oil on lawn

[spookybird]

Changing oil on mower I spilled oil on the grass. Any ideas how to get it out? I've cut the grass to the ground and absorbed a lot with paper and cardboard. Don't really want to dig it all out! It's under the car port so doesn't get much sun. I know stupid not paying attention!!!
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[seedcorn]

I’d think Dawn would break it down. If you have a tiller, work the ground. Grass is a very determined survivor.

 

[flowerbug]

i would dig it all out...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like something I'd do (may have done ) a time or two. I spilled oil on grass out in the open (not in the shade) when draining oil out of a riding lawn mower so I could take it to the dump. I had a dead spot for a while but grass soon returned. I did nothing to clean it up.

I worked in the oil patch. In the oil patch with a spill like that you dig it out and take it to an approved disposal site. Not sure what a good disposal option would be for you.

If the spill is on water and they can't skim it from the surface and it is threatening to pollute an area you spray it with detergent. That breaks down the surface tension so it sinks and does not pollute the beach, at least not as bad. It's still there but over time bacteria breaks most of it down. I'll include an excerpt from an article and a ink to show how good Mother Nature is about cleaning up her messes. This is a natural oil seep, not man-made, and is only one of who knows how many worldwide. One reason man-made oil spills are so bad is that nature has not had time to set up her clean-up means. If a floating oil slick is not threatening a shoreline, the industry often sprays oil eating bacteria on it to break it down more naturally.

There is effectively an oil spill every day at Coal Oil Point (COP), the natural seeps off Santa Barbara where 20 to 25 tons of oil have leaked from the seafloor each day for the last several hundred thousand years.

https://www.livescience.com/5422-natural-oil-spills-surprising-amount-seeps-sea.html

 

[spookybird]

Gave me something to think about. Not sure what I'll do. It's Bermuda grass so will be interesting to see if it kills it. LOL I'll probably not dig it out as I have no where to take it. That I know of. Something else to check out.
Thank you.

 

[spookybird]

I have cleaned as much as I can and am still keeping paper and cardboard on top of it to help absorb more of it
Thank you.

 

[ducks4you]

That should suffice. I have spilled oil before and just left it in the grass. There are bacteria that will consume it.

 

[flowerbug]

Gave me something to think about. Not sure what I'll do. It's Bermuda grass so will be interesting to see if it kills it. LOL I'll probably not dig it out as I have no where to take it. That I know of. Something else to check out.
Thank you.

most cities/counties have a hazardous waste program precisely to help improve the water quality and to prevent pollution from getting worse in the surrounding waterways. yes, bacteria can eventually deal with small spills, but if you understand that the world is constantly being barraged with all these micro pollution sources and that it does affect the rivers/streams and groundwater. well, if you can do something to help i think it worth it.

you can dig up the soil and put it in a metal can (note i did not say plastic bag or paper bag). then you can either find a county disposal site that will take it (that is what they are for - often it will also be set up to take lawn chemicals, paints, electronics, batteries, etc.) or if one is not available put that can in the trash for the next pickup as then it will end up either in a landfill or an incinerator...

 

[ducks4you]

Agreed, BUT I pour oil from changes on top of the vegetation I intend to burn and burn it, so it doesn't seep into the ground or ground water.
It is all about doing the right thing. Oil is a NATURALLY OCCURRING substance. It isn't like asbestos.

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

Changing oil on mower I spilled oil on the grass. Any ideas how to get it out? I've cut the grass to the ground and absorbed a lot with paper and cardboard. Don't really want to dig it all out! It's under the car port so doesn't get much sun. I know stupid not paying attention!!!
Thanks for any suggestions.

You better clean that up asap. I can imagine bad things for the plants when the soil sipped the oil, It will definitely kill the plants. It will affect your hard work.