Slightly OT -

Changed fuel filters the other night in the garage. Spilled more diesel than usual, but not much (accidentally left rubber fuel line below hard fuel line level, drip drip drip...). Maybe 500 ml at most. Didn't notice till the next day when the garage really stank of diesel.

I soaked all of the liquid (diesel + snow melt) up with cat litter. Still stinks 2 days later, although not as bad.

What can I do? Is the fact that it is cold out (28 F in the garage) slowing the process of the smell being aired out? I've spilled more diesel than that before, and have never had it smell like this. I have some experience cleaning up oil spills (from making bio), but this is relentless...


dd

PS It not the car still leaking.
PPS I know diesel smells great to some, but our cats who sleep in the garage are not amused.

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

bag of volcano rocks, charcoal, spread baking power over area and wash off next day, bottle of dawn and scrub the floor with a brush, spill some gas for a more intense smell... haha just kidding about the last one.

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I am not a post whore, I am a car enthusiast.
86 190D 420k and counting

Grab your wife's bottle of Shout or a reasonable facsimile. Spray the area down and let it soak a day or so. Spray again before dumping a little bit of hot water on it.
Or, just spray it down heavily with the said cleaner and throw some newspaper on top of it. Clean up newspaper and repeat.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

I read somewhere that windshield washing fluid can get rid of the diesel smell because it contains alcohol. The other day, I rubbed some rubbing alcohol on my hands and it got rid of the diesel smell. Maybe you can try pouring some fluid on there and see if that works?

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

You can try directing a heater at the spill. The problem is that its not evaporating. Its just sitting there in 30 degree weather off gassing. You need to evaporate it and get it out.

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

Wipe up the excess and then enjoy the smell? Thats what I'd do.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I change mine outside,where I don't want grass to grow.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Let the cats in.

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1983 CD
1958 Studebaker Packard (being resuscitated)

at least its not that horrible stinky gasoline. :p

i vote for arm and hammer.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Throw lots and lots of newspapers on it. Please. Help feed your local starving newspaper employees.

I can't offer any better suggestions than cat litter ... I usually use the clumping kind rather than the course kind. I usually try to change fuel filters/return lines in my parents' driveway, so they get the diesel stains, not me. Maybe try leaving your garage door open for a while, if possible.

I once spilled diesel on my shoes, then left them in my closet. My bedroom smelled like diesel for about a month.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Perhaps hit the area with a torpedo area heater or a small propane torch to get the evaporation done.

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Ken

1990 350SDL (It's a work in progress) 250K mi
1991 350SDL that was SUPPOSED to be a parts car 323K mi
2000 F350 Powerstroke 180K mi, 100K mi on B20 - B99
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Gone but not forgotten
1982 300D
1991 Jetta ECO Diesel

And I spill deliberately as i like the smell.

Haha that's what I do, until papa-BEAR comes out in the morning and complains.

I[ve had good luck with Windex, someone told me a while ago that the ammonia in the windex does something to the diesel stank. So far, so good. Works great on the steering wheel to get sweat and hand juices out of the way of driving around my 67 ponies

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Put the heater on in the garage, got up to 60 degrees while changing ATF today.

Smell gone by tonight...

Thanks for the suggestions - Ill have to try the windex thing.
dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

Good to hear! Im going to have to try the heater trick as well . Now if only there was enough windex and a heater that won't light my trunk on fire...

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