How to Use Ammonia to Remove Oil

Ammonia is a common household cleaning product; however, its versatility is often overlooked. Whether trying to remove oil-based paint drips, motor oil stains, grease spots or nicotine oil from glass, walls, clothing and furniture, ammonia can be a useful tool for removing oil. A few simple tips will change the way you think about and use ammonia when cleaning the house.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Remove oil-based paint drips from clothing, carpeting, floors and other surfaces using ammonia. Gently scrape away as much excess paint as possible before beginning. Place a bit of ammonia to the area and allow it to set for at least fifteen minutes before wiping away the paint. Repeat if necessary.

2. Mix one-part ammonia to five-part water solution and use the mixture to clean your hands after working on the car, handling oil-based paint or other hard to remove oil-based products. Use the rough side of a kitchen sponge to apply the solution and gently scrub your skin. Always rinse thoroughly with soap and warm water after all of the oil has been removed.

3. Soak a towel in ammonia and use the cloth to clean oil from tools, paintbrushes, shoes and other items that have become covered in oil or oil-based products. The ammonia will quickly evaporate from the surface, leaving your tools and other items as clean as new.

4. Clean your garden sprayer thoroughly either before or after use. Most herbicides and pesticides are either oil based or oil soluble and can be difficult to remove from the hoses and sprayer unit of your garden equipment. Add one half cup of ammonia and one quart of warm water to the garden sprayer and pump the solution through the hose, successfully cleaning out your equipment. The ammonia will evaporate and will not affect your next application.

5. Add a quarter cup of ammonia to the washing machine when laundering cloth baby diapers. Not only will the ammonia help remove odors, clean and disinfect the diapers, it will remove any oil-based stains, such as those caused by baby oil, diaper rash ointment and petroleum jelly from the cloth diaper. Be sure to run the diapers through an additional rinse cycle to throughly remove the ammonia.

Tips & Warnings

• Always check clothing, carpeting or other fabrics for color fasting before applying ammonia to remove oil.

[greentechman]

on 6/10/2009 I found a new product which removes oil stains and fuel spills from any surface without using toxic chemicals. It is called Oil Gone Easy S-200 and can be used on asphalt, concrete, brick and soil to remove any petrochemical. Instead of using noxious cleaners, solvents or kitty litter, you just pour Oil Gone Easy S-200 on the stain and the job is finished. The liquid attracts locally existing microorganisms to literally eat the oil until it is eliminated within a week or two. It is very easy to use, involves no mess and best of all there is no clean up required. This technique is totally green and much cheaper than conventional cleaners. The product was used to clean up major oil spills and is recognized by the EPA. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is referenced in Wikipedia.