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 driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to remove those stains right away, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Smyrna that is able to remove the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from automobiles is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the most common ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can cause an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY tips 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 excess oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil, really 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 absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby 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 methods.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. However, Coke 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 generous amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another popular home cleaning remedy product.
To remove an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 30 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 water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to get rid of bad stains on clothing. It’s also a great product for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to make a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Smyrna
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too tough for DIY home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be 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 difficult to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Supreme Smyrna Pressure Wash is definitely the best choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Supreme Smyrna Pressure Wash also follows all of the steps it takes 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 provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.