How to Remove Oil From Metal
When oil gets on metal, you may worry that cleaning it off will be difficult. Don't worry. Although this job is a bit messy, it is not difficult. You may want to make a trip to the hardware store for a special cleaner; however, if you don't have the time, money or inclination to make a special trip, some products around the home will do nearly as well. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels Degreasing dish-washing detergent or commercial degreaser Sponge Water Lint-free cloth
Instructions
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Rub dry paper towels over the oil to absorb as much as possible. Discard the towels when they are soaked through. Apply new ones until you've absorbed as much oil as you can.
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2
Apply a commercial degreaser or a degreasing liquid dish detergent directly to the oily area. Wait a few moments (up to 15 minutes, depending on the product you use) and wipe it off with more paper towels.
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Dampen a sponge in warm water. Pour a dime-sized (or larger) drop of liquid dish detergent on this sponge.
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Scrub the metal with the damp soapy sponge. Completely clean off remaining oil and degreasing product (if used) residue.
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5
Wipe the metal with a clean cloth, drying it thoroughly so that it will not rust.
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Tips & Warnings
If oil has congealed, scrape it off with a dull blade or use hot water to loosen it up. If a large oil spot is on a large piece of metal, you would have to use a lot of paper towels -- in this case, use some regular (not the clumping kind) clay cat litter first to absorb some of the oil. Then scoop it off the metal and proceed with the other steps.
Some metal surfaces respond poorly to certain cleaning ingredients (namely, ammonia or bleach). Use only a mild dish soap or a cleaner that is specified for the particular kind of metal you are working on.
