The Quickest Way To Clean Gas Spills In The Garage

It can happen to anybody: you're filling up the lawnmower, transferring gas between cars, or you just accidentally knocked over the gas can — and suddenly there's gasoline all over the garage floor. When it happens, all those safety measures to prevent gas explosions at home are worth their weight in gold — besides giving your garage a strong odor, gas is also highly flammable. Plus, it's toxic to breathe in and slippery enough to cause nasty falls. With all these risks combined, it's no wonder you want to take quick action to remove gas from your garage floor. Thankfully, there's no need to panic — you can clean it up fast with just a couple of household items like kitty litter and a broom.

The trick is to treat the spill immediately with a dry substance that soaks up the fuel. For this purpose, you can use any material you have on hand, as long as it's absorbent enough to trap the liquid without creating more danger. If you don't have kitty litter, other options you may have at home might work just as well, including sawdust, sand, or even plain flour in a pinch.

Before you roll up your sleeves and start cleaning, make sure the area where you spilled gas is safe. You don't want to breathe in the toxic fumes or catch on fire, so checking for flames or sparks and airing out the garage is your first priority. Once you're certain everything is in order, go in with the absorbent substance you chose — let's say it's kitty litter. Pour the kitty litter over the gas puddle generously so that the entire spill area is covered, and then some (better to be safe than sorry!). Let that sit for at least 20 minutes so the substance can work its absorbent magic. When the gas is absorbed, take a broom and dustpan, sweep the gas-soaked kitty litter, and safely dispose of it. Bear in mind that gas is still flammable waste, so you can't throw your sweeping debris just anywhere — to protect your home against fires, make sure that your chosen disposal spot runs no risk of sparks or flames.

In addition to acting as a hidden fire hazard in your house, the gas spill in your garage might leave an odor behind even after you've cleaned it up. But no worries, you can sort that out with just some baking soda. Sprinkle it over the spot you cleaned gas from and let it sit for a few hours to neutralize the smell. Afterwards, dispose of it the same way you did of the kitty litter and enjoy your clean garage floor.