it seems just like the real thing. I'm wondering if it would also mix with engine oil...
Chris
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