Industrial Oil Spill in the MiniVan

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Hello,

My father spilled a can of industrial oil in my mom's minivan, and needless to say he's about to get thrown out of the house. He's been driving it with the windows down but the fumes are terrible and it cannot be good to be inhaling. He tried to take it to the local car wash to shampoo it, but it didn't help. I heard that the best kind of steam cleaner is one that heats the water automatically to temperatures over 200 degrees.... Do you think that this would help? The only other step to take is to cut out the rug completely from the car. Please help save my parents' marriage! What can we do?

Thanks!
 
I have not had a lot of experience with this situation.... But if he really spilled the whole thing, I think the carpet is going to need to be replaced. At the very least it's going to have to come up. This is because it has most definatly soaked all the way through. So the smell will probably never go away if it is not pulled up.
 
Umm I can't say for sure if it'll work but, try spraying a degreaser solution on the carpet. I'd try dawn. It works on the animals right? Then scrub the carpets thoroughly with a brush. Then I'd rent a carpet cleaner that does indeed heat the water up to close to 200* (most of your industrial ones do this). It's just a suggestion though. Others may have more experience with this
 
One option that should work, and we use them here at work is the oil eating enzymes/bugs. They do a good job of breaking down oil into organic substances that can be cleaned and water. They do take a little while to work but it may be the only option that would not require you to remove the carpet. Be warned some of the oil eaters can produce smells of their own but once they die the smell is gone as well.
 
When I bought my van the guy before me spilled a bunch of gear oil. I try to steam it real good but didn't work. I think its because it was under one of the captain chairs. My suggestion would be to get an enzyme cleaner literally pour it over the affected area. Also put a degreaser down. Let it sit over night and then use a shop vac to suck the fluid up. Then clean it again.
 
Flash Gordon said:
First thing you should do is lay down some cat litter
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I think this is a good idea- use something to absorb as much as you can first. Then try some degreaser options until you find one that is working- I wouldn't use water / shampoo / steamer without first degreasing, for the simple reason that water will not mix with oil, so I think you'll just spread the spill further.

Once you have a degreaser that is helping, do the seemingly endless cycle of spray - blot, spray - blot, to keep the size of the spill from spreading out too much... Clean as much as you can, and then you may have to peel back the carpet to clean the underside.
 
Flash Gordon said:
First thing you should do is lay down some cat litter
Click to expand...

Thanks Flash! I think I jumped past the important parts before you spray cleaners. You want to extract as much of the oil as possible via Kitty litter, oil dry, oil absorbent pads, what ever. Even old towels will help.

You then need to realize that an extractor will not be removing the oil, well its obvious why, because oil and water don't mix. I think any water based cleaner will have issues with removing the liquid oil from the spill.

I would start looking at solvent based cleaners. These should start to chemically break down the oil allowing it to be extracted. Be careful if you use a vacuum and any solvent based cleaner that is flammable. They do not play well together! (Ask me how I know!)

Keep in mind the solvent cleaners may damage the carpet and sound deading material underneath. But you are going to trade one evil for another here.


Some other options I have used in the past are Dawn, and GoJo hand cleaner.. the kind with out pumice, and not the orange kind. The original stuff. Also works well on cloths.
 
ShineTimeDetail said:
When I bought my van the guy before me spilled a bunch of gear oil. I try to steam it real good but didn't work. I think its because it was under one of the captain chairs. My suggestion would be to get an enzyme cleaner literally pour it over the affected area. Also put a degreaser down. Let it sit over night and then use a shop vac to suck the fluid up. Then clean it again.
Click to expand...

Be careful as some degreasers can kill the enzymes!!
 
What is "industrial" oil? Is that hydraulic oil, penetrating oil, what? I'm kind of surprised that more of you haven't suggested pulling the carpet out--I think that's going to be the most straightforward approach--what part of the van is the spill in, and how much got spilled?
 
Bite the bullet.

Replace the carpet. You will never remove every trace of any heavy pungent oil.
 
i would just replace carpet, will cost anywhere from 100-250$ for a carpet replacement, just to let you know auto carpets are molded to the floor pan so there custom fit so to say. thats the reason why the price is high for a new carpet in a vehicle. however depending how large the spot is i would use something containing orange oil. De-solv-it comes to mind as i use it to remove grease/oil from my hands, works great to remove tar from paint. i had a issue in my car where the factory sound deadning in the trunk melted and cracked emitting a horrible smell, had to use heat and a scraper to remove the stuff then used the de-solv-it to remove the left over traces of tar stuff just melted off. it might work for the oil what i would do it spray it on heavily on the spot and its not as flammable as say pure orange terpenes. then after sucking up some of the de-solv-it with the shop vac you can repeat process a couple of times to remove the bulk of the oil, then use something like meguiars apc+ at 4:1 dilution to remove the rest of the de-solv-it out of the carpet and hopefully the rest of the oil. then once your satisfied with the removal do a final rinse with water. might work for you. the de-solv-it can be found at walmart in the cleaner aisle. they used it in the oil spill to clean oil off of animals.
 
I've got a funny feeling Pop's is not going to spring for new carpet. I may be wrong, but usually not
 
To do the right way:
-remove the Carpet
-try to remove the excess oil with rags / or paper towels
-You need a good Degreaser, some like [ Purple Power - Awesome ]
-spray on the back side, some degreaser, Best if a Extraction Portable is use

-Do this at least 2, or 3 times, you will see the result. once you do, the back part. start by doing the same procedure to the Face or the carpet.

-pre-spray degreaser
-let it work for about 7minutes
-use you Portable for extraction, ofcourse using hot Water as rinse

-You will need a good 2, or 3 passes.

if you don't take out the carpet / then you won't be able to leave the carpet clean
 
oldmodman said:
Bite the bullet.

Replace the carpet. You will never remove every trace of any heavy pungent oil.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

Also.....Keep in mind that replacement may also be needed for: The padding (AKA): noise-dampening/cushioning, which will wick-up more of the spill than meets the eye. :(

Bob
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I'm kind of surprised that more of you haven't suggested pulling the carpet out--I think that's going to be the most straightforward approach
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I agree. I have pulled carpets out on a whole lot less of a mess. It isn't hard to do. If it is your first time, it will take you a little longer just figuring out how interiors snap together in general, but I say it is going to be your best and possibly only shot of getting it completely cleaned.

Once you have the carpet out, use a chemical cleaner (degreaser or strong APC) that will not hurt the carpet dye (test in a spot that isn't seen, like under the seat area). Then pressure wash it, maybe a few times. What tcfatboys suggested sounds good, except I wouldn't even bother extracting.

If you could take it out and throw it in a washing machine would you try that? Well, essentially that's what taking it out and pressure washing it really good is doing. While you are there, you can clean the metal floor pan underneath where the carpet lays, because you most likely have oil there too. If it is under the carpet, surface cleaning isn't going to do anything long term - and I would be willing to bet that it seeped all the way through.

I have pressure washed MANY entire carpets and backing pads. Sometimes, it is the only way to get them fully clean (if that is what the goal is). An extractor has it's limitations, power washing though is rinsing clean water through the area, pushing out any contaminants, etc. with it.

Take the carpet out, and wash it.

DLB
 
There have been examples on here where detailers pulled up the carpet then cleaned it thoroughly. They replaced the felt padding using the old as a template to cut new. They replaced the old carpet.
I have taken seats out of a minivan. Very easy and do-able. I'm saying you've still got a shot at a DYI fix.

I just saw DLB's post after I posted, and agree with everything he said. I have also pressure washed carpets after degreaser. That is something that can be done with the wand at the spray wash. I'm confident that it will take the oil out of the carpet. I have no experience doing that with the padding.
 
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DLB said:
I agree. I have pulled carpets out on a whole lot less of a mess. It isn't hard to do. If it is your first time, it will take you a little longer just figuring out how interiors snap together in general, but I say it is going to be your best and possibly only shot of getting it completely cleaned.

Once you have the carpet out, use a chemical cleaner (degreaser or strong APC) that will not hurt the carpet dye (test in a spot that isn't seen, like under the seat area). Then pressure wash it, maybe a few times. What tcfatboys suggested sounds good, except I wouldn't even bother extracting.

If you could take it out and throw it in a washing machine would you try that? Well, essentially that's what taking it out and pressure washing it really good is doing. While you are there, you can clean the metal floor pan underneath where the carpet lays, because you most likely have oil there too. If it is under the carpet, surface cleaning isn't going to do anything long term - and I would be willing to bet that it seeped all the way through.

I have pressure washed MANY entire carpets and backing pads. Sometimes, it is the only way to get them fully clean (if that is what the goal is). An extractor has it's limitations, power washing though is rinsing clean water through the area, pushing out any contaminants, etc. with it.

Take the carpet out, and wash it.

DLB
Click to expand...

:xyxthumbs: yes you have the answer like this!!! / have you try once pressure wash, go with your Shop-Vac in wet use, and give a deep pass, Soo you can extract what's on the carpet.

Pressure wash + the Shop Vac / you will see if you need one Hand, 2passes or more
But I Iagree with this method!!
 
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