How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the spots are still fairly new. Avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway and in your garage when possible, and attempt to remove those stains quickly, before they set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Hollywood that is able to remove even the most set-in stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the cause for stains on concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the 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 auto mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can create an unsightly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s explore 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 spots 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 recommended to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway 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 follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete 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. That said, Coke 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 good amount of Coke on 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 throughout.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another common home cleaning remedy product.
To remove an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to coat the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a while, somewhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for maximum penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need 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 product for removing tough oil stains from concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to 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 then rinse.
This is 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 Hollywood
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for 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 little money. You can cause major harm 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 leave streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling TLC Hollywood Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without harming it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
TLC Hollywood Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Hollywood can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.