Clean Oil Off a Driveway

If you have problems with oil on your driveway there are several solutions for your stains. You can start with using a detergent like baking soda or dish soap with warm water and a steel brush to scrub away your small stains. If you have bigger stains, use a degreaser you can buy from the hardware store with a steel brush to lift oil off your concrete. Lastly, if you want to reduce damage to the environment, use a microbial cleaner that will eat away the oil on your driveway without leaving any toxic residue.

Steps

Preparing and Purchasing Materials

1. Decide what kind of oil cleaning method you want to use. Depending on what kind of stain you have, you might use different methods for cleaning the oil off your driveway.
   • If you have an oil stain that is still fresh or if you have a small and stubborn stain, you may want to use the poultice method to get out your stain.
   • If your stain is small, you can use a common household detergent method to remove the stain.
   • If your stain is large, you may want to buy a degreaser or a microbial cleaner to remove the oil.
2. Purchase or get out any materials you need for the job. You can buy all the following materials from Home Depot, Lowes, online or at your local hardware store. Depending on what kind of stain you have or the method you are using, you will have to get different materials.
   • For small stains you will need: 1) a detergent (baking soda, vinegar, soap, dish or laundry detergent) 2) a bucket or pot and hose for water 3) a steel brush or stiff brush with stiff bristles
   • If you have a small, hard to remove stain use the poultice method: 1) kitty litter 2) acetone, lacquer thinner, or xylene 3) a sheet of plastic slightly larger than the size of your stain 4) a steel brush or stiff brush with stiff bristles
   • For larger stains you will need: 1) a degreaser or microbial cleaner (buy online) 2) a bucket or hose for water 3) a steel brush or stiff brush with stiff bristles
   • If you have fresh stains or anticipate further oil leaks, consider buying a bag of baking soda or kitty litter to keep in your garage to use in the future.
3. Wear protective clothing and gear if you are using degreasers. Wear goggles or eye protection to shield your eyes from the chemicals. Find chemical resistant gloves at a superstore or hardware store to wear while you scrub. Additionally, wear overalls you would use for working on a car if you have them. Or you can wear clothes that cover your arms and legs and that you don’t mind getting stained or dirty.
4. Locate the number of poison control and keep pets or small children away from chemicals. Keep your pets and kids inside while you work. In case of any accidents, have the number of poison control written down or recorded in your phone. You can call poison control 24 hours a day, 7 days a week- the number for poison control is: 1 (800) 222-1222.
5. Clean the area with oil stains with water from a hose or bucket. Prior to cleaning the pavement wash off any dirt and debris that is in the way of the oil stain on your driveway. However, do not use a high pressure hose to clean off the affected area, because you could end up pushing the oil deeper into the pavement.

Removing Small Stains

1. Pour detergent on the affected area. Slowly pour the liquid or powder detergent on the spot until it is completely covered. Your detergent can be a common household product: baking soda, vinegar, soap, dish or laundry detergent. Let the detergent sit on the stain for 15-30 minutes if it is liquid.
2. Use hot water to scrub the detergent with a brush. You can heat water in a large pot of water while the detergent is sitting on the stain. Or, using your bucket, get hot water from the tap. Pour the hot water onto the stain, and vigorously brush the detergent with hot water and a steel or stiff bristled brush. Scrub the spot for a minute or two, and then rinse the area with hot water or water from a hose.
   • Repeat the process as necessary if the stain is still there. Wait a day to see if any more oil has surfaced on the pavement. This can happen with oil stains and you should repeat the process if it does.
3. Use a poultice mixture on hard to remove, small stains. You can also use this mixture on fresh oil spills, because the absorbent material will soak up the oil. This mixture is good for small and difficult stains but may be less practical if you are trying to take large stains out of concrete.
   • Make the mixture by combining an absorbent material, for example, sawdust, kitty litter or baking soda with a solvent like acetone, lacquer thinner, or xylene until it is a thick paste. The components will work together to remove the stain, and the solvent will break up the oil while the absorbent material will soak it up.
   • Spread the material over the stain, about a ¼ of an inch thick.
   • Last, cover the poultice with plastic, and tape it down to keep it in place.
   • You can stamp on the plastic to get the mixture into the cracks of the pavement.
   • Wait a day for the mixture to work on the oil stain, and then remove the plastic, sweep up the mixture, and dispose of it. Then wash off the area with water from a hose or bucket.
   • Make sure that there is not a sealer on your driveway - these can be damaged by poultice mixtures.
4. Pour a couple of cans of Coke or Pepsi on the affected area. Let the soda sit on the oil stain for a day. This is the easiest and least expensive method for removing oil from your cement. Come back the next day and use a hose or bucket to wash off the coke and oil residue. If the stain still remains, consider using another method to remove the oil.

Removing Large Stains

1. Apply the recommended amount of degreaser to the area you want to clean. These products are meant to get the automotive fluids out of your concrete without compromising the surface of your pavement. They are ready to use, strong, and fast acting cleaners that will work to lift any oil, grease and ingrained dirt from the surface you are working with. Read the instructions and warning labels on the products you are using before you begin.
   • Let the degreaser sit on the stain for approximately 1-3 minutes or for the amount of time recommended in the instructions.
   • If you have a more ingrained stain, you can leave the degreaser on for a little longer. However, do not let the liquid dry.
   • For weaker stains, you can dilute the degreaser wit up to five parts water.
2. Scrub the area hard with your steel or stiff bristle brush. Wearing your chemical resistant gloves scrub at the stain vigorously with your brush. Let it sit for another 5-10 minutes. Use your hose or bucket to wash away the degreaser with water. Repeat the steps as necessary.
   • Repeat the process as necessary if the stain is still there. Wait a day to see if any more oil has surfaced on the pavement. This can happen with oil stains, and you should repeat the process again if it does.
3. Use microbial cleansers, not chemicals, to remove oil from concrete. These products are more environmentally friendly and cost around 40 dollars for a gallon. Microbial cleaners are used to clean up oil spills in the ocean. The single-celled microorganisms in this cleaner will clean up the oil spills in your concrete without leaving any toxic byproduct. You can buy these cleansers from KT Microbial Products or ESI online.

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Sources and Citations

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