How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and ruin your home exterior, even if the stains are relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to remove those stains right away, before they set in.
If the 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 Sandy Springs that has the ability to remove even the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gas or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most typical ways 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, there are countless other things that can create an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY ways to remove those 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 over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning processes.
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 a myth. However, Coke does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, in part due to 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 soap (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 remove an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for maximum penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like 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 clean off tough stains on clothing. It’s actually a great option for removing tough oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this dry 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 could be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Sandy Springs
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for home remedies to remove. That’s when it is time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a few dollars. You can cause major harm that is extremely difficult to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Sandy Springs Pressure WashCo. is definitely the smart choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without damaging it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Sandy Springs Pressure WashCo. 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 right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.