How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still fairly new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains fast, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Chesapeake that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, of course, there are countless other things that can leave an ugly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY ways to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for fresh oil stains where there is excess oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil, 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 can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so your 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 Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. However, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular home cleaning remedy product.
To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to coat the stain with the baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 20 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like with the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to remove tough stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for removing tough oil stains on concrete too!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to make 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 good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Chesapeake
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for home remedies. That’s when it is 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 few dollars. You can cause significant damage that is extremely complicated to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Chesapeake Pressure Wash Plus is definitely the smart choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Chesapeake Pressure Wash Plus also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.