Best way to clean up hydraulic fluid?

[TuckR]

I learned some lessons this weekend, the cost of which was a cylinder worth of hydraulic fluid all over me and my storage area. The stuff is everywhere. I sopped up all the freestanding fluid so there's no puddles, but what's the best way to clean this up? My plan is to take some purple degreaser and spray everything down (nothing sensitive got hit besides my face and that's been dealt with) and then wipe it up with shop rags. Is there any tribal wisdom of better ways to deal with this stuff? No so worried about things being spotless, I just don't want slip hazards or oil collecting dust and dirt.

 

[AirOpsMgr]

I learned some lessons this weekend, the cost of which was a cylinder worth of hydraulic fluid all over me and my storage area. The stuff is everywhere. I sopped up all the freestanding fluid so there's no puddles, but what's the best way to clean this up? My plan is to take some purple degreaser and spray everything down (nothing sensitive got hit besides my face and that's been dealt with) and then wipe it up with shop rags. Is there any tribal wisdom of better ways to deal with this stuff? No so worried about things being spotless, I just don't want slip hazards or oil collecting dust and dirt.

We use oil dry absorbent (granules for the big spills, pads for smaller spills) at the job when we have big spills. Spread the granules, let it soak it up, then broom it back and forth until the absorbent is fully saturated, then remove & repeat until dry to the touch.

After that, you can apply various types of degreasers depending on the surface to get up the rest.

 

[TimBuck2]

Open windows, fans, solvents and a fair volume of rags. A quart or so of acetone should do it or Naphtha if you want something less volatile.

 

[flyerdan]

Get some Oil Eater. Costco used to carry it, might still.

 

[notaz3]

Cat litter. Not the clumping kind. If needed you can grind it into the concrete and it will clean it just fine.

 

[cannuck]

We work with napthenic oils and the ultimate way to clean stains from concrete (and very easy from steel) is Walter Slapshot (should be able to get at Grangers).

 

[etpm]

Like others have said absorbing what you can is good and the old style cheap clay cat litter is good for pulling oil out of concrete. It is better to first absorb as much oil as possible before attempting to clean it up with a solvent or a de-greaser. Cat litter working for a few days will pull a bunch of oil out of surfaces such as concrete and wood bench tops. After absorbing the oil I have found Dawn dishwashing soap works very well to remove oil. And it is easy on skin. Unlike the purple de-greaser.
Eric

 

[nyone]

I have used many oil absorbent product being a former diesel mechanic but to be honest very dry dirt works just as well on concrete.

 

[repete]

We use oil dry absorbent (granules for the big spills, pads for smaller spills) at the job when we have big spills. Spread the granules, let it soak it up, then broom it back and forth until the absorbent is fully saturated, then remove & repeat until dry to the touch.

After that, you can apply various types of degreasers depending on the surface to get up the rest.

My "Go to" plan. I do not take chemicals/degreasers to clean beyond the floor dry. to me, it is a shop floor, not a kitchen floor.

 

[WranglerX]

What seems to work well for me is to use something like unscented/non clumping cat litter to absorb most of oils/fluids, then scrub down with petroleum spirits (solvent) and wash immediately with Simple Green. and water....