How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

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

If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the home, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Pasadena that can get rid of the most set-in stains on concrete surfaces.

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mostly, oil from vehicles is the cause for stains on concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination. Some of the most typical ways 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, of course, there are a lot of other things that can leave an ugly oil stain on concrete. So let’s consider a few of the best DIY methods to remove those 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 a lot of oil that has to be dried up.

Sprinkle cat litter all over the oil stain, 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 for 24 hours so it will absorb as much as possible. Scrape it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat as necessary.

Throw away used litter so pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick from it.

Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning methods.

COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS

You might have heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coca-Cola to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is not true. But, Coca-Cola does have strong cleaning properties for greasy stains, partly because of its carbonated bubbles, but mainly because of the phosphoric acid in the soda.

Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola on top of 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 another common home cleaning remedy product.

To get rid of an oil stain on a driveway, you’ll first want 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 some of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous surface.

Then, add blue dishwashing liquid and water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, you can let this sit for maximum penetration, or you can continue to scrub in a circular motion, 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 clean off dirty stains on clothes. It’s also a great product for removing tough oil stains from concrete as well!

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

This is more of a gentle cleaning process, so it might be necessary to repeat the process one or two 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 thoroughly clean your concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a a little money. You can cause significant harm that is extremely complicated to repair if you don’t know how to properly pressure wash concrete. The high pressure water stream can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks that look almost as bad as the oil stains.

Hiring TruClean 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 levels to use to remove stains
• Which nozzle will penetrate concrete without damaging it
• The optimal distance to spray the concrete from
• Products that can help lighten stains

TruClean Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete little by little – 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 driveway so oil stains are less likely to happen again.