How to Clean Oil Spots From a Concrete Driveway or Garage

A big oil spot in the middle of your concrete driveway can make the most meticulously maintained home look dingy. Whether a leak from a car created that mark on your concrete driveway, garage floor or sidewalk, it can all be lightened enough as to be barely visible. Try the first suggestion, then work your way down the list as necessary. Whatever you do, don't procrastinate. Bare concrete floors are porous and permanently stain if oil, grease and dirt are not removed quickly. End each remedy by hosing down and air-drying the treated area.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Muriatic acid (available at a hardware or janitorial supply store)
• Stiff Brush Or Push Broom
• Garden Hose
• Plastic Bucket
• Commercial Concrete Cleaner Or Grease Solvent
• Cola
• Safety Goggles
• Automatic Dishwasher Detergent
• Rubber Or Latex Gloves
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Pressure washer (to rent one, look under Pressure Washing Equipment in the yellow pages)
• Baking soda, cornmeal or sawdust
• TSP

1. Pour cola on the oily or dry stained areas, and leave the cola on overnight. Squirt a generous amount of dishwashing liquid into a bucket until you have a good lather. Rinse with the soapy water, then with a garden hose.

2. Sprinkle baking soda or an absorbent powder such as cornmeal or sawdust on the oily spots. If the stain is dry, wet it first to make a scouring paste. Scrub with a stiff brush or push broom.

3. Sprinkle automatic dishwasher detergent on the oily concrete. Leave it for several minutes, then pour boiling water on the stained area. Scrub with a stiff brush or push broom, then rinse.

4. Try a commercial concrete cleaner such as Garage and Driveway Cleaner by Red Devil Co. or a grease solvent such as Benzine. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

5. Sprinkle trisodium phosphate (TSP) on the oily concrete. If the stain is dry, wet it first. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Scrub using a stiff broom. TSP is a dangerous product; if you must use it, wear rubber or latex gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing. Also, never wash a TSP product down storm drains.

6. As a last resort, combat tough spills with muriatic acid and a pressure washer. Apply the acid following the manufacturer's directions, and let it soak for several seconds. Follow with a pressure washer set at 2,500 to 3,000 lbs. per square inch (psi), or 176 to 211 kg per square cm. Like TSP, muriatic acid is a dangerous product; likewise, if you must use it, wear rubber or latex gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing, and never wash such a product down storm drains.

7. After trying any of the strategies above, sprinkle baking soda over the cleaned area to neutralize the solution you've used.

Tips & Warnings

• Place cardboard under an oil drop or lawn mower to catch stains before they happen.
• Seal concrete to prevent staining. See How to Seal a Garage Floor.
• Get that leaky car fixed!
• Grease solvents are flammable, so make sure you have excellent ventilation and avoid spark and flame.

[roselin]

on 8/9/2009 My truck had slow oil leak and it left my garage concrete floor with oil stains all over it. That is when I found this product called OIL GONE EASY HOME & DRIVEWAY S-200. All I had to do was to pour the solution on the stain and leave it for as long as possible. When I washed the floor after that, all the stains had vanished.

[uwsoccer]

on 5/28/2008 I tried pressure washing, and even though most of it was gone, you could still see the oil spot. I found another product in a different forum called Eximo concrete cleaner that worked really well. Really easy to use, just sprinkle down, and sweep out. I'll skip the pressure washing next time and just use this! I definately recommend the product!

www.mycaf.com (manufacture's website)

[uwsoccer]

on 3/7/2008 There are a number of products available now that work and are environmentally friendly. I've used Eximo on my concrete driveway, but I've seen other products too like Oil-Out. Just sprinkle these products on, spread them out with a broom, and leave it - got rid of my oil stains in about a week. Much easier, and much safer than dealing with all the hazadous chemicals, or "hazardous waste" you create with kitty litter.

[uwsoccer]

on 3/7/2008 There are a number of products available now that work and are environmentally friendly. I've used Eximo on my concrete driveway, but I've seen other products too like Oil-Out. Just sprinkle these products on, spread them out with a broom, and leave it - got rid of my oil stains in about a week. Much easier, and much safer than dealing with all the hazadous chemicals, or "hazardous waste" you create with kitty litter.

[turblown]

on 2/5/2008 I used steps 1-3 above. They were a good way to prepare the surface and remove fresh spills. In order to get the older stains, I skipped to the paint thinner and cat litter method. It worked great! It rained before I swept up the cat litter and it still worked. Very cost effective. Definitely recommend.