How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the oil spots are still fairly new. Avoid oil spots on your driveway and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Chandler that can eliminate the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the cause for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the typical ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are many other things that can cause an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY methods to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for new oil spots where there is excess oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mainly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a while, somewhere from 20 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for maximum penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to wash off dirty stains on clothing. It’s also a great product for removing bad oil stains on concrete too!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning process, so it might be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Chandler
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause major harm that is extremely difficult to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Chandler Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Chandler Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.