How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and age your home exterior, even if the spots are fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway, sidewalks and in your garage when possible, and try to eliminate those stains quickly, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before purchasing the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Pasadena that can eliminate the most set-in stains.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mostly, oil from automobiles is the cause for stains on concrete. This could be oil, gas or transmission fluid – 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 auto mechanic
But, there are countless other things that can cause an unsightly oil stain 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 easy first step for fresh oil spots where there is a lot of oil that has to be cleaned 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 stain overnight so it can absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the next day and repeat if necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can follow up with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning processes.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean the roads, but, be assured, that is not true. However, Coke does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a generous amount of Coke on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (Blue Dawn is widely accepted as the most effective). Scrub hard with a stiff brush, using circular motions throughout.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
BAKING SODA FOR OIL STAINS
Baking soda is a common home cleaning remedy product.
To eliminate an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first need to cover 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 some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Next, add blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub hard until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for maximum penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, 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 remove bad stains on clothing. It’s also a great option for removing tough oil stains from concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this 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 might be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a good chance it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Pasadena
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 yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause significant harm that is extremely difficult to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks that look just as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Pasadena Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without harming it, such as:
- The right PSI and GPM settings to use to remove stains
- Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without chipping it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Pasadena Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps 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 Pasadena can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.