How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and ruin your home exterior, even if the stains are still fairly new. Try to avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Franklin that can eliminate the most set-in stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from cars is the cause for oil-stained concrete. This might be oil, gas 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 gas in a lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, there are several other things that can cause an ugly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at 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 fresh oil stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain, really 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 will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat as necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and 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 processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably 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 for oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
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 blue dishwashing liquid and some water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for optimal penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to eliminate bad stains on clothing. It’s actually a great option 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 sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Franklin
Some concrete 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 clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a few dollars. You can cause significant damage that is extremely difficult to repair if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring AllPro Franklin Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
AllPro Franklin Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it correctly. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Franklin can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.