How to clean up coolant spill?

[lparsons]

This is a pretty stupid question but I don't know the answer. What is the best way to clean up a coolant spill from a cement garage floor?

I spilled some antifreeze when I installed a new water pump.

I'm sure I'm not the only person dumb enough to try cleaning up antifreeze with floor-dry (cat litter). Actually, I've made that mistake twice now ... For those who haven't tried that, it creates an evil frictionless mud on your floor that never goes away.

So really, I have two problems now -
What should I have used when I had antifreeze on my floor?
What will clean up the evil mud?

 

[ProKiller]

i've always just used brake clean in the past. just spray it down and wipe it up with paper towels.

 

[Touring23]

Soak up the anitfreeze with old shop towels, wring them out, and hang them up to dry. An old bath towel works great. Paper towels work, too. This is assuming you drained the system first(!)

The mud sux. Snow shovel? Is the floor sealed or porous?

 

[MysteryMachine]

that just means you didn't put enough kitty litter down to soak it all up. Thats what we use on accidents and if its done right it works great

 

[millhouse]

Invite all of you're neighbors who have cats to bring them over. From my understading it tastes pretty good. Nice and sweet!

 

[lparsons]

i've always just used brake clean in the past. just spray it down and wipe it up with paper towels.

I've never heard that suggested before, I'll try that next time I spill antifreeze. I had a spray can of brake cleaner on the shelf right next to my car, too!

Soak up the anitfreeze with old shop towels, wring them out, and hang them up to dry

It's probably about time I go get a box or bag of shop towels. I don't think my wife would appreciate my using the bathroom towels to clean the garage floor

The mud sux. Snow shovel?

Indeed the mud does suck. I think its the base material for teflon, really. I've never stood on anything with that low of friction - I know friction coefficients should only go down to zero, but really the mud qualifies as negative friction in my book.

I'm surprised I didn't fall and fracture my skull while trying to walk across this evil, evil, mud. I'll scrape with everything I can find and see what works. Maybe I'll pick up a big bag of salt or something...

that just means you didn't put enough kitty litter down to soak it all up

I had a pile of cat litter about 2 inches tall. I somehow doubt the mud came from lack of litter. I didn't spill that much antifreeze.

Invite all of you're neighbors who have cats to bring them over. From my understading it tastes pretty good

As much as I'm not that fond of cats myself, the loose cats in the neighborhood help with the never ending rodent problem. I'd rather have a couple neighborhood cats than another several dozen mice (I've already caught three in my house this week and its only Wednesday).

 

[revhead347]

I usually keep a stack of old underwear that no longer have enough continuity to support my gems. Comes in handy when you need to clean up stuff like that. Never through linens away when you have a Ford in the house.

Kurt