How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and age your home exterior, even if the spots are relatively new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and try to remove those stains fast, before they 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 Fullerton that is able to remove even the most set-in stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from cars is the reason for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the common ways your concrete gets stained are from:
- Servicing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that should be checked out by a mechanic
But, of course, there are many other things that can create an unsightly oil stain on your concrete. So let’s explore some 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 spots where there is excess oil that needs to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter all over the oil stain, getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the stain for 24 hours so it can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off the next 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 techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. That said, Coca-Cola does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coca-Cola on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing soap (Blue Dawn is widely considered the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common home cleaning remedy ingredient.
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 little bit, somewhere from 20 minutes to two or three hours. This should absorb some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for optimal penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.
Just like with the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Most homeowners already use this to get rid of dirty stains on clothing. It’s actually a great product for removing tough oil stains on concrete as well!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You will 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 a gentle cleaning method, so it may be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Fullerton
Some oil stains on a driveway are just 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 damage that is extremely complicated to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks on a driveway that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Fullerton Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. Our technicians know the best methods to clean concrete without harming it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Fullerton 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 correctly. They want fast results.
A professional pressure washing company can also offer protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.