DanG
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 08:57 AM |
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How to clean up diff oil and remove the smell!
Hi, I am hoping some people out there can help.
At the weekend I transported a rear axle in the back of my car - wanted to help out a friend.
Unfortunately, I didn't realise that the diff had not been drained before hand.
Hence my plea now to find out if it is at all possible to remove the gear oil and the smell! The oil leaked all over the boot carpet.
I was lucky in the sense that all the oil has been soaked up in the boot carpet and only a tiny residue had gone through. So I have been able to
simply remove the carpet to get rid of the mess. Despite this there must be the some amount of oil remaining, however small.
This has meant there is still the awful smell - not good when the brother-in-law was buying the car this week.
Anyway, I could do with advice as to how what I can use to clean the oil residue left in the boot. This will be on interior body work, the back of
the rear seats and spare wheel tray, etc.
I also need to source a new boot carpet for a 2003 MK2 Punto.
Any help will be much appreciated.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:05 AM |
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It certainly is a ... distinctive... smell, isn't it! 
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loggyboy
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:06 AM |
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WD40 is great for disolving oils down to a wipeable fluid. Once thats off use washing up liquid as this is also good for dissolving grease/oils.
Fabreeze all the carpet that was in close proximity but not imediately in contact, and replace/chuck out all the carpet that was soaked, as it is
unlikely to ever be the same again!
Then fill the boot with a selcection of airfreshners!
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nick205
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:13 AM |
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Check the soundproofing as well, if it's soaked in there then you might as well ditch an replace that too.
I spilt the same over my garage floor, not a problem save for the fact the garage is integral to the house and it wafted through for days  SWMBO
not amused
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DanG
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:21 AM |
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It certainly is "distinctive"!
The smell must be from the tiny amount still left. Unless the smell has somehow soaked into the the rest of the boot and back of the seats.
I will check the sound prrofing this evening.
I will certainly try the WD40, washing up liquid and then air freshners to clear up any oil left behind.
Will start the hunt for the boot carpet when I get the chance today.
Thanks for all the advice so far - and thanks for responding so quickly.
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scootz
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:22 AM |
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Mmmmm... gearbox oil! 
I always have a bag of sawdust handy to mop oil-spills up with and then scrub the floor with petrol to clean it.
Lots of ventilation and (of course) no heat sources in the area for a while!!!!!!
It's Evolution Baby!
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DanG
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 01:27 PM |
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I will try the cleaning ideas this week.
Still struggling to find a boot carpet for a 3 door MK2 Fiat Punto.
Does anyone know of anyone in and around Manchester/Stockport I could try?
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chicade
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 01:46 PM |
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brake cleaner solvent aerosol is also very good at removing oily stains and evaporates too use pleanty though and it should was it through then just
use some febreeze and i think it will be ok
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owelly
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 04:15 PM |
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I've used WD40, then Fairy Liquid, then carpet shampoo to clean up gearbox oil that got trampled through my house. It was an almost white carpet
and I was prepared to buy a new carpet so had nothing to lose.
It worked well enough for SWMBO to not notice. 
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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Andi
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 04:16 PM |
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I did the same about 6 months ago after collecting a v6 gearbox for a mate.
The smell was incredible as it was so hot and sunny and the car had stood for 3 days before I got round to doing it.
It had seeped through the carpet, over the spare wheel and there was a load of it in the spare wheel well.
Oh yeah, and I had put the parcel shelf underneath it too.
I found a plug in the wheel well so removed that and used gunk and then buckets of washing up liquid. The parcel shelf was soaked in washing up liquid
and hosed with hot water. I used febreeze and air freshners but it still took a few weeks to go.
I still havnt replaced the boot carpet
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 07:54 PM |
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I would suggest soaking up as much oil as possible then use brake cleaner (Probably better to buy 5 lts rather than an aerosol) mop it all up with
clean paper towel/rag. Find a launderette and wash the carpet
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Michael
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| posted on 16/1/12 at 09:08 PM |
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I use brake fluid if cleaning off oil parts, like over spils when filling the diff.
I was told that it is the same as dry cleaning fluid and have used it on our ties or shorts BUT IT DID DISCOLOUR THE FABRIC.
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DanG
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| posted on 17/1/12 at 11:03 AM |
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Thanks again for all the replies.
Used WD40 on anything that wasnt fabric in the boot area yesterday and it has made a huge difference.
Will now use put a new air freshner in the car and maybe some fabreeze on the back of the rear seats just in case.
Now all I need is the boot carpet.
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Bigboystoys
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| posted on 17/1/12 at 12:37 PM |
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Try this item number on eBay. 320831324030 few of them on there
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mcerd1
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| posted on 17/1/12 at 02:19 PM |
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^^ linky eBay Item
-
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DanG
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| posted on 17/1/12 at 04:21 PM |
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Good spot - thanks.
Just bought this off ebay.
Hopefully will arrive before the weekend and can still pass the Punto to the brother-in-law.
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