How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the spots are fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when possible, and try to eliminate those stains fast, before they set in.
If the stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Smithtown that has the ability to eliminate the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from vehicles is the reason for oil-stained concrete driveways. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most typical ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, there are several other things that can leave an unsightly oil spot on concrete. So let’s explore a few of the best DIY ways to remove those stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for fresh oil spots where there is excess oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil, getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Next you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning processes.
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. That said, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola 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 needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to coat the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, somewhere 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 surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for maximum penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like 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 get rid of tough stains on clothing. It’s also a great product for removing tough 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 entirely. Let this mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Smithtown
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 thoroughly clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause significant harm that is difficult to fix if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Smithtown Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without destroying it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Smithtown 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 the patience to do it correctly. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company in Smithtown can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.