# Cleaning Engine Oil out of trunk

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/cleaning-engine-oil-out-of-trunk/25377>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [January 23, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cleaning-engine-oil-out-of-trunk/25377 "2009-01-23T03:08:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bojackson63044](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bojackson63044/32/5647_2.png) [@bojackson63044](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bojackson63044)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cleaning-engine-oil-out-of-trunk/25377/1 "2009-01-23T03:08:54Z")

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I drive a '97 toyota tercel and I keep a 5qt bottle of oil in my trunk in case I ever need to top off. Last night I opened the trunk and found it in a pool of grease. Is there any quick and inexpensive way of cleaning the oil out of the trunk?

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**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cleaning-engine-oil-out-of-trunk/25377/2 "2009-01-23T03:23:44Z")

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Kitty litter, then paper towels with a citric cleaner.

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cleaning-engine-oil-out-of-trunk/25377/3 "2009-01-23T03:28:25Z")

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Can you remove the trunk liner? Is it felt or cardboard? Either way it’s history. When you get down to bare metal, rags, and finally a rag moistened with mineral spirits which will dissolve the oil and clean it up.

OR: Drill a couple of 1" holes in the trunk bottom, being careful not to drill into anything below the trunk like your gas tank or spare tire, (there may be a rubber plug you can remove to provide a drain) and go to a DIY car wash and use the high-pressure washer to clean it out… You can buy 1" rubber plugs to fill the holes.

You should be able to find a replacement trunk liner at a salvage yard…