How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains right away, 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 Roseville that has the ability to eliminate 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, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most 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, there are a lot of other things that can cause an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at a few 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 stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil stain, 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 will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so 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 processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. However, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola on 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 throughout.
Rinse and repeat if needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 20 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 liquid and some water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to eliminate bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will 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 rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning process, so it might be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Roseville
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too tough for DIY 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 yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause major damage that is extremely 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 Roseville Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Roseville Pressure Washing 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 correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.