How to Clean Waste Oil

Cleaning waste oil for reuse or recycling requires filtering out suspended particles. Filtering waste oil has the advantage of reducing oil consumption and is a vital pre-treatment step for oil recycling. Any oil can be filtered using this process, including cooking and motor oil. Many are not aware that used oil can be re-used. Applications for oil re-use include cooking, oil changes and general lubrication purposes. Recycling oil is an activity that respects the limits of our non-renewable resources. Learning how to recycle your used oil is simple and could even help save the environment.

Things You'll Need

• Natural-fiber rope
• Used oil
• 2 large glass jugs
• Sheet of plastic or tarp

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Place the used oil jug on a shelf above the destination jug. Gravity will pull the liquid downward along the natural-fiber rope in a process known as capillary action, thus filtering out suspended particles. Since a rope is naturally dry, it will create capillary action to absorb the liquid oil, in much the same way a paper towel absorbs a wet spill.

• 2

  Natural-fiber rope will absorb oil and remove particles.

  Place one end of the rope into the used oil and the other end into the recycled oil container. Make sure that the rope does not touch the side of the jugs and that it is completely submerged in the oil. This is important since contact with the jug can disrupt capillary action. The rope should go straight out of the top jug and then make an upside down "U" shape. The rope is inserted straight into the bottom jug. Capillary action should begin to draw the oil from the used oil container to the recycled oil container.

• 3

  Wait several weeks. To prevent contamination from dust in the air, it's necessary to cover the containers and rope with a sheet of plastic.

• 4

  If filtering used motor oil, add 1 qt. of new motor oil for every 3 qt. of recycled oil. This is necessary to replace detergent and anti-foam ingredients that prevent engine sludge. According to Nordic Group, "These oils have additives to reduce wear (especially at start-up), maintain viscosity and to suspend the soot and contaminants (by-products of combustion) that they wash off the interior engine parts."

• 5

  Once the rope has finished filtering oil, it can either be discarded or re-used. In the case of cooking oil, all suspended particles will have been filtered by the rope, making it suitable for reuse in cooking.