Remove Gear Oil on Carpet???? Smell!!

M

mr.thetank

New member
What is the best way to remove gear oil that has spilled on carpet? The smell is horrid.



I needed to change all my differential and transfer case fluid in my land rover so I drove to several parts stores to find some Mobil 1 gear oil. Found a store that had enough in stock and drove there on my lunch break from work. I had 7 bottles of M1 gear oil in a plastic bag on the front passenger side floor of my BMW. Little did I know that all the bottles leaked somehow. 4 hours later I come out from work to my car and open it up to be greeted to the stench of gear oil. Most of the oil was still inside the bag but some did get on the carpet, missed the floor mat.



I wasn't able to get any up with a rag so the next step was to shampoo the carpet. I used a portable bissell carpet cleaner and shampooed the carpet several times.

The smell is still there. It has been about 6 weeks and every morning and afternoon when I get in the car I am greeted by the stench of gear oil.



Any suggestions on what to use and how to remove the gear oil and the smell???

What is a good detergent to use?



The next step is to disassemble the interior on the passenger side and wash as much as I can.

Please help
 
Check to see if the carpet has a solid rubber backing, so the oil wouldn't leak down under the carpet. It becomes a much bigger job if you have to remove the carpet.



Apply a carpet safe solvent, extract, apply a strong APC, extract. Do 3 or more times. Finish with a carpet cleaner and extract. Apply an encapsulator deodorizer like Febreze.
 
Sounds like it may have gotten into the padding under the carpet. Without removing the carpet its going to be next to impossible to clean it up.



Believe it or not but I have a buddy that loves the smell of gear oil :eek:
 
I love the smell of gear oil, gas ect. I'm and mechanical engineer and gearhead. But this is a little too much. I smell it all the time. Just having the windows open you can smell it when you get close to the car. Well it looks like the interior of the car is going to need to come apart. The carpet does not have a rubber backing. Under the carpet there is a thick foam pad. Some is probably soaked in to it as well as the carpet. I guess I will have to buy some new detailing supplies. Don't have any real good carpet cleaners and I am out of my APC (EF APC) Any suggestions on cleaners? Thanks
 
I don't have any help, but I feel your pain. Used gear oil is the absolute worst of all the auto fluids, I actually like the smell of used motor oil and most of the other ones.
 
Carpet supply stores will have the proper chemicals.



You could use Mineral Spirits for the solvent, but it usually has its own smell, but does go away.



Most degreaser/APC should work. Purple Power etc. Just dilute it at least 4 parts water to 1 part APC.



Just finish with a carpet cleaner/extractor chemical. Though a diluted Woolite mix will work.
 
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