How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still fairly new. Try to avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway and in your garage when possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains right away, before they set in.
If the oil 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 Alpharetta that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from automobiles is the cause for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can create an ugly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s review some 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 excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil, getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s recommended 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 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.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning methods.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties for oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mainly 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 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 another common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to cover the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a while, anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent 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 the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to eliminate bad stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for removing bad oil stains from concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add some water to make 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 Alpharetta
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for 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 yourself to save a little money. You can cause major 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 that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling AGA Alpharetta Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
AGA Alpharetta Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Alpharetta can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.