How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and age your home exterior, even if the stains are still 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 you purchased the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Auburn that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from vehicles is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of engine fluids. 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 should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are countless other things that can create an unsightly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s review some 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 new oil stains where there is excess oil that has to be dried up.
Sprinkle the 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 absorbs as much as possible. Scoop 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 from it.
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 Coca-Cola to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. However, Coca-Cola does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on 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.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another popular home cleaning remedy product.
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 little bit, somewhere from 20 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for maximum penetration, or you can 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
Most homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothes. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete as well!
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 dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to make a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Auburn
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too tough 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 on your own to save a a little money. You can cause major damage that is extremely complicated 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 just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Auburn Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging 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
- Products that can help lighten stains
Auburn Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company in Auburn can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.