How to Remove Oil Stains on Driveways
Oil stains on driveways look awful, and ruin your home exterior, even if the spots are fairly new. Try to avoid oil spots on your home’s driveway and in your garage if possible, and attempt to get rid of those stains right away, before they really set in.
If the stain has been there for a long time, like from before you purchased the house, you might need the help of a local driveway cleaning service in Inglewood that can get rid of the most set-in stains on concrete.
Where Do Concrete Oil Stains Come From?
Mainly, oil from automobiles is the cause for stains on concrete. This might be oil, gasoline or transmission fluids – or a combination of fluids. Some of the most common ways concrete gets stained are from:
- Fixing your own car
- Filling up the lawn mower
- A leak that needs to be checked out by a auto mechanic
But, there are many other things that can create an ugly oil spot on concrete. So let’s explore 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 new oil spots where there is excess oil that has to be cleaned up.
Sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain, really getting it down into the stain by crushing it with your feet. It’s recommended to leave the litter on the stain overnight so it will absorb as much as possible. Scoop it up or sweep it off of the driveway the following day and repeat as necessary.
Throw away used litter so pets and nearby wildlife don’t eat it and get sick.
Then you can proceed with one of the following do-it-yourself cleaning techniques.
COCA-COLA FOR OIL STAINS
You’ve probably 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 powerful cleaning properties when it comes to oily stains, in part due to its carbonated bubbles, but mainly from the phosphoric acid in the soda.
Pour a good amount of Coca-Cola on the oil stain, then cover it with dishwashing detergent (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 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 30 minutes to a few hours. This should absorb most of the oil and allow the baking soda to penetrate the porous concrete.
Next, add that famous blue dishwashing soap and water and scrub hard until there is 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 the Coca-Cola method, you might need to repeat the process.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR OIL STAINS
Many homeowners already use this to clean off bad stains on clothes. It’s actually a great option for getting rid of tough oil stains on concrete too!
Combine powdered laundry detergent and borax in equal parts based on the size of the stain. You will want to cover it completely. Let this dry mixture stay on the oil stain for an hour or more, then add water to create a paste, scrub and rinse.
This is a gentle cleaning method, so it might be necessary to repeat the process two or three times. But there is a possibility it will work!
DRIVEWAY CLEANING IN Inglewood
Some oil stains on a driveway are too difficult for DIY home remedies. That’s when it may be time to call a professional pressure washing company to thoroughly 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 difficult to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing. The high pressure water can break and loosen concrete, and it can create streaks on a driveway that look almost as bad as the oil stains.
Calling Inglewood Pressure Washing is definitely the best choice. Our technicians know the best ways to clean concrete without harming 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
Inglewood 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 correctly. They want immediate results.
A professional pressure washing company can also provide protective sealing services for driveway so oil stains are less likely to occur.