How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the oil stains are relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage whenever possible, and try to eliminate those stains right away, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Springfield that can eliminate the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from cars is the reason for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the common 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 several other things that can cause an ugly oil stain on concrete. So let’s explore 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 simple first step for new oil stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours 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 wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can proceed 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, be assured, that is not true. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coke 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 a common home cleaning remedy product.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with the baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Then, add blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to eliminate bad stains on clothes. It’s also a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete too!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to make a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Springfield
Some oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause significant harm that is extremely difficult to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Supreme Springfield Pressure Wash is definitely the smart choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Supreme Springfield 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 the patience to do it correctly. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Springfield can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.