How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the oil spots are fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when possible, and attempt to eliminate those stains fast, before they set in.
If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before purchasing the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Savannah that can eliminate even the most set-in oil stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the reason for oil-stained concrete driveways. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the most 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, there are several other things that can leave an ugly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s consider a few of the best DIY tips to remove those oil stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a simple first step for new oil spots where there is excess oil that needs to be dried up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s best to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the next day and repeat as 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 concrete cleaning processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. That said, Coke does have powerful cleaning properties for oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if necessary.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is another popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with the baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, anywhere 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 surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub 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 motion, then rinse.
Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to eliminate tough stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete as well!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this dry 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 method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Savannah
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for 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 few dollars. You can cause significant damage that is extremely difficult to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Savannah Pressure WashTech is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without harming it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Products that can help lighten stains
Savannah Pressure WashTech also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete– the most effective method. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have enough patience to do it right. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company in Savannah can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.