How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the stains are still relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks 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 home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Concord that has the ability to remove even the most set-in stains on concrete.

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mainly, oil from automobiles is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the typical ways concrete gets stained are from:

• Servicing your own car
• Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
• A leak that should be checked out by a auto mechanic

But, of course, there are several other things that can create an ugly oil spot on concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY methods 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 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 stain for 24 hours so it will absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat if necessary.

Throw away 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, rest assured, that is a myth. That said, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties for 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 with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.

Rinse and repeat if you have to.

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 need to cover the stain with baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.

Then, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for the best penetration, or you can 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

Many homeowners already use this to clean off tough stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for removing tough oil stains on concrete as well!

Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture sit 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 may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a good chance it will work!

DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Concord

Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for home remedies to remove. That’s when it is time to call a professional pressure washing company to clean your home’s concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a little money. You can cause significant damage that is 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 Concord Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without damaging it, including:

• The right PSI and GPM levels to use to remove stains
• Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
• The best distance to spray the concrete from
• Products that can help lighten stains

Concord Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have enough patience to do it correctly. They want fast results.

A professional pressure washing company in Concord can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.