How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil spots are fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your driveway and in your garage when possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains right away, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Fishers that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in oil stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from vehicles is the cause for stains on concrete driveways. This could be oil, gas 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 gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, 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 new oil spots where there is excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat as 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 techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably 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 when it comes to oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of 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 necessary.
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 need to coat the stain with baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 30 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub 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 need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to remove tough stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for removing tough oil stains on concrete too!
Combine 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 mixture stay 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 may be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Fishers
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult 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 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 just as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Fishers Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Fishers Pressure Washing 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 quick results.
A professional pressure washing company in Fishers can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.