Used Motor Oil, disposing of it properly

Some of you remember when it was ‘alright’ to just pour used oil down a drain. OK, I just made that up. But what did people do with it before auto shops & ‘quickie-lubes’ would take it from you? <!--EndFragment-->

 

Fencline Weed abatement, oil stove fuel in the shop, burnpile starter, etc....

Yes in my former life I was a Farmer.



Tim

 

woodstove in shop starter

 

We use it to start our burn pile or I bring it town and let the wasteoil guy collect it from the shop.

 

I remember a how to article in Poplular Mechanics about how to make a pit to pour your used oil in. I believe it was a barrel with holes drilled in it, surrounded by sand in a hole.
I'm not kidding.
Larry T

 

Bar ditch in front of my parents house in Edmond Oklahoma. And the damn weeds kept coming back.

 

what?! It's not okay for me to pour it down the drain along with my antifreeze?

 

Our city will pick it up for no charge if its in a suitable container & left out by the recycling bin

 

I used to just put it back in the bottle and toss it in the trash until they started having the oil recycling at the Kragens where I buy it..

I hate to admit it but one time I buried about 5 gallons in the back yard. at that time there was no way that I knew of to dispose of it properly.

 

I keep mine in a 55 gallon drum and I give it to a cat that runs a fast food joint !! I have no clue what he does with it but he does have a thing called 10w30 CHICKEN on the menu !!! >>>>.

 

Fence lines on the farm. Yep done that.

I keep old oil 1gal containers and fill them back up with the old oil. I've used it to fill old engines with it (ones that will be rebuilt). Check with a local non-chain owned oil change shop to see if you can just drop it off.

 

Back in the 60's and 70's I knew guys who poured it in the gutter and even down the sink. Seems people just didn't think about it much back then. Very common to pour it into the yard as well. My most common trick was to put it in old milk cartons and throw it in the trash, the trash guys even said this was fine!

 

If only every city would pick up & recycle used oil on trash day, it would really be convenient. LA doesn't offer it.

We've come a long way from putting oil in milk cartons and throwing it the trash.

 

Poured it down the storm sewer like other guys did.I lived in NJ then so it was ok.

 

I just throw it in my neighbor's garage when he ain't lookin

 

I have done a few of the methods mentioned above but I can remember working at a Chevy dealer a long time ago and a couple of the independents would bring their used oil and dump it in our tanks for pick up. We used to have a pipe in the oil change area that went out back and into a large tank downhill.

 

Back in the 60's, we had a hillside right next to the shop, and we'd simply pour it out on the ground and let it run down that hill...........didn't know any better and I guess we figured since it came out of the ground in the first place, why not send it back there?

Stupid yes, I know.....

 

same here. only 2 gallons at a time....

 

i burn mine, it burns so hot theres no smoke, so i think its ok

 

we did the same thing with the burn piles up north, and don't forget spraying it on the bottom of your car to stop corrosion, I'm sure it still works just as good, illegal or not, who's gonna crawl under your car to see if it's oil coated? On this same subject not to go too far off topic, what in the heck do you do with bad gas? NO one will touch the stuff, and don't say burn pile.

 

^^^bad gas... blame it on the dog.

 

i would use bad gas to clean things, start fires, or hey just let it evaporate. maybe use it as varnish ha ha ha

 

Put it on the dirt road in front of the house, to keep the dust down. I'm a god boy now though.

 

now my local parts house and oil change places will take it..
but it used to get poured on the fence line, and used to start the leaf pile burning good.

 

Your cities recycling center or a one of those oil change places.

 

Bad gas also makes a great weed killer. As for the oil, it was always used to keep the Poison Ivy from growing up the fence in the back yard.

 

I used to just go to the river bottoms to change my oil. Just pull the plug, let it drain, push the truck up a few feet and fill it back up. On my way in 10 minutes, no muss no fuss.

 

Back in the day I can remember my Dad pouring it down the groundhog holes in the shed behing the barn.

 

I can't do anything that gas, the pitbull, golden retriever mix, when she farts under the bed, It might be considered a chemical weapon.

 

I forgot about pouring it in holes where ground wasps were. It coats their breathing holes,they can't breathe and they can't fly.