How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the oil stains are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage whenever possible, and attempt to remove 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 house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service inSan Bernardino that has the ability to remove the most set-in oil stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from vehicles is the cause for stains on concrete driveways. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most typical ways 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 countless other things that can cause an ugly oil stain on concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY ways to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for fresh oil stains where there is a lot of oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil, really getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the oil stain for 24 hours so it absorbs as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Next you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. But, Coke does have strong cleaning properties when it comes to greasy 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 liquid (Blue Dawn is widely considered 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 common home cleaning remedy product.
To remove an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a while, somewhere from 15 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, you can let this sit for the best penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might have to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete as well!
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 mixture sit 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 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 San Bernardino
Some oil stains on a driveway are too tough for DIY home remedies to remove. That’s when it is time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly 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 complicated to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling San Bernardino Pressure Washing is definitely the smart choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without harming it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The best distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
San Bernardino Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company in San Bernardino can also offer protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.