Cleaning really old really oily concrete

[andrewg1323]

Anyone got any ideas? Just started working at a new garage and the floors not been cleaned in 50 years in some places... I'm literally scraping 2-3mm of greasy crap off the floor!
Anyone know anything i can use to help lift the remaining oil realtively easily to leave a clean floor?

Main issue is theres not a lot of drainage so knocks out my original idea of a steam cleaner, ideally i want something that requires little effort from me too as it'll take forever to scrub the whole workshop by hand!

 

[Lippyp]

I reckon get a couple of gallons of degreaser like gunk, a good stiff natiural bristle broom spray/splash it all over, work it in and then pressure wash it off. TB theres no way around using water in some shape or form, if you can hire a hot pressure washer then it'll work even better. If needs be afterwards hire a big industrial dehumidifier for a week to dry it out properly.

 

[Haze]

use a heat gun and a scraper if you dont want to use water, its going to be messy and never easy, or light a big fire on it for a few days

 

[Ratty]

If drainage is a problem hire an industrial wet vac...and try and get someone to help so they can vac while you pressure wash.

I've some industrial environment-friendly stuff called XL-Tek which is made by this company and there are some other de-greasers here
theres' a pic on that page of an industrial degreasing machine, maybe it's something you could hire

 

[Drains]

Work in a degreaser with a stiff brush, cover the lot with cat litter/ fullers earth, then sweep up. Olé

 

[Ratty]

Work in a degreaser with a stiff brush, cover the lot with cat litter/ fullers earth, then sweep up. Olé

Good idea...cat litter would be a bit pricey and fullers earth very dusty but along the same lines there are industrial spillage granules from £2 per 30 litre bag..or this stuff which is a bit more. You may find it cheaper, I just happened to see it here.

 

[andrewg1323]

Gah looks like i;m gonna have to do it the hard way! Its gonna take months!
Ah well it'll be worth it in the end!

 

[Drains]

Good idea...cat litter would be a bit pricey and fullers earth very dusty but along the same lines there are industrial spillage granules from £2 per 30 litre bag..or this stuff which is a bit more. You may find it cheaper, I just happened to see it here.

Hmmm. I believe cat little IS fullers earth IS industrial spillage granules IS clay granules etc....

Somebody making a tidy profit there methinks

 

[MarkMG]

Not sure if this will work, some might know better, but...

Prime surface with neat cement powder, leave for a day and brush off, then put some self levelling compound on top, voila new clean floor

 

[MarkMG]

Or if there is enough depth, just put a scread down 50mm is all you nead, prime with a cement slurry, (straight cement water mix)

 

[Haze]

surely priming with PVA would be better

 

[Ratty]

Hmmm. I believe cat little IS fullers earth IS industrial spillage granules IS clay granules etc....

Somebody making a tidy profit there methinks

But of course - it's the pet market!

 

[Ratty]

surely priming with PVA would be better

On top of all that grease? Do you have MPVA?

 

[Welderpaul]

Done it at our place, used a steam cleaner with a wet vac. A steam cleaner doesnt produce that much water, and easily dealt with by the wet vac. Once clean, paint with a decent concrete paint which will make cleaning the floor easy and stop the concrete from 'dusting'.
Or just move!

 

[MarkMG]

If you are puting a cement based layer down then the tack coat or primer ought to be cement based too.

 

[rtbcomp]

Clay cat litter is cheap enough in large sacks, try an independant animal charity shop.

 

[MarkMG]

Don't go for the used stuff though......

 

[bigtaloola]

Hi I once worked in a garage with the same floor probs.
We would clean it with costic soda and hot water leave it over night to give it a good soak in and then pressure wash it off. You must have some sort of glasses for your eyes as it kills if you get in them. (try a small bottel frome a hardwear shop its only £1)
Hope this helps
Dave

 

[lexi]

You can`t put any form of cement or primers on that floor until you have removed grease and are on to granite or concrete substrate. If floor has a polished surface underneath you could use large rags and white spirit to cut through the grease. Take the rags outside and burn them after use.

Alex

 

[nellway]

I had a big oil spill in the barn - luckily had a haywagon and an old feather duvet which I sliced open and liberally scattered feathers and straw to soak up most of it. I will need to give the floor a good clean once I've got my spare car out of the way, so thanks for the tips chaps.