You can see Oil spill on your garage or even driveway after an oil delivery truck leaks or you overfill your car with oil.  

This article will help you clean up Oil spill aster and easier by providing some useful information on how to make homemade absorbents for Oil dry.

Kitty litter and oil dry are both used for absorbing oil from the surface of the ground. They have different uses, though.  Kitty litter is mostly used to absorb spilled or leaked cat urine from floors, carpets, and furniture.  On the other hand, Oil dry is used to absorb spilled oils from the garage floor, driveways, etc since it’s a biodegradable product made from clay.

What is oil dry?

Oil dry is a clay-based product sold as small particles of clay in a box or bag.  You can find it at any automotive supply store, some grocery stores, and home centers.  This product absorbs oil and water very well just like kitty litter does but with one major difference: Oil dry is biodegradable.

What is kitty litter?

Kitty litter is made from clay and it’s mostly used for absorbing cat urine.  It does a very good job at odor control but this is where the similarity with Oil dry ends.  You can’t use kitty litter to absorb spilled oil since the particles of kitty litter don’t clump together like clay in Oil dry.   

Steps on how to get rid of oil spill

• Absorb the oil

Spill with a piece of cloth or paper towel.  Cover the area entirely and let it sit for about 20 minutes to an hour. Absorb any remaining oil by inserting rags soaked in warm water into the cracks.  The purpose is to flush out the oil that has sunk into porous surfaces like concrete or asphalt. Tie up any loose rags to prevent spreading the spill further; dispose of them in a recycling bag.

• Clean it up

Scoop the oil from the surface with a shovel. Place it in a plastic bag and dispose of it properly. Use a wet vacuum to remove any remaining oils on the concrete or asphalt surfaces.

• Apply oil dry or kitty litter

Spread Oil dry or kitty litter over the area where you have earlier removed the absorbed oil from using a shovel. Let it sit overnight so that humid air can evaporate while drying up the clay granules so they do not stick on your shoes when walking over them later on. Sweep away dried clay granules in the morning for a neat-looking garage or driveway, and apply an oil guard sealant for added protection against future spills and stains.

• Dispose leftover absorbent materials

Place the Oil dry, kitty litter, and disposed of rags in a recycling bag.  You can also dispose of them by burying them at least one foot deep into the soil. If you opt for this route, make sure that there are no wells or drainage systems near where you bury these materials. You can also look up your local landfill’s policies regarding hazardous disposal of absorbents to know more about proper ways of disposing of these materials.

What can you do with oil dry or kitty litter, other than absorb spilled oils?

When mixed with soil, Oil dry and kitty litter can be used as a garden fertilizer.  Oil dry is made from clay that absorbs contaminants like dyes and chemicals; hence mixing it in your soil improves its quality for plant growth.  Kitty litter’s high silica content makes it an excellent organic material to keep your compost pile aerated and moist enough for the successful decomposition of kitchen and yard wastes.

You can also use these materials as bedding for pets like hamsters and rabbits. They absorb organic liquids such as pet urine quite well because of their high absorbency level.    

The best thing about using homemade absorbents is that they are cheap, biodegradable, and completely safe to use.  You wouldn’t risk poisoning your family with chemical compounds found in commercial absorbents when you have something natural that works just as well already in the house.   

Oil dry or kitty litter best used for?

Kitty litter is best used for absorbing cat urine while oil dry is best used for absorbing spilled oils on garage floors, driveways, etc.

Kitty litter is mainly used for absorbing spilled or leaked cat urine from floors, carpets, and furniture.  Oil dry is a biodegradable product made from clay – it’s used to absorb spilled oils on garage floors, driveways, etc since it’s not toxic.

Is it safe to use oil dry or kitty litter?

Oil dry and kitty litter are generally safe to use as long as they aren’t ingested.  However, prolonged exposure to oil dry can cause skin irritation so it’s best to wear gloves when handling this absorbent material.  

Kitty litter contains crystalline silica which is a known carcinogen – breathing its dust particles can lead to respiratory problems over time. However, ingestion of small amounts is not likely going to affect healthy adults but if you have kids or pets at home, make sure that they do not come into contact with spilled kitty litter or any leftover absorbents.  It’s also recommended that pregnant women avoid inhaling dust from any of these materials since the high levels of crystalline silica may affect fetal development.

Use Oil dry or kitty litter to protect your garage floor from dirt, oil stains, and paint spills by applying a sealer after absorbing the spilled oils.  Oil guard sealing will prevent future oil stains on your garage floor surface.   

What option is cheaper?

Oil dry is cheaper – a bag of oil dry is about $5 for a 40-pound bag plus the cost of an oil guard sealant.  Kitty litter is more expensive than oil dry as it costs around $10 for a 30 lbs box and can take up to 5 boxes or more, depending on your need.

The best value option would be kitty litter as you only need 1-2 boxes to take care of oil spills in your garage, driveway, etc while with oil dry, you will need 5+ bags to absorb spilled oil and seal the garage floor after using it. Oil dry is better used outdoors since it can damage certain kinds of synthetic surfaces over time. Kitty litter’s high silica content makes it unsuitable to use with outdoor plants as it can damage their roots.

Which one is more effective?

Kitty litter has a higher absorption capability since it is granular in nature, while oil dry has a lower absorption level because it forms into hard layers that are harder to remove.  However when mixed with soil or compost, oil dry becomes highly effective when used as garden fertilizer.

Both are very good absorbents but kitty litter works better on organic spills like pet urine while oil dry is more effective at absorbing spilled oils on garage floors and driveways etc. Kitty litter absorbs faster than oil dry so if you want something that can soak up liquids fast, choose kitty litter.

Oil dry works by forming large blocks of clay over time so it isn’t able to quickly absorb spilled liquids which makes it not suitable for outdoor use where spill residues may seep into the drainage system.

Which one is more eco-friendly?

Oil dry and kitty litter are both biodegradable – meaning they will reduce the oil content on the ground over time given enough exposure to air, sunlight, and time.  When used outdoors, oil spills can contaminate soil and water if not cleaned up quickly so using a biodegradable absorbent like oil dry or kitty litter makes it safer for the environment as pollutants from spilled oils will eventually evaporate away with time.

In some cases, spilling oil on your driveway or garage floor can lead to road hazards as motorists passing by might lose control of their vehicles when they drive through contaminated areas. Ingesting these types of organic material can be dangerous to the ecosystem and humans since they contain chemicals that may pollute soils or waterways.

Which one is more durable?

Oil dry is stronger than kitty litter when used outdoors in absorbing oil spills on driveways, garage floors, etc. It forms into hard layers when it comes in contact with spilled oils so you will need a flathead shovel to scoop out the hardened mass of oil dry left behind after absorbing spilled oils.  Since kitty litter is granular in nature, it’s more effective for use indoors especially if you have kids or pets at home who tend to play around areas where spill residues are present.

Both absorbents are easy to store but oil dry has better packaging than kitty litter. Oil dry forms 2 layers – one is a bag of oil dry itself and the other layer is a box outer shell that protects the contents from spilling.  Kitty litter isn’t as secure since it comes in a large bulky plastic container which can be easily damaged during shipping or storage. Oil dry has a shelf life of up to 15 years while kitty litters’ shelf life is about 5-6 years making kitty litter more expensive to store over time.

Why use both?

Oil dry can work alone but using both absorbents together works better at removing spilled oils on garage floors, driveways, etc. When used together, oil dry absorbs the initial spill quickly followed by kitty litter soaking up excess oils so you have fewer residues left behind after cleaning up oil spills.