How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the oil stains are fairly new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage whenever possible, and try to get rid of those stains quickly, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Grapevine that can get rid of the most set-in oil stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the common ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, of course, there are a lot of other things that can create an ugly oil spot on concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY methods to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for new oil stains where there is excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning tips.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (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 get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a while, somewhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to remove bad stains on clothes. It’s also a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Grapevine
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a little money. You can cause significant harm that is difficult to repair 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 just as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Grapevine Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without harming it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Grapevine Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have enough patience to do it correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.