Engine oil spilled inside the back of my car :o

[smr]

Hi all,

Just been to pick the kids up from school and when I let them out (child locks) I saw my Engine Oil Bottle on the floor with the cap on, lifting it up I've realised that oil has leaked all over the floor of the rear of the car (Mondeo mk3)...

The cap was on tightly, it's an official Ford Motor Oil Bottle bought from Ford and the cap was definitely on tight as I wouldn't have put it in the back of the car if it wasn't.

The reason it was in the back of the car is because I just got it serviced and wondered if they wanted / could use my oil instead of non manufacturers.

Anyway, I don't know how on earth the cap has managed to get free of the bottle considering how tight it was, must have been a good 20 cm from the bottle top.

Main question is - what should I do. I don't exactly know how oil works but I was shocked but at the same time relieved that nothing had set on fire (electric driver seat etc.)

How do I clean this?

 

[L0rdMike]

Good luck oil is a right pain to clean up.

 

[smr]

Good luck oil is a right pain to clean up.

This dog don't need kicking when he's down already - how do I clean it ?

 

[Clarkey]

New carpet tbh. Soak it up from the floor underneath and degrease it thoroughly.

I hear this story a lot, why do people carry oil in the car

 

[Janesy B]

Put it in the boot at least.

 

[ubersonic]

Methylated alcohol, otherwise known as “wood spirits”, and ammonia can be mixed together to make an effective motor oil stain remover. In a disposable container, mix together one-part wood spirits to one part ammonia. Make sure the room has adequate ventilation, and test the mixture on a scrap piece of carpeting or fabric before using it on your good items. Recreate the motor oil stain, and use a sponge to gently blot the area. If the scrap material is damaged, reduce the amount of ammonia in the cleaning solution. Recreate the motor oil stain, and attempt to remove the stain again. If damage occurs, reduce the amount of ammonia once more, and continue this process until the solution effectively removes the stain without damaging the material. After the stain has been removed, clean the area with warm water and mild soap. Rinse it thoroughly, and allow it to dry. Properly dispose of any unused cleaning solution.

 

[IAmATeaf]

So your kids stood/stamped on the bottle?

 

[AtticusFinch]

Do'h

 

[doofer]

If you find anything that actually works, let BP know!

 

[VFR_KID]

Not saying use it on the inside of your car but in general if you get oil on the floor of your garage use Fullers earth cat litter. (Lidls Cheapest) Its good at absorbing it then you can just shovel up the litter. also cement is good for it. mix it in and keep adding a bit cement to dry it up.

 

[smr]

New carpet tbh. Soak it up from the floor underneath and degrease it thoroughly.

I hear this story a lot, why do people carry oil in the car

Can I lift the carpet up without damaging/ripping it and if so how...

I've looked but the carpet is just one big carpet right the way across the car.. does that mean I need to pull the entire carpet from the car?

 

[RiPz]

i did this. but on the cloth rear seats... and cleaned it up..

i used fairy liquid, my bathroom shower, and a wet vac, looked like new when i had finished.. (this was on the blue cloth bench-style seat in the back of my fiat punto)

remove item

1) wet item with shower
2) rub in fairy liquid with a stiff brush
3) leave to stand for a few minutes to do the fairy magic
4) soak a bit more with water
5) suck out the fairy/water with the wet vac.
6) hang somewhere to dry - i just hung mine in the shower.

obviously this will void the warranty of your wet vac, because it's fairy liquid and not proper cleaner.. keep an eye on the vac too.. it bubbled up the fairy inside quite quickly when i did it, i had to keep scooping the suds out..

then you have the problem of cleaning the vac & shower.. which is relatively easy because it's plastic/metal

also.. this made my rear seats look new.. so made my fronts look much worse than they were (just general dirt and grime from use).. so you might have to do the rest to match.

 

[Dogbreath]

I carried a gearbox which leaked a bit of oil in the back of my wifes car about 5 years ago, and you can still smell it despite numerous cleaning attempts with a Vax

As it's oil the best you can do is to break it down with a detergent, but with the amount of water you will need to swill around it would be a good idea to remove to carpet for cleaning so you don't fill the footwells up.

 

[TS7]

Hire a wet vac as mentioned above. Even if you have your own I wouldn't to use it on oil.

 

[smr]

thanks for the help guus but i'm still stuck at the first thing - how on earth do i remove the carpet from the car ? I'm not talking the car mats obviously but the upholstery carpet of the car, it's just one big carpet that goes under the front seats, luggage boxes etc. :?

 

[ZG002]

You will have to remove, front seats , possibly rear seat bench and other various bits of trim from edges and centre console.

Then the carpet will come out as one (in the shape it was when fitted.. so is easy to put back)

 

[MikeHiow]

I'd take it to a valeter and pay them to do it - its not worth the hassle yourself IMO.

 

[smr]

I'd take it to a valeter and pay them to do it - its not worth the hassle yourself IMO.

Sounds good to me. I will take it in the morning but how do you find a reputable valeter; do you mean those guys who have xonverted old petrol garages into valeting stations?

Luckily the oil is only on one part of the carpet; behind the drivers seat and hasnt spread too far. i have sponed a lot of the oil out of the carpet and now using a bottle of vax and hot water on it.

 

[Muncher]

I would replace the carpet based on my experience. It's very difficult to get it ALL out, especially without removing the carpet.

 

[D-Ranged]

I had some engine oil on my front floor mats in the GTR from previous owner and i tried some of that 1001 carpet cleaner stuff, it worked a treat.