Need suggestions dealing with kerosene odor

[gracious]

Hi all, been a while since I have visited but this year has been a rough one to say the least and I have missed coming here on a regular basis. I hope e1 is doing well and enjoying this wonderful day, Christmas :p

Now it seems that I am going to end this year with more grief but this one is something that I can at least deal with in a joyful fashion as I have been dealing with this since last night! HO HO HO!

I knocked over a kerosene lamp and got the kerosene all over a section of our carpet.

http://www.homegardenandpatio.com/images/blish/3406063.jpg

As it went sailing down towards the floor, it came into contact with some metal dumbells and SMASHAROONI!

Anyway, after cleaning up the glass and using a towel to soak up what I could, I then got my steam carpet cleaner out to try and bring up what was still in the carpet.
I then used vinegar.....no luck
baking soda.....no luck
dawn soap...no luck
Resolve pre-wash....no luck

right now I have sprinkled a bunch of freshly ground coffee hoping that it would get rid of the odor.

So....I was wondering if anyone else has had to deal with this and what did you use that I haven't tried or maybe someone works in the Oil Furnace industry that could give me a suggestion on what to do. I am really hoping that I don't have to take out the baseboard and remove the carpet, maybe might have to remove the pad??

Right now all I can smell is the coffee so maybe it is working.

It is worse than a trojan virus!!!!:D

Thanks again if anyone can help, I really appreciate it!!!

[Paul Komski]

Detergent (liquid or powder) is probably as good an unsmelly or "perfumed" solvent for kerosene as any.

Gin or Vodka is quite good too!! ;) - and then lots of mopping-up!

[Rick]

I know exactly what you are going through

kerosene and diesel are one in the same
Number 1 and 2 grade of the same product
Having gotten it on my clothing more times than I care think about

One thing and one thing only will remove it
Soap and water washing ( till you get the kerosene out)

Adding heat Just makes it stink more

[Sylvander]

Do you have a wet vacuum cleaner?
One that sprays water on then sucks it up out of the carpet?

To give a carpet a good wet clean:
I use a garden pressure spray to spray a mix of water and washing-up liquid detergent onto the carpet...
Just enough to make it damp/wet; not so much as to have excess water coming out onto the floor/underfelt beneath.
Then vacuum [VAX] it up out of the carpet.
When doing this I don't allow the VAX to spray water out onto the carpet; not that the extra matters too much.

[gracious]

Yes, I do have a steam vac and I did try the dish detergent, might have actually added too much dish detergent as I am still having to keep rinsing to get it out. So far, the coffee grounds seem to be doing the trick. I am going to be vaccuuming it up today, so I will let you know if that worked.

Gin or Vodka is quite good too!!
hmmmm, I am ready to try anything at this point LOL


I told hubbie that we are getting the lamps with the kerosene/lamp oil cartridges!!!

[Cavalier90]

Try a match, but the flames then damage the rest of the house.
Once the kerosene burns off, the smell of it will disappear also. http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Whyzman]

Gin or Vodka is quite good too!! ;) - and then lots of mopping-up!Paul, I'm still trying to figure out if this is for cleaning up the kerosene or for use while one cleans up the kerosene...

[Whyzman]

I would suggest pulling back the carpeting and for sure replacing the pad. The foam padding used pretty much exclusively these days is akin to a giant sponge. Do you know what type of flooring is beneath the carpet? Hardwood, plywood, MDF?? It may be necessary to seal the wood with something like Kilz to prevent staining.

[PrntRhd]

I agree with Whyzman on the pad being replaced in the affected area.
The residue on/in the subfloor should clean well enough by using Simple Green (or powdered laundry detergent made into a loose paste) a couple of times.

[sassie05]

Simple Green Also good for the carpet as it does a great job of cutting grease/oil

[YODA74]

"ODABAN" Sams club sells it it should remove the oder. Also you may need to pull the carpet back and use Kilz to prime the sub floor where kero soaked in. You could also call a fire Damage contractor they deal with this every day they can give you a direction on how to get rid of the oder..

[halovivek]

1. do you have wheat flour in your home?
2. if yes then put it in the mat floor and it wait until dry to get all kerosene out- just wait for 2 hrs. use vacuvam cleaner to suck the flour from mat.
3. then use detergent in the mat to clean.
4. make it dry. it will clean all.
i will done this thing in my home. my parents thought me to do this.

[gracious]

Wow such great replies, ty to all of you!!:D

Well so far so good, I think using the coffee grounds has done the trick.

I cannot smell any kerosene. After I vaccuumed up the grounds (had to use a shopvac, still wet) I then sprayed a vinegar and water mix and let that sit, then sucked that up and now it is drying, using 2 box fans. I have not been able to smell any kerosene to this point. :)

[gracious]

Here is an update, the carpet is almost completely dried and there isn't any odor of kerosene. Coffee grounds, who would have thought! Anyway, thank you for all of your help and suggestions, it was very appreciated!:p

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Hopefully you got it all. Odors can be weather related. It may seem to be fine in dry weather but as soon as the skies turn grey and the humidity sinks in, the odor could return (like male cat territory markings) with a vengeance.

Otherwise, you are looking at the other suggestions of 'sealing' it out, such as with Kilz or other primer/sealer or odor canceling products.

[Fred_Flintstone]

the odor could return (like male cat territory markings) with a vengeance.Those granules used in pet litter trays are also useful for soaking up spills/smelly stuff as well..
We used to use it on oil / fluid spills in the auto workshop years ago!..:D

[gracious]

Those granules used in pet litter trays are also useful for soaking up spills/smelly stuff as well..
We used to use it on oil / fluid spills in the auto workshop years ago!..

Yabba Dabba Doo Fred! We use that Oil-Dry stuff in the garage, probably could have tried that on the carpet too.

humidity sinks in, the odor could return
Gosh hopefully not. The weather here has been up and down temp wise, but I hear what you are saying! Right now it is about 50 with the high at 58 and tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 70.

[jdizon]

I would just sprinkle carpet fresh on and leave it sit for about 10 minutes th en vacumm. Because the rug is layed over concrete it is always cold and the padding gets damp. Try airing the room out as often as you can.


Carpet Cleaning Phoenix

[Budfred]

jdizon,

It is nice of you to offer an idea here... However, we do not allow unsolicited advertising on this forum and I have neutered the link you posted... Please do not replace it...

[reddragon]

if the smell is still thare try some lemon juice the acid helps and it smells good after.this works on fish smells also.

[Angie1313]

Coffee grounds huh? wow i would have never thought of that.
I was going to suggest cat litter and then clean it up good with a rug shampooer.