How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still relatively new. Avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage when possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains fast, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Pearland that has the ability to eliminate the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the common ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing 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 leave an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s explore some of the best DIY ways to remove those oil 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 a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours so it will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the next day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then 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 up the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. But, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, in part due to 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 liquid (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if needed.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another common home cleaning remedy product.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a while, anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub hard 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 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 remove bad stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete too!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to create 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 Pearland
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for DIY home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause major damage that is extremely difficult to fix 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 that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling PRO Pearland Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
PRO Pearland Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the patience to do it right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.