How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the stains are relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage if possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains right away, before they set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in The Woodlands that can get rid of even the most set-in stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the reason for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most common 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, there are a lot of other things that can cause an unsightly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY tips to remove those 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 excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself 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 powerful 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 Coca-Cola on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common home cleaning remedy product.
To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a while, somewhere from 30 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub 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 need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to wash off tough stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning process, so it could be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN The Woodlands
Some oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies. That’s when it may be 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 a little money. You can cause major harm that is extremely complicated to repair if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks on a driveway that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Woodlands Pressure Wash Plus is definitely the smart choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Woodlands Pressure Wash Plus also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company in The Woodlands can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.