First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the spill with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels, pressing rather than rubbing.
- On concrete or stone, don't wipe: wiping spreads the oil and drives it in.
- Pretest any remover on a hidden spot first and stop if color transfers or changes.
- Keep heat away, with no dryer, iron or hot air, until the stain is gone.
Oil on a garage floor or tile sinks into the pores of concrete and grout, and it can linger long after the surface looks clean. Masonry and concrete can take a stiff brush and a strong detergent scrub, while laminate and vinyl only get a damp touch and never a flooded one. Fresh spills come up far more easily than oil that has been left to dry, so act fast if you can.
Concrete in a garage can handle a firm hand, but laminate and vinyl in the same space need a lighter touch. Oil spots on floor tiles follow the same gentle-then-stronger order, so start light. If an oil smell in the garage or basement hangs on after the floor looks clean, the oil underneath needs more passes.
Before you start
What laminate & vinyl floors can take
Use with care5
- Water
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid3
- Soaking
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Clean, dry white cloths or white paper towelsThey lift the oil without transferring color to the floor. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry detergentMakes the strong solution for the first scrub. (opens Amazon)
- Stiff brushFor scrubbing tile, concrete and other sealed hard floors. (opens Amazon)
- Mineral spirits or paint thinnerThe oil-based solvent for the wipe after the detergent scrub. (opens Amazon)
- Clear water and a clean mop or clothsFor rinsing away each product before the next one.
- Cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's EarthAbsorbs a fresh spill on garage or basement concrete. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot up the fresh oil
Lay clean white paper towels over the spill and lift as much oil as you can. Work from the outer edge toward the middle so the oil doesn't spread across the floor. Swap in fresh towels as they fill.
Step 2 of 6
Scrub with hot detergent solution
Mix a strong solution of laundry detergent and hot water. Scrub the spot with a stiff brush, working the solution into the oil until the surface looks clean. Work in small sections so the solution stays where the oil is.
Tip. On laminate, vinyl or linoleum, use lukewarm water on a cloth instead and skip the brush.
Careful. Laminate can't take standing water, so dry any spill right away.
Step 3 of 6
Rinse and let the floor dry
Rinse the area with clear water on a clean cloth or mop, wiping away all the detergent. Let the floor air dry, then check the spot in good light. If it still looks dark or greasy, move on to the solvent wipe.
Step 4 of 6
Wipe with mineral spirits
Dampen a clean cloth with mineral spirits or paint thinner, and wipe the stain from the outside in. Turn to a clean part of the cloth as it fills, and keep going until the film lifts off the floor.
Careful. Mineral spirits are flammable, so work in a ventilated room with no flames, pilot lights or sparks nearby.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse the solvent away
Wipe the area with a cloth dampened in clear water to remove any solvent film. Let it dry fully before you judge the result or walk on it.
Step 6 of 6
Repeat until the spot is gone
If a shadow remains, go back through the detergent scrub and the solvent wipe. Once the spot stays clean after drying, the cleaning steps are finished.
Tip. If it still shows after several rounds, the stronger treatment below is the next step. On wood, rub a solvent-based cleaning wax on superfine (#0000) steel wool along the grain before you go further.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for oil on laminate & vinyl floors
Mineral spirits or paint thinner are the solvents used in these steps, so choose one of those over an all-purpose spray. Check the label for floor use before you apply it to laminate or vinyl.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on laminate & vinyl floors, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
As the detergent works, the dark patch should lighten, and the rinse water should look cloudy at first and then clear. Judge the spot only once it's fully dry, since a leftover detergent film can look like the oil is still there.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your laminate & vinyl floors
Garage floor
Garage floors are usually bare concrete, and oil soaks into it fast. Cover the fresh spill with cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's Earth, leave it a few hours, then sweep or vacuum it up.
For what's left, use the detergent scrub and the solvent wipe, then the stronger treatment below if a shadow stays. Concrete often needs several rounds, so keep going until no more oil comes up onto the towel.
Floor tiles
Glazed tile is one of the easier floors to clean, so you should see progress after each round. Start with the detergent scrub and keep the solvent wipe for what's left. Work the brush along the grout lines in short strokes, since that's where grime and oil tend to stay.
If the grout stays dark after the steps above, it needs its own treatment, so the Grout guide is the place to go.
Garage or basement smell
The smell usually means oil is still in the floor, so the cleaning steps above come first. Keep air moving through the room while you work.
Once the surface looks clean and dry, check for the smell again. If it lingers, the oil is deeper in the concrete, so the stronger treatment below is the next step.
Hardwood floors
Wood floors need a gentler approach, so skip the strong detergent and use only the foam. Mix dishwashing detergent in hot water and swish it until it makes a large volume of suds, then dip a cloth in only the foam and wipe gently along the grain.
Rinse with a clean cloth moistened in clear water, then dry the floor right away. For finishes and wax, use the Hardwood Floors guide.
Laminate and vinyl
Laminate is the stricter of the two: keep water off it, dry any spill right away, and use only a cloth lightly dampened with lukewarm water. For the oil, use the solvent wipe on a clean cloth.
Vinyl can take the same light approach, but skip the laundry detergent since it can leave a dull film. Use lukewarm water on a cloth, then the solvent wipe, and don't add wax or polish afterward.
Hair oil and lubricant
Hair oil and lubricant are oil-based, so they respond to the same blotting, detergent scrub and solvent wipe as cooking oil. Blot them first, since fresh residue lifts more easily than dried residue.
If you're not sure what finish the floor has, start with the detergent scrub alone and save the solvent for what's left. Repeat the solvent wipe for lubricant that stays dark.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old oil that has been sitting on a floor is harder to lift than a fresh spill, and it usually takes several rounds rather than one strong treatment. Repeat the detergent scrub and the solvent wipe before you reach for anything stronger. Most of the progress comes from patience and repetition.
On sealed concrete or tile, a Trisodium Phosphate solution is the next step: mix 1 cup in 1 gallon of hot water, mop or pour it over the stain, and let it soak 15-20 minutes before you scrub and rinse. Never use it on laminate, vinyl, linoleum or wood.
If the oil has soaked deep into concrete, saturate the area with mineral spirits or paint thinner and cover it with dry cement, talcum powder, cornstarch or kitty litter. Leave it until the next day, sweep it away, and repeat if a shadow remains. If a dryer or iron has already been used on the stain, heat has set it, so expect more rounds, and a faint shadow may be the best you get back.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on oil on laminate & vinyl floors?
Plenty of kitchen and bathroom remedies get passed around for oil, but most belong to other stains or other surfaces. Here's what to leave out, and the one that helps on wood.
Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use oil to loosen the stain
Cooking oil and other unsaturated oils don't help a stain come out, and any that stays behind ages and turns yellow. Clean the oil away with detergent and solvent instead.
Don't mix cleaning products
Rinse each product out with plain water before you move to the next one. Bleach mixed with ammonia, vinegar, other acids or rubbing alcohol gives off toxic fumes.
Don't wait for the spill to dry
Fresh oil lifts with a few towels, but oil that has dried is much harder to remove. Start blotting as soon as you see the spill.
Don't let solvent reach the wall base
Mineral spirits and alcohol aren't meant for the matching wall base or quarter round, so keep your cloth on the floor itself. Work in small areas and move the cloth away from any trim you're cleaning near.
Don't wipe oil across concrete
Wiping drags the oil across the surface and drives it deeper into the pores. Soak up what you can with paper towels and let an absorbent powder pull the rest out before you scrub.
When to call a professional
If oil has soaked deep into concrete or stone and survives several rounds of absorbent powder, detergent and solvent, a professional with the right equipment is the next step. Tell them which surface it is, since concrete, tile and laminate each need different handling. Let them know which products you've already used so they don't repeat anything that failed.
Questions
Does oil stain epoxy floors, and how do you clean it?
Don't guess at a cleaner for epoxy coatings; the floor maker's instructions decide what is safe. Blot the spill right away, test the detergent scrub on a hidden corner, and check the floor maker's cleaning instructions before using any solvent.
Can I use the same method on a cooking oil spill?
Yes. Blot it first, then work through the detergent scrub and solvent wipe, and go back over any spot that still looks greasy.
Why does oil stay in concrete even after it looks clean?
Concrete is porous, so oil that has soaked in can sit below the surface after the top looks clean. Repeat the steps, then use the stronger treatment below if a shadow comes back.
Is grease treated differently from oil on floor tiles?
No. Both are fats or oils that don't dissolve in water, so the same detergent scrub and solvent wipe apply to each.
Will the stain come back after it dries?
It can if a little oil is still in the floor. If a shadow reappears once the floor is dry, go back to the detergent scrub and the solvent wipe.
Can I use dish soap instead of laundry detergent?
On wood floors, yes: the dishwashing foam is the method for that surface. On other floors, stick with the laundry detergent solution from the steps above.
Is diluted bleach okay for a vinyl floor spot?
For vinyl only, a spot stain can take a diluted bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, rinsed well afterward. Leave bleach off laminate, since the makers don't list it there, and never use a stronger mix that could discolor the floor or leave it slippery.
Can I clean laminate with rubbing alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth can lift fresh oil from laminate, along with several other common marks. Don't let it reach the trim, though, and finish with a damp cloth so no residue dulls the surface.
Will a rubber-backed mat damage the floor under it?
It can, since the antioxidant in rubber and latex backing may leave a permanent stain on the floor beneath. Choose a mat with a different backing, and lift it now and then to check the floor for color transfer.
Oil on other materials
Other stains on laminate & vinyl floors
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.