How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and ruin your home exterior, even if the spots are still relatively new. Avoid oil spots on your driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to get rid of those stains right away, before they set in.
If the stain has been there for a while, like from before purchasing the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Arlington that can get rid of even the most set-in stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the cause for oil-stained concrete driveways. This could be oil, gas or transmission fluids – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the typical ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the gas in a 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 spot on your concrete. So let’s consider 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 simple first step for fresh oil spots where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil, getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so your 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 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 not true. That said, Coke does have strong cleaning properties for greasy 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 liquid (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another common home cleaning remedy product.
To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, 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, let this sit for maximum penetration, or 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 dirty stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this 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 process, so it could be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Arlington
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for DIY home remedies to remove. That’s when it is 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 significant harm that is extremely complicated to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks on a driveway that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Arlington Power Washing is definitely the best choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without harming it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Arlington Power Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.