How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil spots are fairly new. Avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway, sidewalks 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 purchasing the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Temple that can get rid of the most set-in oil stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from vehicles is the cause for stains on concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, there are many other things that can create an ugly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s review some of the best DIY methods 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 spots where there is excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it can absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself 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, rest assured, that is a myth. However, Coke does have powerful 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 accepted as 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 get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, anywhere 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 detergent and water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for maximum penetration, or 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 remove bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for removing bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Temple
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a a little money. You can cause significant damage that is complicated to repair if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Temple Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Temple 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 fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Temple can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.