How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the stains are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains right away, before they set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Hawthorne that is able to eliminate even the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the most typical ways 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 many other things that can cause an unsightly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY methods to remove those stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for fresh oil stains where there is excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil, 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 of the driveway the following day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Next you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning tips.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is a myth. But, Coke 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 Coke on top of 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 throughout.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular 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 then let it sit for a while, anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to clean off dirty stains on clothing. It’s actually a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Hawthorne
Some oil stains on a driveway are too tough for DIY 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 on your own to save a a little money. You can cause significant harm that is extremely complicated to repair 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 just as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Hawthorne Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.