How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and ruin your home exterior, even if the stains are relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to get rid of those stains quickly, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a while, like from before purchasing the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Irving that has the ability to get rid of even the most set-in stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from vehicles is the reason for stains on concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can cause an ugly 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 new oil stains where there is excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle cat litter over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it will 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 nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Next 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 Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. However, Coca-Cola 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 good amount of Coca-Cola on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (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 while, somewhere from 15 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and water and scrub until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to clean off dirty stains on clothes. It’s actually a great product for removing bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You will want to cover it entirely. Let this mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add 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 good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Irving
Some oil stains on a driveway are just too difficult for DIY home remedies. 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 yourself to save a little money. You can cause significant damage that is extremely difficult to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Hiring Irving Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Irving Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.