Remove popcorn butter/oil from painted concrete floor?

September 4, 2016 10:49 AM

Our previous owner had a popcorn machine stored in the basement that leaked butter or oil. What would be the best product/approach to attack this mess? Photo
posted by Mikey51 to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

I'd do a test spot with Goo Gone to see if that will do the job (maybe try it with and without heating the spot first with a hairdryer to soften - and if the hairdryer works, see if you can just scrape it up with a razor scraper). If not, you may need to get a commercial degreasing product (hardware stores will have it).
posted by Lyn Never at 10:55 AM on September 4, 2016

T.S.P. It's sold in the paint section typically.

Soap and water could probably do a pretty good job too.
posted by FallowKing at 10:59 AM on September 4, 2016 [2 favorites]

Seconding, FallowKing. Here's the brand I buy at Home Depot.

TSP will dry your skin out, so wear gloves.
posted by gregr at 11:08 AM on September 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

I don't know where in the world you are, so I'm going to recommend a product you can get all over the Netherlands: Dasty. It's a mixture of soap and lye, available (cheaply) at Wibra, and it's the strongest degreaser I've ever seen. Wear gloves, and rinse very well afterwards.
posted by Too-Ticky at 11:53 AM on September 4, 2016

Best answer: When ever I have truly solid greasy grime, I start by scrubbing the area with baking soda and water (made to a toothpaste consistency and thickened slightly). Usually that will bind to the grease first and pull up the top layer of the mess. I'll usually repeat 2-3 times. Then I usually finish with a strong detergent or citrus cleaner, scrub again with baking soda, and then clean any baking soda residue up with my citrus or detergent cleaner.
posted by Nanukthedog at 11:56 AM on September 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

You can get candle wax out of carpet by putting newspaper over the wax and ironing the newspaper. The wax wicks into the newspaper and the carpet always looks as good as new afterwards. I would try using this method (cover with newspaper and iron the newspaper) with your spill, since presumably butter/oil has similar wicking properties when heated. Then wipe the area down with hot, soapy water and see where you stand.
posted by aniola at 1:12 PM on September 4, 2016

I'd ask at your local (clean) auto service.
posted by vapidave at 5:48 PM on September 4, 2016