#%&@! Motor oil on the cabin sole - cleanup tips?

[billsull]

I was changing the oil in the diesel and managed to spill a half a quart all over my unfinished teak cabin sole - it seems to be in the grain now and the spill area is substantially darker than the surrounding teak (I did it yesterday and checked it today). I tried to clean it up with a scouring pad, but I felt like I was just forcing the oil farther into the grain.

Any tips on how I might mitigate the damage?

[OPossumTX]

Stain to match? I know used diesel oil is terribly black, it is loaded with carbon black. I used to work in the stuff when I was back on the farm. I nearly failed mechanical drawing in HS due to the carbon that was always imbedded in my skin rubbing off on my assignments.

[billsull]

Thanks Possum, I may have to do something like that. I'm embarrassed to admit that this was the new oil! I tried to save 2 cents by buying a gallon rather than quarts and didn't think about the fact that I couldn't fit the container in the engine space! In the process of decanting the oil into a smaller bottle, I knocked it over.

[eherlihy]

Treat the entire sole????

... 'Just sayun'...

[Barquito]

I would try a light scrubbing with mineral spirits or dish soap. Then suck it up with a shop vac. Possibly repeat a few times. Then go over the whole thing with teak oil. If you ever finish the floor, you will have to remove the surface oil. Might not be such a bad idea to finish cabin floor since all kinds of crap falls on the floor.

[CalebD]

Have you tried boiling water and oil pads?
Oil floats on water. Hot water would lower the viscosity of the oil and the oil pads are designed to only pick up oil.
At least you only spilled the clean oil.
Hope you figure this one out.

[bljones]

It might be too late, but this has worked for me in the past on fresh spills: wipe the area down with varsol/paint thinner. Then lay a thick layer of sawdust on top to pull the oil out of the teak. Let it sit for at least an hour, then sweep up the sawdust.

[Tempest]

Try.. Dawn..dishwashing liquid? it might lift it?

[OPossumTX]

I have never tried this on teak but while you are experimenting, put down some Oil-dry (mechanics' grade kitty litter) and leave it for several days, it will draw oil from most porous solid materials. You want the granular clay type not the newfangled clumping cat stuff catching junk. This won't cost much and has about zero chance of damaging the teak more. It won't take much to put a piece of teak into the stuff and leave it for a few days to test it.

I used to work in a place with a lot of food grade mineral oil around, a bakery. One of the maintenance guys put his oil soaked work shoes into a bucket and filled it with Oil-Dry, set it in the bottom of his locker, then left for a two week cruise of the Caribbean and Mexico. When he got back, his shoes had shrunk up so much that they were unwearable. They were not oily at all though.

[groggy]

mineral spirits get oil out of my concrete driveway easily. I dont know what effect it would have on the teak itself, but it is great at cutting through oil.