Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Shipping full motor oil cans

I sometimes have full quart motor oil cans I ship thru the post office. They always ask if it is hazardous, is this a hazardous thing to ship? If I take out the oil I devalue it alot for those who collect full cans. I double box and wrap it so there is no leak and send priority.

I addition to double boxing, I usually saran wrap and zip lock bag the oil can and wrap that in a good padding of foam or bubble wrap.

USPS will answer that question Best.
Every time you mail a full can thru USPS, they ask if package contains anything Hazardous & you say NO, your lying!
Playing dummy & saying "I didn't know" AIN'T an excuse to them, you can be held liable for any damage incurred to their machines, other packages & the cleanup.

I always tell them it is motor oil and they mark it on the box. I have had no problem yet.

Ship it UPS, they dont ask.

I have shipped a ton of Full Quart Oil Cans through the USPS and never had a Issue. I have gotten more empty cans in the mail that were never rinsed out that have seeped through shipping boxes and the post office still says nothing when I pick them up. So if you are going to ship a can that has been drained rinse it out with Hot Water and a little dish soap, the buyer will be happy you did this.

I have shipped a ton of full cans and have never been asked about the contents

Must be a California thing. I've shipped a thousand cans and never once asked about hazardous contents. It's posted on the wall at USPS, UPS and FEDEX.

I just shipped a bunch of full 1 quts. to Canada & Scotland,via USPS...I had to go USPS.
Both buyers asked I not drain,as they wanted them full.
I wrapped all with saran wrap,then bubble wrap.

The girl @ USPS,said.."Anything Hazardous,Liquid or Perishable?"
I said "No".
She asked me what it was,I said Motor oil quts.
She said,please tell me you wrapped them well.
I said I did,and she said there shouldn't be a problem,and there wasn't.

You're not suppose to ship mercury filled thermometers via USPS either.

Jamie

I don't really think it's a California thing, they ask at my post office here in Ohio as well. I think it's probably standard procedure to ask but some postal workers don't for whatever reason. When I tell them it's a qt. of motor oil they don't get overly concerned though. Just my experience. ;;;;;;;;;;Ron

They ask the same thing here in Virginia.

Jamie

I received this Veedol grease can today in the mail... As you can see it leaked just a touch.... The box smelled like... well like 70+ year old grease. The USPS had no problem with delivering it, nor was there a note on the box.... My carrier did mention the aroma emitting from the box, though.... LOL



Not to hi-jack the thread.... the can cleaned up pretty well... Top right hand can.....

I've got several looks like that. Post office puts them in bag and sends them on. Brake fluid can other day, perfect when I bought it,by the time it got here red signage was pink.If they have been opened I ask them to empty ,some do some don't. Some I have just stopped bidding on.

You are allowed to send motor oil, handy oil through the USPS. I recommend placing the can inside a ziplock bag and packing it well in a box. Padded envelopes = bad idea.

Also, as info, you are allowed to send aerosol cans (spray paint)through the USPS. You have to send them Parcel Post, not Priority or Express.