How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the oil spots are still fairly new. Avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to eliminate those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Garden Grove that can eliminate even the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from vehicles is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most typical 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, there are several other things that can create an unsightly oil spot on concrete. So let’s review a few of the best DIY tips to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for fresh oil spots where there is a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Next you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning tips.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. But, Coca-Cola does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
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 the baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 30 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 soap and water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for optimal penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like with the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to remove tough stains on clothing. It’s actually a great option for removing bad oil stains from 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 completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to create a paste, scrub and then 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 possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Garden Grove
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause significant damage that is extremely difficult 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 almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Garden Grove Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without ruining 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
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Garden Grove 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 the patience to do it correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.