Return to the Gardening with Stone Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
oil stains on stepping stones
| | |
Posted by colnago_te (My Page) on Thu, Jul 6, 06 at 12:01
| Lots of blasting in our subdivision has created some great stepping stones for a project in my yard. I picked out the best and arranged to have them moved to my lot. They used a cherry picker which, unfortunately, was leaking some kind of fluid ...probably hydraulic oil. So each and every stone has large oil stains all over it. The stones are (were) gorgeous. Needless to say, I am totally bummed. Not sure exactly what kind of stone, but one landscaper called them "nice" meaning that was the name of the stone. they are quite varied and are probably not all the same material. (I am in hudson valley, dutchess county, ny area).
Is there anything I can do to remove these stains? If not, I'm hoping that maybe some of them are clean (and flat) when flipped. (they are generally around 5' in diameter and 5-8" thick).
I'm resigned to just not using them and moving on to Plan B (which I haven't figure out yet!!). I know that every time I walk those steps, all I'd see is those oil stains. argghhh!
Thanks.
tom |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: oil stains on stepping stones
| | |
| After you obtain all the needed international, federal, state, municipal and subdivision permits have someone pressure wash them. It is just a hydrocarbon and is soluable in agitated soapy water. I would use them the way they are and some day help the sun and rain clean them somehow. They sound like nice stones though. Have fun. |
RE: oil stains on stepping stones
| | |
| If your forum name is anything to do with bikes I can tell that you are a perfectionist tom and how these stains would annoy you. I don't think there is any way that you can remove these stains in the way that TV ads demonstrate and it is more likely that any attempt will spread the stain or change their appearance in some way but not remove them. Presumably these stones were "great" not only for their appearance but for the way they fit a purpose as well. So far these stepping stones have a story, the blasting, the finding, the spoiling, the mending of the spoiling. In my mind these are all plusses. |
|
|
|
|
