How to Remove Woolite from Brick Flooring

Table of Contents:

You Will Need
Steps to Remove the Detergent
Additional Tips and Advice

Lisa asked: How do I get Woolite off of sealed brick flooring? A whole bottle of Woolite was spilled on brick flooring. The brick was sealed many years ago. I wiped up as much as possible with a dry cloth, but a lot is still on the brick. I’m afraid to add water as it might activate the Woolite and make a bigger mess! I thought of using baking soda or salt to absorb, but I’m not sure.

Laundry detergent spills can overtake an area quickly. You are right to avoid activating the soap with water until the last steps of cleaning. There are some methods that can be used to break up or absorb the detergent and make it easier to remove. Here are a couple of methods that can be tried.

You Will Need:

Sponges
Buckets
Lots of soft, absorbent towels or cloths
Steam carpet cleaner or Wet Vac
Mop
Vegetable oil
Water
Baking soda
Flour

Steps to Remove the Detergent:

Soaps and detergents are designed to break down oils and dirt. It works in the opposite format as well. Adding oil or dirt to the soap will cause it to break down as it attaches to the dirt and oil molecules.
Moisten a mop with a small amount of vegetable oil. Don’t go overboard or you’ll have two messes to clean up.
Mop lightly over the area where the detergent spilled.
Next, mop as normal with plain water.
Rinse frequently and change the water often to keep fresh water going onto the area. The soap will gradually lift.
If a Wet Vac or steam carpet cleaner is available, the suction will help to speed up the removal process. Again, you will need to change the tank frequently and keep an eye on suds developing and filling the canisters.
To soak up the soap with a solid, it is best to use baking soda or flour. Both will form a paste that can be easier to work with than liquid soap. It will also help minimize the amount of suds that form.
Rinse the area thoroughly until all of the soap is removed.

Additional Tips and Advice

Yes, this is going to take some time. Laundry detergents are designed so that a small amount holds enough cleaning power for a large load of laundry. The soap is designed to multiply with water and will do so even when minimized.
These same removal methods work for dish soap spills as well as other laundry detergent spills.