Diesel spill on concrete

[davethebunny]

Pranged the mrs' motor yesterday on the ramp up into the garage. Bloody citroens and their suspension, didn't wait for it to rise before reversing out.

Anyway bust the fuel cooler and return pipe and a couple of litres of diesel spilled before i had a chance to unplug the hose and break the siphon. So i know have a 6' diameter of diesel stain.

I've soaked it up with some of the kids play sand but have a nasty stain now.

Anyway to get it out? or would i be better off painting over it?

Cheers

[Spudler]

If you want to paint over it you'll still have to get thourghly clean anyway.
http://www.bilthamber.com/surfex-hd.html will get it out, brilliant for cleaning the car to.
About £20 but lasts for ages.

[TheEnd]

Since it's concrete, you can use petrol based stuff first, like gunk or your average engine degreaser to lift the derv, and then detergents, even simple washing up liquid and water and scrub between each stage.

That will remove most of it, and the rest will fade.
That little combo will work fine on concrete, but not on tarmac, as that's petroleum based, and the more petrol based solvents you use, the more tar you'll wash out.

[s3fella]

Use a blowtorch and burn/ evaporate it off.

Worked on my neighbours block paved drive after his son drove his golf onto it having just ripped the sump off on the kerb! And that was filthy engine oil.

Blowtorch then let the carbon wear off or pressure wash it.

[5potTurbo]

I had a diesel/oil spillage on a driveway a few years ago
I sprayed the area with a degreaser, scrubbed it in with a brush, and jetwashed it off.

[G20RG B]

I rubbed some swarfegga(had cleaning gel type stuff) into it then scrubbed it with a scubbing brush then a good blast with the jet wash..

[normalbloke]

Vinegar.

[plg]

If you want to go down the acid route - Clean wheels (Autoglym) is phosphoric acid and pretty damn strong...?

[lost in espace]

plg said:

If you want to go down the acid route - Clean wheels (Autoglym) is phosphoric acid and pretty damn strong...?

And also good at cleaning grout off tiles!

Try some petrol on it neat, works for my spilled veg oil.

[jeff m]

Without getting into "how much oil does a dry sump contain"
If you put down cat litter or "oil dry" straight away and grind it into the spill with your heel it will greatly reduce it. Possibly to the point where it will fade away after a month .

Using acid or cleaners will brighten the surrounding area too !
Often making it more noticable.

[NDA]

I spilt some oil on limestone slabs a while ago and was told brake cleaning fluid would remove it. It did!

[davethebunny]

my mrs did it the other day when i was out picking up my new car. She washed it up with screenwash

[TheEnd]

for wd-40.. it's a light oil, so will fade away over time.

I would think a soapy scrub and a jetwash would get rid of it, but you'd want to pick some good weather, and when dry, rebrush some kiln dried block paving sand back between the blocks again before they start to wobble and sink.