How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

Oil stains on driveways look bad, and age your home exterior, even if the stains are still relatively new. Try to avoid oil stains on your home’s driveway and in your garage when possible, and try to get rid of those stains fast, before they really set in.

If the stain has been there for a while, like from before you purchased the house, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Coral Springs that is able to get rid of the most set-in stains on concrete.

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mainly, oil from vehicles is the reason for oil-stained concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluid – or a combination of engine fluids. Some of the typical ways your concrete gets stained are from:

• Fixing your own car
• Filling up the gas in a lawn mower
• A leak that needs to be checked out by a auto mechanic

But, there are countless other things that can leave an unsightly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at some of the best DIY ways to remove those 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 cleaned up.

Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on it with your feet. It’s best 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 following day and repeat as necessary.

Throw away used litter so your 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 up the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. However, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.

Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (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 another common home cleaning remedy product.

To get rid of 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 20 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.

Next, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and some water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.

Just like with the Coca-Cola method, you might have to repeat the process.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS

Many homeowners already use this to remove bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for removing bad oil stains from concrete too!

Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You want to cover it completely. Let this 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 more of a gentle cleaning method, so it could be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!

DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Coral Springs

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 clean your home’s concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway on your own to save a few dollars. You can cause significant harm that is difficult to fix if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.

Hiring GPW Coral Springs Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. We know the best ways to clean concrete without ruining it, such as:

• The right PSI and GPM settings to use
• Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
• The correct distance to spray the concrete from
• Products that can help lighten stains

GPW Coral Springs 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 enough patience to do it correctly. They want fast results.

A professional pressure washing company in Coral Springs can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.