How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look terrible, and tarnish your home exterior, even if the stains are fairly new. Avoid oil stains on your driveway and in your garage if 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 purchasing the home, you may need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Somerville that can get rid of even the most set-in stains on concrete surfaces.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from cars is the reason for stains on concrete. This might be oil, gas or transmission fluid – or a combination. Some of the typical 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 auto mechanic
But, of course, there are several other things that can leave an unsightly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s review a few of the best DIY tips to remove those stains!
DIY Oil Stain Removal Tips
CAT LITTER FOR OIL STAINS
Cat litter is a easy first step for fresh oil stains where there is a lot of oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by stomping on 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 of the driveway the next day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so your pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.
Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself concrete 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 a myth. However, Coca-Cola does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good 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 with a stiff brush, using circular motions.
Rinse and repeat if you have to.
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 need to cover the stain with baking soda and then let it sit for a little bit, anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.
Then, add that famous blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub until you have created a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular pattern, then rinse.
Just like the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process one or two times.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to eliminate dirty stains on clothes. It’s also a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains on concrete as well!
Stir powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts according to the size of the stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to make a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning process, so it could be necessary to repeat the process one or two times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Somerville
Some concrete oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies to remove. 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 yourself to save a little money. You can cause significant damage that is difficult to fix if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can leave streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Somerville Pressure Washing is definitely the safe choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without damaging it, including:
- The right PSI and GPM levels to use
- Which nozzle tip will penetrate concrete without damaging it
- The correct distance to spray the concrete from
- Solutions that can help lighten stains
Somerville Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners don’t have the patience to do it right. They want quick results.
A professional pressure washing company can also provide protective sealing services for your driveway so oil stains are less likely in the future.