How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to eliminate those stains fast, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before purchasing the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Louisville that can eliminate the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the reason for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gas or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are countless other things that can create an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at 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 stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, 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 will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then 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 not true. But, Coca-Cola does have powerful cleaning properties for 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 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 throughout.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular home cleaning remedy product.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Then, add blue dishwashing liquid and 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 the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to get rid of dirty stains on clothes. It’s actually a great product for removing bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to make 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 Louisville
Some oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies. 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 few dollars. You can cause significant damage 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 create streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Louisville Pressure Wash Plus is definitely the safe choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Louisville Pressure Wash Plus also follows all of the steps 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 fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Louisville can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.