How to Remove Oil Stains from Driveway

As a homeowner, you must have encountered pesky dark oil stains on your concrete driveway at least once in your life. While a little dirt and stains on your driveway are normal, the real problem arises when they are dark and blotchy, making the entire area look dirty. A dirty driveway stained with motor oil and oil drips also reduces your home’s curb appeal and makes it look uninviting. So, if you are considering selling your house, cleaning the oil spills that have accumulated over the years is a must.

Fortunately, cleaning oil stains from a driveway is a pretty straightforward process if you follow the instructions given below.

How to Know Which Cleaning Method to Use

The method used for removing oil stains from your driveway will depend on the size and age of the oil stain. While cleaning small oil stains that are relatively new is a straightforward process, removing larger and older stains may take some time.

Let us look at how the size and age of an oil stain determine which method you need to use.

The Size of the Oil Stain

The size of the oil stain will play a vital role when determining which cleaning method you must use to clean oil stains from your concrete driveway. If the size of the oil stain is small, cat litter will do the job. Experts suggest that to remove smaller oil stains, you simply need to sprinkle some cat litter on the oil stain and let it sit overnight. The next day, you just need to sweep the litter with a hard-bristled brush and viola! The stains will be gone!

On the other hand, if you are dealing with monster-sized stains, you may have to take out your heavy artillery. Powered laundry detergent, dish soap, baking soda, and a stiff-bristled brush are your best weapons of choice. Give the stains a good rub by pouring baking soda, laundry detergent, and dish soap. Baking soda acts as a mild alkali that dissolves dirt and grease, whereas laundry detergent and dish soap are formulated to cut grease. Together, they are a winning combination to clean large oil stains effectively.

The Age of the Oil Stain

The method of oil stain removal will also depend on the age of the stain. If the stain is new, cat litter will do the job. As mentioned in the above paragraph, you just sprinkle the litter, let it sit for a night and brush it off with a brush the next day.

However, for the stains that have been on your driveway or garage floor for a long time, you will need something more heavy-duty, like a powdered detergent, dish soap, or baking soda. Many people also believe that pouring Coca-Cola directly on the stain can help remove oil spills. Therefore, if you have a bottle lying around your house, you can use this method as well to remove grease and dirt from your driveway.

How to Address Fresh Oil Stains on a Driveway

Getting rid of oil stains from your concrete driveway can be challenging because concrete is a tough material that retains dirt very easily. Moreover, concrete is very porous, so even if a single drop of oil is spilled on the surface, it quickly absorbs it. However, there are some ways that can help remove fresh oil stains on a driveway. The following are a few of them:

Eliminate Excess Oil Immediately

To effectively remove oil stains from the driveway, you have to start by removing the excess oil. For this task, cat litter is the best option because it is an ultra-absorbent material that can easily eliminate excess oil. All you need to do is sprinkle the cat litter over the oil stain and let it sit overnight. The litter will soak the excess oil, leaving you with a light stain.

Scrub the Oil Stain With a Baking Soda or Detergent Paste

Once the cat litter has absorbed the excess oil, you must apply a paste of baking soda or powdered laundry detergent on top to remove oil stains. Apply a generous amount of the paste and give it a good scrub, then rinse it off with clean water.

Gently Wash With a Brush and Soap

After you have rinsed the paste, you can wash the area with a brush and dish soap that is specially made to cut grease. Squirt some dish soap on the stain and scrub it well with the help of a heavy-duty brush. Repeat the process until you see that the oil stain has been completely removed.

How to Address Old Oil Stains on a Driveway

Older oil stains are slightly more complicated to remove because they have been sitting on your driveway for a longer time. But having said that, it is not impossible to remove these stains; they just need a little more effort. Let us look at the ways you can remove old oil stains:

Removing Oil With a Detergent

Using detergent to remove oil stains from the driveway can be very effective. A strong detergent solution with warm water can remove oil stains in no time. Make a paste of detergent and water and let it marinate on the stains for some time. Now, rigorously scrub the area with the help of a brush and rinse the area with your garden hose, and your driveway is new again.

Using Concrete Cleaner or Degreaser

Concrete cleaner or degreaser is the superhero when it comes to cleaning oil stains from your driveway or garage floor. You can easily find a degreaser at your local hardware store, which you can use to get rid of oil stains. This cleaning solution is specifically made to remove oil stains from any hard surface, such as your concrete driveway.

Moreover, if you have a hard time removing the old stains, you can spill some cat litter on top of the oil spill and let it soak the excess oil and then give the area a good scrubbing with the help of a degreaser.

Cleaning Oil Stains With a Poultice

Oil stains from a driveway can also be removed with a mixture of poultices along with a powerful degreaser. Slather this concoction over the oil leak on the concrete driveway and watch the magic unfold. Moreover, if the stains are too tough, you can cover the paste with a plastic wrap and let it sit overnight for maximum results.

Use Microorganisms to Get Oil Out of Driveway

There are some single-celled microorganisms that can be placed on top of oil stains to remove them. These microorganisms eat the oil particles, leaving you with fewer unsightly stains.

Using microorganisms is a relatively new way of removing oil stains from a concrete driveway, but it is very effective. These organisms have microbial or enzymatic properties that are designed to remove oil stains. They work by feasting on the oil, as a result of which the oil breaks down into harmless byproducts.

A Better Way to Get Rid of Oil Stains from Your Driveway

While the DIY methods discussed above can be very effective in removing stains, they may not always give you the best results. Moreover, cleaning oil spots from your driveway is very laborious and can leave you exhausted and frustrated.

Hence, it is always best to leave the work to professional pressure washers. The power of a professional pressure washer lies in their efficiency. They are well-equipped to handle stubborn stains and leave no room for complaints. Moreover, hiring a pressure washer to clean your driveway is more efficient and less time-consuming. Therefore, contact them today to zap away those stubborn stains.