• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
go to homepage

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

go to homepage

How To Clean Stuff.net

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

Home / Cleaning Guides / Floor & Carpet / Floors / How to Remove Oil from Tile and Grout

How to Remove Oil from Tile and Grout

Table of Contents:
  1. Using Acetone
  2. Using Mineral Spirits
  3. Using Brake Cleaner
  4. Additional Tips

Reuben said, “a large quantity of fish oil was spilled on a tile/grout floor. It stinks. Bad. We used traditional cleaners, then Lestoil. I’ve also tried bleach. No help. Currently have the spilled area covered in baking soda. I was told to soak towels in mineral spirits, then lay on top of the baking soda and cover with plastic. Will that work?”

Although tile is a hard floor, it is still porous and so is the grout, which means that the oil could have absorbed into the floor. Cleaning the floor will not work to remove the oil; it needs to be pulled out of the pores. The baking soda and mineral spirits solution could work well. If not, here are two more options.

Using Acetone

You Will Need:

  • Pure acetone
  • An absorbent, such as:
    • Baking soda
    • Paper towels
    • Sawdust
  • A plastic scraper
  • A broom
  • A cloth
  • Soap
  • Water

Steps to Remove the Oil:

  1. First, test the acetone on a small hidden area to look for any damage. Put a drop of acetone on the tile and let it sit until it has dried, then inspect the area.
  2. This method is a poultice. To use a powder, like baking soda or sawdust, mix a small amount of pure acetone with the powder to create a thick paste that is about the consistency of toothpaste. To use paper towels, simply wet the paper towel with a little acetone.
  3. Apply the poultice onto the stained area. For the powder poultice, smear it in a thick layer over the area.
  4. Let the poultice dry.
  5. Use a plastic scraper to scrape it off, then sweep it up with a broom if using the powder poultice.
  6. If the poultice has dried quickly, you may need to do it again. This time, cover the poultice with plastic wrap for 24 hours to ensure it stays wet long enough, then remove the plastic wrap and allow it to fully dry.
  7. When the stain is gone, wash the area with some soap and water.

Using Mineral Spirits

Reuben wrote back (Thanks!) to let us know that his method worked, so we are including it here for others with the same problem.

You Will Need:

  • Baking soda
  • Paper towels
  • Mineral spirits
  • Plastic wrap

Steps to Remove the Oil:

  • Sprinkle baking soda over the area. You want a thick layer, not a light dust.
  • Wet a few paper towels with mineral spirits.
  • Lay the paper towels over the baking soda.
  • Cover the area with plastic wrap. If needed, tape the edges of the plastic wrap down using a mild tape like masking tape or Scotch tape.
  • Let the area sit for a few hours.
  • Uncover the area and sweep up the baking soda.

Using Brake Cleaner

You Will Need:

  • Brake cleaner
  • Soap
  • Water
  • A cloth
  • An absorbent powder, such as:
    • Baking soda
    • Kitty litter
    • Sawdust
  • A broom and dustpan

Steps to Remove the Oil:

  1. Spray a small amount of brake cleaner onto a hidden area of the tile to look for any adverse reaction first. To test it, spray it on the surface, let it sit for a minute, then wash it off a soapy damp cloth. Pat the area dry, then inspect it for any damage or discoloration.
  2. If the test goes well, spray the brake cleaner over the area of the tile where the spill occurred. The brake cleaner will help to bring the oil to the surface.
  3. Pour an absorbent powder over the area. You want it to be a thick pile, about a half inch thick.
  4. Let the powder sit on the area for several hours. The powder will absorb the oil and the brake cleaner.
  5. Sweep up the powder.
  6. Wash the area with soap and water to remove any remaining residue.
  7. Pat the area dry with a towel. This will also help to prevent any residue from remaining.

Additional Tips

  • It may take several attempts to fully remove the oil.
  • If you are unable to remove the stain from the grout, get a small box of a matching color of grout from the hardware store and wipe a thin layer over the existing grout to cover the stain.

Cleaning Guides, Floor & Carpet, Floors

Was This Guide Helpful?

+7
-3
Rating: 70%. From 10 votes.
Please wait...

Related Posts

  • How to Remove Motor Oil from Tile
  • How to Remove Sesame Seed Oil Odor from Tile
  • How to Remove Sesame Oil Stains
  • How to Remove an Oil Stain from Paper
  • How to Remove Oil Stains from Synthetic Flooring
  • How to Remove Grout from a Bathtub

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, conse ctetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit sed diam.


Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

About the Author

Avatar photo

Melanie

Hi! I am a seasoned writer-researcher who prides myself on quality and accuracy. I always vet my sources and test the cleaning methods I prescribe! I hope my cleaning guides can help you out! :)

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Helpful comments include feedback on the recipe or changes you made.

show comments +

Comments

  1. Sandi says

    March 6, 2020 at 1:45 am

    Will the odor be gone? That’s the problem I have…

    Reply
    • Avatar photoMelanie says

      March 8, 2020 at 11:19 pm

      Hi Sandi,
      The baking soda is a natural deodorizer, so that could work. If not, white vinegar is another natural deodorizer that might help if there aren’t any visible stains from the oil that need to be removed. This can be done two ways:
      1) The safest and easiest is to set a bowl of white vinegar in the area overnight to deodorize. The bowl does not need to be full; about 1/2 cup is sufficient.
      2) However, another way to use vinegar for deodorizing is to apply it directly to the area. To to that, dilute the white vinegar with water (2 parts water, 1 part vinegar), and test it on a small hidden area of the tile first to be sure it’s safe on the finish. If the test does well, simply spray or wipe the area with the vinegar and let it dry.
      Good luck!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Featured Guides

How to Clean a Hairbrush

How to Clean a Microwave Oven With ZERO Chemicals

How to Clean Every Dental Retainer

How to Clean your Macbook’s Screen

Join our mailing list.
Be the first to know about new arrivals, sales, and special events.
Thank you for subscribing!

Footer

Browse by Category

  • Automotive
  • Clothing & Fabrics
  • Floors & Carpets
  • Housecleaning
  • Kitchen & Bath
  • Outdoors
  • People & Pets
  • Household Stuff

Contact

  • Ask Us Your Cleaning Questions
  • Contact Form

Follow us on Social Media

Site Information

  • Cookie Policy
  • Guest Post Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • XML Sitemap

Copyright © 2023 · HowToCleanStuff.net · All Rights Reserved · Website by Anchored Design