oil catastrophe!

Helps if you dont shout!

And no, despite many runs with acid, petrol, degreaser and a heavy duty high pressure water jet i still cant totally get rid of it. If it bothers you that much i suggest changing the paving lol.

This works for motor oil - my mechanic suggested it: Tide laundry powder, and a deck brush. Looks like a broom, but with extremely stiff bristles. Boat stores carry them. Cover the oil with Tide and then mist with water to make a paste that's not so thin - it has to stay in place to work. Wait 10 minutes, then scrub the bejeezus out of it with the brush and rinse. If there's a LOT of oil, it helps to cover with cat litter first, and walk on it to press it harder onto the oil. Sweep, then do the Tide treatment.

Does your mechanic suggest Tide specifically, or is he using that as a generic term for laundry detergent powder in general?

He just happened to be using Tide when I saw him cleaning a spill. I keep using it because to me, cleaning an oil spill is a pain in the ass total waste of time on a weekend when I should be fishing, so I use the best stuff available. An extra 3 bucks a year - so what, ya know?

I like it, novel idea. Will have to try it. I wonder if biological and non-bio makes a difference?

What?

Bio or non-bio washing powder. Both have distinctly different working methods so which is Tide?

No idea. It just works. I was wondering if you meant biodegradable. Pretty much all laundry & dish products fit that category nowadays.

Oh right, i can see the confusion. Detergents are the worlds biggest oceanic polutant still, despite being biodegradable. Anyway, thats OT. Good tip.

If concrete drive and it wasn't sealed, if it has soaked in for a while, it will take a few times with the tide to "sort of" get it out. Sealed it will be easier - not as much absorbed.

Asphalt drive whether sealed or unsealed is even more porous than concrete - tide trick will work after a fashion. You will probably have a noticeable stain on either one for some time. Especially (and I assume it was) used diesel motor oil. Use a lot of newspaper and tarp next time. (Besides being old, this is why I just buy the dealer oil change program)

Some years ago, Chevron made a bulk degreaser that worked pretty well on concrete BUT it was toxic as hell to aquatic life. But it sure did get the road oil off of concrete drives and vehicles where it dripped. It was really had on asphalt drives/parking lots

Ron

Tide probably is the best for that purpose. My wife won't let the stuff in the house for use on clothing, supposedly because it is too hard on the fabric fibers or something like that.

I can't use it because of moderately hard water. Powdered detergent turns to stone in the pipes. But, who cares? If you're doing something filthy, who wears their best $50 dress shirts?

Paint thinner or gasoline will cut any oil base product. Use in small quantities on a 'small area' and stand by with a water hose. No smoking or other stupidity. Nothing else will give you real satisfaction.

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Try not to touch the oil or gasoline. Could cause cancer. I wonder if cancer rates are higher for auto techs who change motor oil day after day?