How to Get Rid of the Smell From a Fuel Oil Spill

Fuel oil is liquid oil of any kind, including kerosene, gasoline and diesel fuel. Each of these fuels has a very strong smell. A spill of any of these fuels will create a powerful odor that can be hard to handle for long periods of time. Getting rid of this smell can be a do-it-yourself project that takes a few hours of preparing, cleaning and ventilating an area. However, extreme fuel spills and outside spills should only be handled by professional cleaning crews. Only attempt clean a fuel spill if its small and easily manageable.

Fans
Rubber gloves
Overshoes
Kitty litter
Garbage bags
Laundry detergent
Wet vac
Floor cleaner
Mop and bucket
Sponges or cleaning cloths
Deodorizer

Instructions

- 1
  Immediately shut down any furnace fans to avoid spreading the smell throughout the house. Skip this step if your fuel oil spill does not occur near a furnace.
- 2
  Open up all sources to the outside, such as windows or doors. Place fans blowing outwards at each exit to blow out as much of the odor as possible to avoid having the smell absorb into carpet, fabrics or furniture.
- 3
  Place kitty litter or a similarly absorbent material on the spill to soak up as much of it as possible. Start on the outside of the spill and work your way to the center of the spill.
- 4
  Scoop up the fuel-soaked kitty litter and dump it into a doubled garbage bag. Seal the inner bag separately from the outer bag to avoid spilling.
- 5
  Scrub the floor with a mop, sponges or clothes and cleaning agent to remove any residual oil. Spray a deodorizing agent on the floor and let it soak.
- 6
  Repeat the process until all the fuel oil has been removed from the floor. Let the room air out during this process. Apply another coat of the deodorizing agent if odor persists.
- 7
  Continue airing out the room and applying the deodorizer regularly until the room no longer smells.

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