How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

oil stain on driveway

Oil stains on driveways look bad, and ruin your home exterior, even if the oil spots are still fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains quickly, before they set in.

If the oil stain has been there for a while, like from before purchasing the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Huntsville that is able to get rid of even the most set-in oil stains.

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mostly, oil from cars is the cause for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most typical ways 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 create an unsightly oil spot on concrete. So let’s explore a few of the best DIY ways to remove those oil stains!

DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips

CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS

Cat litter is a easy 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 crushing it with your feet. It’s a good idea to leave the litter on the oil stain overnight so it absorbs as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off 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 proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning techniques.

COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS

You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. However, 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 the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (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 ingredient.

To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want to coat the stain with the baking soda and let it sit for a little bit, somewhere from 30 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.

Then, add that famous 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 pattern, then rinse.

Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS

Most homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for removing tough oil stains on concrete as well!

Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add some water to create a paste, scrub and then rinse.

This is 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 Huntsville

Some 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 clean your home’s concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a a little money. You can cause major harm 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 just as bad as the oil stains.

Hiring PRO Huntsville Pressure Wash is definitely the safe choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without destroying it, such as:

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

PRO Huntsville Pressure Wash also follows all of the steps it takes to clean the concrete little by little – the most effective method. Most homeownersdon’t have enough patience to do it right. They want fast results.

A professional pressure washing company in Huntsville can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.

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