How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways

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

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

Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?

Mainly, 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 countless other things that can leave an ugly oil spot on your concrete. So let’s look at 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 simple first step for new oil stains where there is excess oil that has to be cleaned up.

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

Get rid of used litter so your pets and wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.

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

COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS

You’ve probably heard urban legends about accident clean-up crews using Coke to clean up the roads, but, rest assured, that is a myth. That said, Coke does have powerful cleaning properties when it comes to greasy stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mostly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.

Pour a good amount of Coke on top of the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing liquid (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 another popular home cleaning remedy ingredient.

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

Then, add that famous blue dishwashing detergent and water and scrub hard until there is a thick paste. Again, let this sit for optimal penetration, or continue to scrub in a circular motion, then rinse.

Just like the Coke method, you might need to repeat the process.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS

Many homeowners already use this to remove dirty stains on clothes. It’s also a great product for getting rid of bad oil stains from concrete as well!

Mix powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the oil stain. You want to cover it entirely. Let this dry mixture sit on the oil stain for an hour or longer, then add water to create 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 Milpitas

Some concrete 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 concrete surfaces.

We don’t recommend pressure washing your driveway yourself to save a few dollars. You can cause major damage that is 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 that look almost as bad as the oil stains.

Hiring Milpitas Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. We know the best methods to clean concrete without damaging it, such as:

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

Milpitas Pressure Washing also follows all of the steps to clean the concrete– the most effective process. Most homeowners and other companies don’t have the patience to do it right. They want immediate results.

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