How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the stains are relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage if possible, and try to eliminate those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Arlington that can eliminate even the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from cars is the cause for oil-stained concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the common ways your 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 many other things that can create an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s review a few of the best DIY ways 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 a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter 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 stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the next day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so your 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 cleaning tips.
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, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mainly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (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 common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like 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 bad stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete too!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning process, 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 Arlington
Some 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 clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a a little money. You can cause major harm that is extremely complicated to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. 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 AllClean Arlington 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 optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
AllClean Arlington Pressure Wash also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the patience to do it correctly. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company in Arlington can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.