How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the stains are still fairly new. Avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway and in your garage whenever possible, and try to eliminate those stains fast, before they really set in.
If the 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 Pompano Beach that is able to eliminate even the most set-in 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 fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the typical ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic
But, there are countless other things that can create an ugly oil stain on concrete. So let’s explore some of the best DIY tips to remove those stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for new oil stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat if necessary.
Get rid of used litter so pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can proceed 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 Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. However, Coca-Cola 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 Coca-Cola on 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.
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 let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb a lot of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and some water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for maximum penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to remove tough stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for removing tough oil stains from concrete too!
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 mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add some water to make a paste, scrub and then rinse.
This is more of a gentle cleaning method, so it could be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Pompano Beach
Some oil stains on a driveway are too tough for DIY home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly clean your home’s concrete surfaces.
We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a little money. You can cause significant harm that is complicated 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 just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Pompano Beach Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without destroying it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Pompano Beach Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.