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brooklyn1 · 28-02-2010, 07:47 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:41:14 -0500, (MICHELLE H.)
wrote:

Hi everyone,

A few months ago, my car had a major oil leak ( Rear Main Seal ), and
when I started it up, oil basically POURED right out in A STREAM, and my
car went through one quart of oil in like 5 minutes. There was a HUGE
puddle of oil all over the driveway. I used kitty litter to try to soak
it all up. and then tried to wash it away with some "Dawn Dish Soap".

Anyway, now everytime it rains, the driveway gets puddles of that
"rainbow colored" oily water. When I try to wash it with the "Dawn Dish
Soap", the white foamy bubbles from the Dish Soap turn all Black. So the
bubbles all turn this foamy Black color, and the water underneath is all
rainbow colored.

So the other day, what I noticed after the snow melted on the grassy
area next to the driveway, was that there was an area about 3-4 feet
long, and about 1 foot wide, where the grass has turned all Black, and
the soil is now a GRAY color. The reason for this, is because the
asphalt driveway is very old, and not perfectly flat, and so the water
and melting snow runs down onto the grass and soil.

So does this mean that the soil is now contaminated with oil? Do I have
to dig out all the grey-colored soil, and reseed the whole area? If so,
how far down do I need to dig?

Instead of digging all the soil out, can I fix the soil, by just
topdressing the gray soil with some compost or organic topsoil, and then
reseed?

Because its not like the motor oil was dumped or spilled directly on the
grass, but the oily residue in the driveway mixed in with rainwater and
melting snow, and turned the grass Black, and the soil a greasy/oily
grey color.

Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated!!!

P.S.
Is there anyway to DRY OUT the oily residue in the driveway, so that
when it rains, the puddles won't have that oily, rainbow color? Will
scattering "rock salt" down on the area where the oil spill was, help to
dry it out? Because doesn't rock salt dry stuff out?

Don't use salt or you'll further contaminate the soil and probably
further damage your blacktop driveway. It doesn't sound like a major
oil spill, one or two quarts is not really a lot. Being where you
have a change of seasons, where it freezes, thaws and there is plenty
of snow/rain soil will purge itself of contaminents within a couple
three seasons... I'd place a good layer of top soil on that small area
and reseed... it's probably already too late to remove the top inch or
two of soil in that area anyway. As to the blacktop continue with the
litter during dry hot weather, sweep it about each day and
occasionally remove it and place new... cat litter is a lot cheaper
than patching a driveway. If you find your driveway is stained the
next year have it surface coated, probably long overdue anyway. It's
really not a good idea to allow any motor vehicles to park on
blacktop, they all leak some... some a lot... if you need the parking
space and have the room you may want to think about adding a crushed
stone parking apron adjacent to your black top driveway. It's not so
much the discoloration created by an oil spill, but over time those
little drips will dissolve the asphalt and create a pothole, unsightly
and not inexpensive to properly repair.