How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the oil spots are relatively new. Avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when 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 purchasing the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Wesley Chapel that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from automobiles is the reason for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, there are a lot of other things that can create 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 spots where there is excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the next day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Next you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. But, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mostly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to coat the stain with baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing liquid and some water and scrub hard until there is 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 the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to remove dirty stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of tough 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 completely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning process, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Wesley Chapel
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too tough 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 little money. You can cause major 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 create streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring WOW! Wesley Chapel Pressure Wash is definitely the best choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without destroying 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
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
WOW! Wesley Chapel Pressure Wash also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the 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 in the future.