Help, how do I remove synthetic oil spill from carpet
 

I have just discovered to my dismay that an opened 5litre tub/container of synthetic oil, has fallen over in the cargo area of the V70, even though it was strapped down with a bungee. Net result, best estimate is that around 0.4 litres of oil leaked into a pristine carpet.
The top was on tightly. However, what had not been noticed was that the lid had actually nipped the sealing ring so that when the can was on its side, it leaked!

I have managed to remove most of the oil using a scraper, kitchen roll, a small volume of isopropyl alcohol, (left over from some switch cleaning) and the dreaded wet wipes, but there is still an oily feel to the carpet, and it reeks of synthetic oil (not unlike the cat p*** odour of hypoid gear oil).

I intend to try to “float” the remaining oil off using a steam cleaner and tackle the smell with sodium bicarbonate crystals when I can see what I’m doing in daylight, but I’m not entirely sure that it is such a good idea as I think the charcoal coloured carpet is glued down to the plywood section of the boot floor just over the wheel cover section behind the o/s rear seat.

The oily patch left is approx. five inches by eight inches, a bit bigger than the size of a shoe sole.
It is not really about how it looks – we have a rather long haired golden retriever who acts like a dirt magnet + synthetic oil is toxic for most animals (inc. man), so would rather not expose the dog to its effects.

Any suggestions as to how I might remove the remainder of the oil, get rid of the smell, and bring the carpet back to something like its original appearance?

Thank you!
 

Many thanks stevo48 for finding the "solution".

I'll go and get some more isopropyl.

Isopropyl works
 

Ok the good news - isopropyl alcohol will remove almost all the synthetic oil spilt on a volvo carpet - the bad news - isopropyl costs around £7.50 for 600mls (from your friendly neighbourhood pharmacist) and so far I'm on the second jumbo kitchen roll @ £2.99 for 550 sheets.

The steam clean is yet to be done, and I think, from what I've read, that it is probably a good idea to "spot clean" it with a fairly concentrated carpet cleaner i.e. around a 33% solution, to lift any remainiing oil before I steam it.

Finallly using bicarb. to get rid of any remaining odour when the carpet has dried.

To be continued.................................

My cheap cleaning solution for oil, is white spirit first then washing up liquid to remove the white spirit and oil / paint etc works in most cases.
Also vanish carpet spray works a treat.
yours James

Hello, As you get to the "home stretch" don't forget Grandma's old favorite--Fuller's Earth. It absorbs lots of things (stains from neckties). Rub it in, vacuum out. Also, finely ground coffee is also an absorbent and odor muter. Kira

Thanks
 

My thanks to both of the last posters - I must admit I did think about using white spirit, but was unsure about how the adhesive used to hold the carpet to the plywood would react and a little concerned about its effects it on the protective polystyrene foam covers on the cabling by the seat back and under the wheel cover, but you are right, using it sparingly would make a lot of sense.
Must admit I hadn't thought about using vanish carpet spray - an excellent suggestion.

I especially like the reminder from Georgeandkira about using ground coffee - as well as absorbing the synthetic oil odour, the smell of freshly ground coffee wafting round the car would be delightful.

I will try a combination of all of these later today.

Thanks again.

Alan

Drying time
 

Having left the carpet overnight with a wad of kitchen roll over the oil stain, held down with a small paving slab, more oil/isopropyl mixture came out by blotting. Didn't have any vanish carpet spray - so used the 1001 spot spray version we just happened to have left over, then after blotting yet again, used a 30% solution of 1001 carpet cleaner followed by more blotting.

"Borrowed" Karcher steam cleaner from indoors, and using no nozzle other than the one that normally pushes into the extension pipes or various cleaning heads, forced as much unrestricted pressure as possible through the carpet at angle of around 20°. I also used a windscreen scrapper to remove as much hot emulsion as possible from the carpet, before repeating the steaming using cotton cloths to catch the remaining goo.

Absolutely amazed as to how much oil must have been left in - two very soggy, oily, cotton cloths later - the carpet appears to be clean. There is no oily/slick feeling to the pile and no odour left even though the carpet is damp and warm.

Just got to wait for it to dry before finishing it off with bicarb/ Fuller's earth/ or ground coffee - this is going to end up as the most expensive piece of carpet we own - but will smell fantastic - all I need to do now is add the smell of cooking bread and advertise with the local estate agents...............

Stain & Odour
 

OK so, having left the boot floor to dry in the sun for the greater part of the day, whilst most of the stain has gone, the odour of synthetic oil is still present, albeit much reduced.

Also, it has become apparent, that the true size of the stain is around the size of two sheets of A4 paper.

Even though I worked towards the centre of the spill, I suspect that there had been some creep under the carpet along the surface of the plywood.

That's far too big a patch to economically treat with ground coffee or sodium bicarbonate, so, on with a shovel full of Fuller’s earth (Morrison’s cheapest own brand cat litter) and hopefully the remains of the stain and odour will be absorbed over night.

Watch for tomorrow’s thrilling instalment..............................