Pot with oil spilled on it

davetree

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I have an unglazed pot that had some tool oil spilled in the inside. It has soaked into the ceramic. Is there any way of removing the oil ? Thanks in advance.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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If the stain from the oil is only inside the pot, you can pretty much ignore it. In time it will fade. If the stain spread through the pot, so that it would be visible from the outside, you can try the salt suggestion. You could also apply a light coating of the same oil all over the outside of the pot, this would even out or minimize the color change.

The oil is not a significant horticultural problem, it is a cosmetic problem.

Applying a very light coat of oil is a common practice with unglazed pots, though this would not "count" as a light coat, it would be a heavy coat. But it would even out the color change. In general oil will not dissolve in any significant amount into the bonsai potting medium, so the oil will not cause a problem with any tree planted inside. The resulting color change, if even, would not be a problem. In time, a few years, the oil itself will evaporate & or wash away with use.
 

River's Edge

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I have an unglazed pot that had some tool oil spilled in the inside. It has soaked into the ceramic. Is there any way of removing the oil ? Thanks in advance.
Try Goof Off Concrete cleaner and Oil stain remover! Available at Home Depot. If the pot is a show pot then try on a lower quality one first to be safe!
 

Zach Smith

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I have an unglazed pot that had some tool oil spilled in the inside. It has soaked into the ceramic. Is there any way of removing the oil ? Thanks in advance.
How about build a fire, put a wire rack over it, and bake the pot till the oil is gone. Oil burns, high-fired ceramics don't.
 

flor1

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Fill with sand or fines from screening and set in direct sun for 2 weeks should remove most if not all.
 

Zach Smith

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That’s a great idea !
Thanks. One issue with trying to remove the oil is that if you don't pull it all out, there's the potential for wicking out whatever is left when you moisten the soil. I can't imagine tree roots would care for a hydrocarbon meal.
 

prestontolbert

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Don't do the wire rack over a fire thing. Any significant heat differential can crack ceramic pots. You can probably put it in the oven safely if you put it in a cold oven and heat it up very slowly. Any amount of water that may have seeped into the cross section of the pot will make it crack or pop the glaze if the pot was originally a little bit underfired. Keep it below 212ºF for at least an hour to prevent that from happening.
 

M. Frary

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Spread the oil around evenly using a nut sack.
Adair has a well traveled nut sack.
I've even heard if you ask him nicely he will let you use it.
 

penumbra

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Use a grill, not your oven. Bring the heat up slowly and let it cool slowly.
 

JudyB

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Curious if you tried any of these solutions, and how it came out?
 
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