Car leaked oil onto ground

[MMears]

What is the clean up operation for an oil leak from a car onto the ground.

Is it just a matter of digging a hole around the area and replacing the patch of grass and soil with new soil? Or is it a job for an professional oil clean up company?

I think it really depends on how much oil you are talking about and the surface it is on.
a small amount (a litre?) on soil one could sort out yourself by removing contaminated soil.
A significant amount (say from a car oil change) I would speak to the council and see what they suggest.

I don't know how much oil leaked. Found a dark spot on the grass where the car was parked. I think maybe there was a slow drip for some time but I can't be certain.

When our oil tank sprung a leak we phoned the fire brigade when we realised we were losing control of it. I realise that was a lot more oil than from a car but maybe they could advise you? There was no charge for the service. The oil will contaminate the soil so it was an environmental issue in our case as it was a lot of oil.

If it were a 'spot' say 6 inches round I would do nothing.

If you had lost a significant amount of oil your car would have had a problem by now.

You could put a piece of cardboard (paper may blow away) under your car, where you thing the leak may be, and see what happens overnight.

I wouldn’t do anything, it’ll just get absorbed into the ground. It’s hardly the Exxon Valdez.