How to Remove Stains From Concrete Driveway

When a concrete driveway becomes stained it can detract from the hard work put into beautifying a home. Concrete driveway stains may come from a car with a leak or an accident while changing the oil. Paint may also stain the driveway if a can of paint is accidentally dropped or a drop cloth is not used properly while painting a garage door.

Instructions

1. Oil spills are the most common driveway stain. Cover the spill with a single layer of clean cat litter and rub the litter into the stain with a broom.

2. After you can see that the litter has soaked up much of the spill, sweep up the litter and discard it in the trash.

3. Reapply a layer of clean cat litter on the remaining stain and leave it to sit for a day. Sweep up and discard litter.

4. Clean the stained area with soap and water.

5. If there is a paint stain in the driveway, get a product called Lift Off. There are several different varieties of Lift Off for the different kinds of stains. Lift Off 4 removes spray paint and Lift Off 5 removes latex paints. The process for both is the same. They cost less than $10 a bottle.

6. Saturate the painted area with Lift Off and let it sit for at least 3 minutes.

7. Rub in product with an old broom.

8. Hose or power wash the area. If the stain persists, repeated treatments may be necessary.

Resources

• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide