Sweeping compound

[300jk]

About a year or so ago I posted about not too many places selling it, and
some didn't even know what I was talking about. These were not "young"
people either. I found it at a big box store. Zep was the brand. Well I
needed more so I went to local hardware and they had one bag. Bag says it
contains no petroleum products. It also doesn't say whats in it. I
remember a bunch here said they make their own using oil and maybe even
diesel ? I use it in the cellar to help control the dust when sweeping,
and dont want to use something thats going to stink up the house. Wife
wont appreciate that. Bag was fairly pricey I think. 15 dollars for a
25 pound bag. Anyone know what the "environmentally " friendly stuff uses
that makes it work ? Just wondering if the non petroleum based stuff
could be made. Buying a 15 dollar bag here and there isnt going to kill
the bank roll, I am just curious.

 

[kcm.MN]

Look here:
https://www.superiorsweeps.com/facts-about-floor-sweeping-compounds

Home Depot has 50 lbs. for $21.98:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-50-lbs-Sweeping-Compound-HDSWEEP50/202056504

 

[kcm.MN]

This tells how to make your own:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/homemade-floor-sweeping-compound-13421992.html

 

[Ivan in Mich]

Find a sawmill that saws a lot of pie. Get some sawdust and see how good it cleans the floor. I always had a couple of pails full when I had my sawmill. Really puts a shine on cement

 

[300jk]

Ok I looked at the 3 links. Thank you. I
am guessing an ordorless mineral spirits
would work, or is mineral oil something
totally different ? Pardon my ignorance.

 

[300jk]

Without adding anything ? We use pine sawdust in our Belgian workhorse stalls. I never tried it. Thought it needed something in it to help with the dust and fine particles.

 

[showcrop]

I have used sweeping compound in my shop for thirty years until a years ago when my local hardware no longer had it. I used to drive by an industrial building that had "Waxine - Dustbane" on a big sign in front which made me think that Dustbane had wax in it. That place closed up years ago but Google tells that they are still in business in Canada and that they have multiple flavors of sweeping compounds and some have wax. I will have to check my local home depot. The compound helps A LOT to get the fine dust up.

 

[kcm.MN]

(quoted from post at 11:23:35 11/17/19) Without adding anything ? We use pine sawdust in our Belgian workhorse stalls. I never tried it. Thought it needed something in it to help with the dust and fine particles.

Wasn't sure what you were needing it for.

I worked at a place that used a ready-made sweeping compound for oily messes, but growing up I remember using plain sawmill sawdust. It had to be from a sawmill also. I guess because the bits are more coarse (larger) than from a table saw, but mostly I think because of the high moisture content. That would help control dust. I would imagine that natural sap from the logs also did a fine job of putting a shine on floors, also. Been a lotta years since I'd thought about that stuff.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

300,
My pole barn has a concrete floor. I can sweep the floor and bring in a tractor and a half acre of dirt falls off tires.

I no longer buy a sweeping compound. I just sweep the dirt on floor over oil I've spilled on floor and dirt soaks up oil.

When I get a loader full of dirt, I take it to the burn pit, dump it over the brush, next fire removes most of the oil. Best way I know of removing the oil.
Does anyone have a better idea to get rid of oil contaminated dirt or used oil dry?
geo.

 

[300jk]

George I do basically the same in my garage/shop. Works for me too, only difference is I was talking about sweeping in my basement. I get some fine dust there from my work clothes(I work in a quarry a lot) and some from my coal stove.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

300,
I had a rental property with a lot of fine dust on basement floor. It would choke filters on vac very fast. So, I removed all filters from my 16 gallon crastsman shop vac. I have many 2 inch vac hoses. I attached a hose to the discharge of vac and sent out the basement window. Then connected five 2 inch hoses together and sucked up the fine dust and sent them out the window. The cloud of dust created looked like the house was on fire.

Belive it or not, no damage to vac. Mission accoumplished.

Another alternative would be to use a carpet cleaner. The water would pick up the dust and not make it air born.

Geo.

 

[Ivan in Mich]

I never added anything to it. I think the pitch in it kills the dust and picks up the real fine dirt. I have used the sawdust from the chains saw to but the finer stuff works better. I remember using the sweeping compound when I was in grade school

 

[Little Ed]

I used to sprinkle coffee grounds around the concrete floor for sweeping compound. with the advent of the pod, it's hard to find grounds in any quantity.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 16:14:31 11/17/19) 300,
My pole barn has a concrete floor. I can sweep the floor and bring in a tractor and a half acre of dirt falls off tires.

I no longer buy a sweeping compound. I just sweep the dirt on floor over oil I've spilled on floor and dirt soaks up oil.

When I get a loader full of dirt, I take it to the burn pit, dump it over the brush, next fire removes most of the oil. Best way I know of removing the oil.
Does anyone have a better idea to get rid of oil contaminated dirt or used oil dry?
geo.

George it appears that you are confusing sweeping compound with Speedi-Dry. Sweeping compound is what you would use AFTER soaking your oil up with dirt.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 16:14:31 11/17/19) 300,
My pole barn has a concrete floor. I can sweep the floor and bring in a tractor and a half acre of dirt falls off tires.

I no longer buy a sweeping compound. I just sweep the dirt on floor over oil I've spilled on floor and dirt soaks up oil.

When I get a loader full of dirt, I take it to the burn pit, dump it over the brush, next fire removes most of the oil. Best way I know of removing the oil.
Does anyone have a better idea to get rid of oil contaminated dirt or used oil dry?
geo.

George it appears that you are confusing sweeping compound with Speedi-Dry. Sweeping compound is what you would use AFTER soaking your oil up with dirt.

 

[Richard G.]

Many, many years ago, my retired Colonel dad taught ag at the local school.
Had a nice shop and there was about a 30 gallon barrel of sweeping compound there.
He kept an old tow sack on top of the compound to keep it from drying out.
I reached in one day and pulled the sack out.
A big hog nose snake raised up and hissed at me as he spread his head like a cobra.
Nearly needed to clean up another mess in the floor.
I have not thought about that in many years.
Richard in NW SC