How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and ruin your home exterior, even if the spots are still relatively new. Avoid oil spots on your driveway and in your garage if possible, and attempt to remove those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Sammamish 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 stains on concrete driveways. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the most common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, there are a lot of other things that can cause an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY methods to remove those 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 excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil, 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 stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Next you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is a myth. However, Coke 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 good amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely considered 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 another common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To remove an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to coat the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a while, anywhere 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.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to clean off dirty stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete too!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to create a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning process, so it could be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Sammamish
Some oil stains on a driveway are too tough for home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be 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 a little money. You can cause major damage that is difficult to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Sammamish Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Sammamish Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it right. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company in Sammamish can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.