How to Clean Up Oil Spills Using Chemicals

Different oil spills require different chemicals.

How you go about cleaning up an oil spill depends on how much oil was spilled and where the spill happened. Oil on carpets or clothing, for example, requires different chemicals and a different method than an oil slick in water. There is no way of scrubbing or dabbing oil in water so the most important thing is to break up the oil. While you still want to break up oil spilled onto fabric you also need the chemical to adhere to the oil if it is to be removed fully.

Things You'll Need

• Pump spray bottle
• Dishwashing detergent
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towels
• Gloves

Instructions

Oil spill in water

1. Load a pump spray bottle with dishwasher detergent.

2. Spray the detergent over the oil spill in the water.

3. Wait for the detergent to break up the oil spill.

Oil spill on material

1. Soak a paper towel in some rubbing alcohol. Wear gloves while you are doing this.

2. Dab the oil with the paper towel. The oil should gradually come up from the material and onto the paper towel.

3. Keep dabbing the oil spill until all traces have been removed from the material.

References

• National Geographic: Gulf Oil Spill Turns To Chemicals
• Mrs Clean USA: Oil Stain
• Dorset4U: Coastal Information Pack