How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the spots are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains right away, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Overland Park that can eliminate the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from vehicles is the reason for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most typical ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can create an ugly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY tips to remove those stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for fresh oil spots where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the stain for 24 hours so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the next day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away 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 concrete cleaning methods.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. However, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties for oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub 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 with the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the 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 create a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it could be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Overland Park
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for DIY home remedies to remove. 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 little money. You can cause major harm that is extremely complicated to fix if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Overland Park Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Overland Park Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company in Overland Park can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.