Cleaning up gas spills

[DrFaroohk]

For those of you who work in a gas station....

How do you clean up those gas and oil stains from the pavement? I got this stuff that you're supposed to spray on, then scrub with a deck brush and then soak it up with that speedi-dry stuff, but all it did was briefly cover up the lighter stains with that white dust from the speedi-dry..the darker stains it didn't touch at all.

How do you guys do it?

[dendawg]

Sand and/or kitty litter (the cheap kind, not clumping) to absorb most of the moisture, then powdered detergent--preferably Tide, a stiff brush, and a little water. Apply sand/litter again after cleaning, sweep up after a couple of hours. repeat as necessary.

[DrFaroohk]

Does that Speedi-Dry stuff (not sure if you might call it a different name at your palce, but hopefully you know what I mean) work as a substitute for kitty litter?

[dendawg]

Does that Speedi-Dry stuff (not sure if you might call it a different name at your palce, but hopefully you know what I mean) work as a substitute for kitty litter?

I have no idea what Speedi-Dry is, but if it has the same texture as litter, it might.

[DrFaroohk]

It's about the same thing as kitty litter....it's called "Floor Dri" sometimes...it usually comes in these big 50 pound bags, its a little dryer than kitty litter, and its really powdery too. Get it on your hands and it feels kinda like chalk dust maybe....I dunno how to explain it.

[obscure_reference]

At my store we have this 'corn-cob' stuff... it usually soaks up the spills, but disintegrates into this dust that's a pain in the ass to sweep up - especially when customers drive over it... before we had that, we just used kitty litter, though.

I have to use the stuff at least once every day I work at fuel - SCs don't understand how to fill gas cans properly, or insist on topping off their tank despite the signs on the pumps warning not to...

Oh, and for the gas/oil/antifreeze stains that survive that? The company pays for some cleaning guy to come and pressure-wash the concrete around the pumps - whatever cleaner he uses works wonders, but he only comes once a month, if that.

[drunkenwildmage]

I have no idea what Speedi-Dry is, but if it has the same texture as litter, it might.

Speed-dri is an absorbent used to clean up oil and other liquid spills. The Most common application I've seen is at a Race track, it's used after a crash or after someone blows the engine and gets something on the race track.

[Rahmota]

Well at the car dealership we would use muriatic acid wash with a brush to scrub those more stubborn spots and then pressure wash that all off as a rinse.

PS: DO NOT wear cheap sneakers when walking in muriatic acid as you will not have shoes by the end of the day.

[Bagga]

I wouldn't risk using Speed-dri or anything like it instead of kitty litter either - I expect it has lime dust or cement dust in it, which might be a bit painful for the cat....

[Raieth]

LOL Our gas station doesn't use ANYTHING! We have clearly marked pocks in the concrete from the oil cars leak. and the concrete around the pumps is always dark.

To cheap to look good. I guess since we are the only one on our side of town we can get away with anything.