Monday 28 February 2011

Cleaning an Oil Spill - Short Cuts


As everything seem so expensive these days, who can blame us for trying to cut corners? No one really likes to take their car to the dealership for routine maintenance as they seem to come away with a particularly large bill at the end. It is tempting to go to your local discount auto parts store, buy the oils and deal with it yourself. Somehow or other though when you get down to brass tacks, roll up your sleeves and get ready to do the maintenance, it's not as easy as you thought. Before you know it you are cleaning an oil spill off your garage floor.
Have you ever noticed how you need to be almost a contortionist to be able to get into your engine bay and top up your car's lubricant? Everything seems so complicated these days and this is especially true for the automobile. There was a time when this task was very routine, but now if you're not careful you will end up spending the rest of your day off cleaning an oil spill from the floor.
There can be nothing as annoying and time wasting as cleaning an oil spill from your floor. The consistency of the oil is such that it will get into every little tiny crack and creates a real mess. Be careful where you stand, as it can also be dangerous and slippery. So, the first thing you need to do is to get some absorbent paper towels and lay them directly over the spill. They will soak up the oil and should then be removed and the process repeated until the shine has gone.
Oil residue should be disposed of properly and don't be tempted to flush it down the nearest drain as this is not very environmentally friendly. When cleaning an oil spill, the absorbent paper towels will get rid most of the mess, but then you need to put down cat litter. As we know, this is very effective at soaking things up and will really do the trick here too.
One of your best lines of defense when cleaning an oil spill is, strangely enough, the cat litter. If you leave each layer on the spill for at least an hour, when you go back you should sweep it up and do it again. Unfortunately, this is a time-consuming task but it will get rid of the discoloration.
Trying to save the cost of going to the auto dealership for routine work can often backfire and leave you cleaning an oil spill from your garage floor. Now, instead of having a nice day off you are left to clean up the mess. In future, think about putting an absorbent mat underneath each of the cars and this will repay you handsomely over time.
Nobody likes to get down on their hands and knees when cleaning an oil spill and by placing an absorbent mat beneath any object that might leak or spill you won't have to do this. As they are made of polypropylene, these mats are very durable and they also have a nonslip, non leak base. Can you believe that they will absorb up to a gallon of liquid at any one time during a spill?
Do you really want to spend time dealing with oil soaked paper towels and dirty kitty litter? There are many areas around your garage or home which are prone to oil spills, even if you have a brand-new car with warranty and don't expect it to leak. Remember that permanent damage can be caused to a surface and you should place absorbent mats now.
Look for detailed information about cleaning an oil spill. Be sure to sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.cleanupstuff.com and get our free report. A toll free number is available on our site to answer any queries.
Angie Meza - EzineArticles Expert Author