I did something yesterday that has landed me in deep doo-doo with my wife and hope someone here can bail me out.
I was changing the power steering fluid in my truck and inadvertently sprayed some across a part of my interlocking brick driveway. I have spilled oil on these stones before and managed to clean it up, but this ATF 4 is another animal. The rough surface of the bricks makes it difficult to clean any oil, but even with a bit of old engine oil, have always got them clean. Nothing seems to touch the ATF 4. Tried a very strong mixture of Simple Green plus various other cleaners. I may have used plain water for all the good it has done so far. Even my pressure washer has zero effect.
Anybody got any ideas as to what will clean my mess up and consequently save my marriage and possibly my life?

 

Wow... grounds for exile?

I'm not sure... I'd try to get a rag soaked in gas, and just set it over it for a minute.

Or, some tide or dawn dish soap.

Good luck, Stan. Sorry, buddy. You can come stay with me if you need to, I'll meet you the border...

 

If momma will give you a little time you can use either kitty litter or sawdust from your table saw to soak it up, if she's mean like my wife a couple cans of brake cleaner should break it down enough to wipe up with a rag, if she's really mean I can meet you in El Paso and provide you a place to hide for a few days till the dust settles.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_4493396_use-muriatic-acid.html

 

3M adhesive cleaner and a soft wire brush. That stuff is no joke. Let it soak a bit...

 

Everyone wants a bailout...
I keep a bag of oil-sorb stuff grind it in and let it wash off next time it rains.

 

Cat litter, sawdust, diatamaceous earth, pull stained bricks and replace, sell house and move.....

 

flip the pavers over.............. nuff said

 

Cover them all with oil and tell her it's brick and tile sealant.... jeez that was hard...

 

I came her for help, not advice on how to commit suicide. Thanks - not!

 

and you single guys wonder why....never mind.

dawn dish soap degrades it without staining the pavers.

muriactic acid is best, if available.

being out there from sun up to sundown scrubbing and moaning I'm sorry works too....

these are not the sealed pavers, right? no semi gloss to them I take it. atf fluid eat that stuff.....clean and re seal, not cheap.

whatever you do- do not try to laugh it off. act like you are taking it seriously. you may be eating /sleeping out there.

 

Ive been to a few third world countries, an oil stain on the driveway is usually not a concern.

 

Have muriatic acid but am reluctant to use it as I am afraid that it will make this area a different color to the rest of the stones.

No, these are not the sealed stones.

Trust me, I am not laughing about it and am taking it VERY seriously!

Have just tried some orange hand cleaner and a brush. That is the first thing that has removed any of this, but it is slow going.

Tried some regular dish detergent ,but it did nothing to the oil. In the past the Simple Green has always worked on regular oil, but it does not touch the ATF-4.

 

Agreed, but my wife is a clean freak of the first order. She complains if there is ONE oil drop on the driveway, so a oil big mess is grounds for murder. Mine, not hers.
The problem is that she is NOT a third world person, but an upper class, first world woman.

 

thats good...

a little time and clay will take care of it...