After changing the oil in your car, you may decide that you would like to recycle the old oil at a nearby center. However, since you may not be able to take it to the center within the next week or so, you will have to find a way to store the oil. If so, use the following tips for storing your used motor oil before taking it to a recycling center.

Use Your Old Bottles to Store the Oil

One problem you may come across while trying to store your used motor oil is deciding what containers to use. Especially if you are taking the oil away from recycling, you cannot put it in anything that could contaminate the oil, such as food or other fluids. And, unless you run an auto shop, you probably do not have a specialty container for storing used oil.

A simple solution to your problem is to use the bottles that contained your new oil which are now empty after the oil change. Not only do you not have to worry about contamination or chemical reactions by mixing the oil with other fluids like antifreeze or brake fluid, you already know that the containers will stand up to the motor oil.

When filling the bottles, use a funnel when pouring the oil from the drainage pan to reduce the risk of spilling. If you do spill some oil on the ground, have a small bag of kitty litter nearby so that you can soak up the oil before it has a chance to contaminate the surface.

Keep the Containers away from Any Heat Source

Once you have filled your bottles, you will need to find a place to put them until you can make it to the recycling center. When selecting a location, make sure you choose a dark place out of the sun that does not have any heat source nearby.

While oil is designed to withstand the intense heat radiating from your car's engine, it can be flammable and combustible when placed next to a direct heat source. Find a dark, cool corner of your garage or shed to put the bottles so that they are out of the way and away from anything that generates heat.

Using the above tips can help you safely store your used motor oil until you are ready to dispose of it. For more information, contact a recycling center, like Denver Used oil, that accepts used oils to see if there are additional things you need to do before taking in your motor oil.

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