How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the stains are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains quickly, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Warwick that can eliminate even the most set-in stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from vehicles is the cause for stains on concrete driveways. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the typical ways your 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 auto mechanic
But, of course, there are a lot of other things that can cause an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY methods 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 has to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all 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 the following day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning techniques.
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 strong cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common 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 while, anywhere from 20 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 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 motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to remove bad stains on clothing. It’s actually a great option for removing bad oil stains on concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to make a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning method, 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 Warwick
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for 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 yourself to save a little money. You can cause significant damage that is extremely 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 Warwick Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without ruining it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Warwick Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.