Help! Save my oil-soaked pack

F

Foilist

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Dec 20, 2004
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So a partly full, five quart bottle of motor oil split open in my car trunk. It made a mess of BP proportions and got all over my favorite rucksack, which was stashed back there with my emergency stuff in it. The contents were fine, but the pack, a nice LL Bean made out of some sort of ballistic nylon, was just dripping with oil.

I think the pack is probably a loss, but I've got nothing to lose by trying to rescue it. Any suggestions for getting the oil out? I was thinking about repeated soakings in a large bucket with a generous amount of some sort of detergent.
 
Snakedoc said:
I agree... maybe try a little Dawn dish soap as well.

Good luck with it.
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+1 Dawn concentrated is designed to break up oils, but motor oil is some of the most dense and complex petros out there. It is very good at breaking up the oil. Run you a 2/3 mix on Dawn to HOT water. Soak it until the oil floats, dump it out. Repeat until you get that color streak on the top, not blobs. Then scrub with a aggressive brush (tire scrubber type) soak, and you should be good to go. Maybe a repeat but only if you feel the need. Your bag will be discolored now, also, it will be lighter in color that when you started.

I know this, 'cause I had 2 gallons of used motor oil spill in the back of my 300Z on the way to the recyclin' spot. It took me 2 full weeks to get my carpet looking like it wasn't destroyed. A bag will not take as long.

You will have to add the repellency back also. Scotch it or use a silicone sealant for good measure. Good luck, I hope I have helped out.

Moose
 
The Dawn will do it. That's what we used to clean the shop from top to bottom after hours when I was a Valvoline Oil Change manager.
 
If the motor oil is still fresh you should try pouring baby powder on the pack ... the powder will help to soak up some of the oil which you should then be able to scrub off with a brush. It's a process so reapply and repeat a few times then soak it in some Dawn.

Good luck.
 
corn meal, paper towels, or kitty litter to soak up the majority of the oil then simple green or Dawn.
you will definitely need to recoat with camp-dry or somehting similar when you're done.
 
another +1 for Dawn

Simple Green or one of the citrus based cleaners often sold for removing graffiti (Goof Off, Goo Gone, etc.) should work well too, but the dish soap will be the cheapest.
 
I used dawn and it always worked. Skim the oil from the top of the water every few hours or so. After a day rainse in very HOT water. Then back in hot water with Dawn. Each time after you skim the oil from the top make sure you work the bag under water. I dont like simple green cause it just dont feel right after. If you can heat up the water everyonce in a while as Dawn works much better in hot water.

Sasha
 
Great advice - thanks!

Perhaps I'll send an email to LL Bean. It was definitely all my fault that the pack is trashed, but I have nothing to lose.

I don't care is the pack is stained or discolored - I just want it to be useable, as opposed to the giant, dripping, napalm booger I have now.
 
Super Clean or Purple Power will clean it. I have removed and cleaned many car/truck carpets this way. They come out looking near new with no damage to the cloth. It is designed to remove oil and grease in automotive work.
 
It really isn't ethical to take advantage of LL Bean's generous policy to replace something which was damaged by your negligence... even if they offer it. This is just the sort of abuse that eventually forces companies with such policies to have to tighten them to the loss of all customers.

Getting the oil out is quite possible. After you get the majority out, a spin -- pun intended -- through a washing machine with a good detergent should wash the rest out.
 
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