How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the oil stains are relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage if possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains quickly, before they really set in.

If the oil stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in St Petersburg that can get rid of the most set-in oil stains.

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mainly, oil from cars is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the most typical ways your 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 mechanic

But, there are several other things that can create an unsightly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at a few of the best DIY methods to remove those oil stains!

DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips

CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS

Cat litter is a easy first step for new oil stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.

Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil stain, really 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 absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat as necessary.

Throw away used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.

Next you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete cleaning methods.

COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS

You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. However, Coke does have powerful cleaning properties for greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mostly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.

Pour a good amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub 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 get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.

Next, add blue dishwashing detergent 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 motion, then rinse.

Just like with the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS

Many homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains from 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 stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to make a paste, scrub and rinse.

This is more of 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 St Petersburg

Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too tough for home remedies to remove. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to clean your concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a little money. You can cause major harm that is 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 that look almost as bad as the oil stains.

Calling St. Pete’s Pressure WashCo. is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without damaging it, including:

• The right PSI and GPM levels to use to remove stains
• Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
• The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
• Solutions that can help lighten stains

St. Pete’s Pressure WashCo. also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it correctly. They want immediate results.

A professional pressure washing company in St Petersburg can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.