How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage whenever possible, and try to get rid of those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Rocklin that has the ability to get rid of the most set-in oil stains.
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 of engine fluids. Some of the most common ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, there are several other things that can leave an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY ways to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for new oil stains where there is excess oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, rest assured, that is a myth. But, Coke does have powerful cleaning properties for oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To get rid of 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 while, somewhere from 20 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for the best penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to get rid of dirty stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete as well!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add some water to make a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning process, so it could be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Rocklin
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for home remedies to remove. That’s when it is 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 few dollars. You can cause significant 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 create streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Rocklin Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels 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
Rocklin Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeownersdon’t have enough patience to do it correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company in Rocklin can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.