Where Did That Concrete Oil Stain Come From?
We are so distracted by the rigors of daily life that we don’t pay attention to the smaller things until they become larger. We are more concerned with going about our daily business. As we do so, we treat both our cars and the room that we store them in as very utilitarian and pay little attention. However, when somebody draws attention to a rather large concrete oil stain in the middle of the floor, we start to get concerned.
Have you noticed that you park your vehicle in almost exactly the same place within your garage each night? By doing so, any tiny, but annoying oil drip will build up into a rather large concrete oil stain as the weeks go by. If you have a porous concrete surface, this will be rather difficult to remove, to put it mildly.
If you catch a fresh concrete oil stain, it’s fairly easy to get rid of. This will depend a lot upon the actual finish of the floor, however. If the builder paid attention to the room, the finish will be relatively smooth and would be resistant. However, if it is an average finish, concrete oil stains can set and be difficult to clean.
Many people use regular cat litter because of its absorbent qualities. You may have to try this over several evenings to pull out a concrete oil stain from your garage floor. Be environmentally friendly and contact your local waste disposal company to see how to dispose of this correctly.
A porous surface will invariably lead to very stubborn stains and you might well need an industrial solvent to do justice to this. These are toxic products and you need to be careful when working with them. Always open the garage door and make sure that there’s plenty of ventilation. A more concentrated solution may be required for the toughest stains.
It’s best not to let small issues develop into larger ones. One of these days, you will want to put your house on the market and need to ensure that it is in the best condition. In this case, removing concrete oil stains may be difficult and you might end up damaging the surface anyway, through the use of heavy solvents.
By looking beneath your vehicle periodically you can see if you have any leaks. When you notice minor drops, put an oil mat immediately in that area. These are purpose made products and are far more attractive a proposition than having to deal with a cleanup. Remember that all you have to do is to remove the oil mat and there is no evidence.
The best way to deal with an oil stain is to fix the source of the problem in the first place. Maybe a trip to the auto shop is in order, but don’t forget to have the oil mat at the ready in case another problem arises.
