My teenage son recently started mowing lawns, and the gardener who hired him, has asked him to store his lawnmower in the garage of my parents (who were kind to allow this), so that my son would have quick access to it, as the customers are in this area where we live. PROBLEM: My parents are so distressed as they called me to go and see the puddles of the lawnmower mixture(gas/oil?) that leaked all over 1/2 of the garage. I placed newspaper on top, and later I thought to ask my son to put some kitty litter? Is this a good idea? How can I clean this up,what steps to take,any homemade recipes I can use? Soap, water and elbow grease? All suggestions, advice, opinions really appreciated! (cannot get to Home Depot today, so that is why I need home recipes!)THANKS!! :eek:

All you need to do is squirt some liquid dish soap on the oil spill and add water from a garden hose. Use a push broom or scrub brush to create the emulsion. It will not take much work at all. Rinse with clear water and the oil should be completely gone. If you do see the rainbow coloration in the water after rinsing you need to add more soap and scrub.


For future use... There is a product called floor dry that will do the job great. It works the same as kitty litter only much better. Make sure you dispose of it properly, don't just dump it in the trash, wrap it up in plastic bags and take it to a hazardous waste disposal at your landfill.

Some will use powdered washing detergent to clean this up as well, just a little water to it, to sort of scour at it. Kitty litter is well... just to soak it up which wouldn't do much if its already soaked into the cement.

Just came up with a good little idea... take a big piece of press board and lay it on the floor after you get it cleaned up, so the mowers can be set on it, the board will prevent oil or gas hitting the floor and kind of soak it up.

Btw, have your son to check the oil levels in his mower more often if they are leaking like that, just to prevent a seized engine.

Consider using a green, eco-friendly oil absorbent product. Keep it onhand so that if ever spill oil, paint, gasoline or whatever, you can quickly absorb them. You can a wide variety of products online. They are extremely absorbent and renewable. See this article for more info: http://greenopolis.com/goblog/green-groove/4-eco-friendly-ways-clean-oil-spills

Consider using a green, eco-friendly oil absorbent product. Keep it onhand so that if ever spill oil, paint, gasoline or whatever, you can quickly absorb them. You can a wide variety of products online. They are extremely absorbent and renewable. See this article for more info: http://greenopolis.com/goblog/green-groove/4-eco-friendly-ways-clean-oil-spills

Consider using a green, eco-friendly oil absorbent product. Keep it onhand so that if ever spill oil, paint, gasoline or whatever, you can quickly absorb them. You can a wide variety of products online. They are extremely absorbent and renewable. See this article for more info: http://greenopolis.com/goblog/green-groove/4-eco-friendly-ways-clean-oil-spills

Wow, three times a charm:rolleyes:

Unuese coffee grounds. Works well let it sit and later sweep up and smrll in gone

Oil Spill Eater II has cleaned up over 18400 spills since 1989. OSE II actually converts oil to CO2 and water, soaps move the problem to some where else without actually permanently solving the problem.