How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look bad, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil spots are fairly new. Avoid oil spots on your driveway and in your garage when possible, and try to eliminate those stains right away, before they really set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Fort Worth that is able to eliminate the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the reason for stains on concrete driveways. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the 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, of course, there are a lot of other things that can cause an unsightly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s explore some of the best DIY tips 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 spots where there is excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it will absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the following day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning methods.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is a myth. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, in part due to 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 accepted as the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate 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, somewhere from 30 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for the best penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like with 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 bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it entirely. 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 a gentle cleaning process, so it may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Fort Worth
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too tough for DIY home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a little money. You can cause major damage 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 leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling PRO Fort Worth Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without harming it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
PRO Fort Worth Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it correctly. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.