How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage if possible, and try to eliminate those stains quickly, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Alexandria that is able to eliminate the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the typical ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are many other things that can create an unsightly oil spot on concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY tips to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for fresh oil stains where there is a lot of oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours so it can absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common home cleaning remedy product.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with the baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 30 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 blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for the best penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to get rid of bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for removing bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Alexandria
Some oil stains on a driveway are too tough for home remedies to remove. 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 difficult to repair if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling AllClean Alexandria Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
AllClean Alexandria Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it correctly. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.