Fuel Oil Spills

The procedures below are for situations where large amounts of fuel oil have been spilled onto a basement floor, usually a residence. The extent of restoration procedures is dependent on how much oil was spilled, how far it penetrated the substrata, and the surfaces affected. Severe contamination may be impossible to completely or permanently deodorize. Some of the procedures listed offer more that one restoration technique. Severe contamination will require the more extensive process.

Summary of Procedures

• Small pools of oil remaining on floor will be removed with an absorbent compound such
  as cat litter.
• Floor tiles and carpet should be removed and disposed.
• Scrub concrete floor with Degreaser.
• Fuel Oil OdorGo is added to cleaning solutions to control odor. Rinse and wet vacuum. (Repeat procedures two or three times). Allow concrete to dry thoroughly. Apply a solvent-based concrete seal. Note: If the fuel oil has absorbed too deeply into the concrete, surface cleaning will not remove the absorbed fuel oil, a contractor may have to remove the old concrete floor and pour a new one.
• Contaminated concrete walls are cleaned with WallGlide Plus/Fuel Oil OdorGo solution and rinse. (Repeat procedures two or three times). Seal walls at least one or two feet above contamination with a solvent base concrete seal.
• Contaminated wood stairs, joists, etc., should be replaced if possible. Deodorization of these oil contaminated surfaces is seldom effective, even when sealed. Contaminated wood which cannot be removed will be thoroughly cleaned with WallGlide Plus and Fuel Oil OdorGo. Coat surface with a shellac-based seal.
• Deodorize basement and upstairs, if necessary.
• Structure and contents upstairs will be inspected to determine if cleaning is needed. Kitchen surfaces or those with atmospheric soils may absorb odors more readily and will be cleaned using standard techniques.
• It is often difficult to predetermine how extensive cleaning procedures should be or if reconstruction will be necessary. Oil which has soaked deeply into concrete, in between cracks, into drains, into ducts or even into soil beneath the concrete floor of behind concrete walls cannot be reached with cleaning procedures and therefore cannot be removed. Residual oil may continue to emanate odor despite cleaning and sealing efforts. Warmth or high humidity may increase the level of odor.