Remove Motor Oil from Concrete Driveway

Motor oil quickly seeps into the layers of the driveway, which makes removal difficult. Attacking the stain while it is fresh will produce the best results.

Steps

Fresh Spills

Purchase engine degreaser or cleaning products beforehand so that you are prepared for spills or drips before they occur.

  1. Encircle the spill with sand, dirt, sawdust or cat litter to prevent further spreading.
  2. Soak up the spill using an absorbent towel, cloth or powder.
  3. Apply an engine degreaser or other specific cleaning product according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
  4. Rinse the surface thoroughly using a garden hose.

Old Spills

Older spills require a solution with more cleaning power.

  1. Encircle the stain with sand, dirt, sawdust or cat litter to contain cleaning products.
  2. Create a poultice of 1-part lime to 2-parts mineral turpentine in a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} bucket. Use a wooden paint stirrer stick to stir the mixture.
  3. Spread a 1/4" (6 mm) layer of the poultice over the stain using a drywall finishing knife. Make sure to spread the poultice out so that there is a 2" (50 mm) margin around the stain.
  4. Cover the stain with plastic sheeting and leave for 24 hours. Set rocks, bricks or concrete blocks at each corner to secure the sheeting so that it does not blow away.
  5. Remove the sheeting and scrape off the powder using a drywall finishing knife.
  6. Mix 1/4 cup of laundry detergent and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of warm water in a clean, five gallon bucket.
  7. Scrub the area with warm water and laundry detergent using a stiff nylon bristled brush.
  8. Rinse with clean water using a garden hose.

Tips

  • A phosphate-based soap or sugar soap may be used to scrub light grease or oil stains.

Warnings

  • Follow all package instructions related to engine degreaser, cleaning products, turpentine and lime.
  • Keep animals and children away from your work area to prevent poisoning.
  • Turpentine is flammable. Do not smoke or use an open flame near turpentine at any time.

Things You'll Need

  • Sand, dirt, sawdust or kitty litter
  • Absorbent towels, cloth or powder
  • Engine degreaser
  • Working garden hose
  • Lime
  • Synthetic turpentine
  • 2 {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} buckets
  • Wooden paint stirrer stick
  • Drywall finishing knife
  • Plastic sheeting
  • Rocks, bricks or concrete blocks
  • Laundry detergent
  • Warm water
  • Stiff nylon bristled brush

Sources and Citations

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