You’re probably aware of how easy it is to spill a bit of petrol or diesel when filling up at a fuel station; it’s even easier when pouring fuel out of a can at home. If that happens, you need one of the best fuel spill kits among your garage cleaning supplies.
See, a fuel spillage isn’t something to just chalk up as one of those things. Both petrol and diesel are hazardous substances and any that gets on the ground needs to be quickly cleaned up properly, and then you need to dispose of the waste.
In this guide, we’re going to explain everything you need to know about cleaning up fuel spills and why it’s important to do so. We’ll also highlight some of the best products to help you do just that – and you may be surprised by how basic some of them are.
Why do you need to clean up a fuel spill?
You don’t have to be filling your car up with fuel for some to get on the ground. There may be a leak from the fuel or lines, or you may have over-filled it and the excess gets forced out of the filler. But however it gets on the ground, spilled fuel is a problem.
At best, it’ll just leave a stain on your garage floor or drive. At worst, it’s a slip/skid and fire risk. Fuel’s also an environmental hazard if it gets into soil – it can soak through concrete – because very few organisms can survive the contamination.
How do you clean up a fuel spill?
It’s actually a lot easier than you might think to clean up a fuel spill. All you need is something that will absorb it. Pretty much any absorbent material will do – sand, sawdust, any form of powder, even paper towels. Cover the whole area that fuel has been spilled on with whatever material you’re using. You may need quite a lot of it, especially if the fuel has pooled.
Keep building up the material until no more fuel is soaking through. Leave it for a few minutes to make sure every trace of fuel that can be absorbed has been. You then need to scoop up all the material into a bag or box and dispose of it at your local hazardous waste disposal facility.
If you need to rid your garage of the smell of fuel, leave it as well ventilated as possible and scrub the spillage site with antibacterial solution and rinse with warm water. Repeat as many times as needed to eliminate the odour.
Now, if you regularly need to fill up at home, or are waiting for a fuel leak to be fixed, you should invest in some supplies and equipment to help with cleaning up spillages. Below, we’ve recommended some products we think are worth having in stock if you want the best fuel spill kits. They might be surprising but they’re highly effective.
A highly effective solution
Pros
- Easy to use, easy to clean up
- Odour neutralising
Cons
- Maybe too much for occasional spills
Highly cost effective and space-efficient
Rrp: £3.71
Rrp: £3.71
Pros
- Very cheap
- Takes up little shelf space
Cons
- Need a lot of it for one spill
Catches leaks and spills so you don't have to clean up
Rrp: £38.99
Rrp: £38.99
Pros
- Stops leaks and spills reaching the ground
- Easily emptied and cleaned
Cons
- Not cheap
Comes with everything you need
Pros
- Highly effective for large-scale spills
- Quite good value
Cons
- Overkill for domestic use
Laves no sign of spills
Pros
- Cheap and effective
- Works on all sorts of chemical spills
Cons
- A lot of scrubbing involved
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