For a homeowner, maintaining a driveway is challenging with oil stains caused by spilled gasoline, car leak or bicycle chain grease damaging your pavement. Maintaining and cleaning your driveway regularly will preserve the aesthetic value of your property. Untreated oil stains can cause cracks and decay in your driveway, leading to expensive repairs or replacements. Get in touch with Custom Blacktop Co. if your driveways and parking lots are showing signs of wear and tear due to oil stains. We provide repairs and maintenance of your roadways and driveways. We have also been providing asphalt paving and concrete work for both private homeowners and businesses since 1972.
Five Ways to Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway Depending on the type of stains (small or large), you can use the following methods to clean oil stains from your driveway. 1. Detergent Pour a liquid or powder detergent for small oil stains and leave it for at least 15-30 minutes. Use hot water to scrub the detergent with a brush. Repeat the process if the stain is still visible. 2. Baking Soda For recent oil stains, you can sprinkle baking soda on the damaged area, scrub the soda with a brush and let it sit for half an hour. Use a hose to clean away the oil. 3. Degreaser Use a degreaser to clean tough stains on your driveway. The degreaser loosens the oil and helps with stain removal. Let the degreaser sit on the driveway for around three minutes or longer for stubborn stains. Dilute the degreaser for weaker oil stains. Ensure you read the recommended instructions before using the degreaser on your driveway. 4. Cat Litter For fresh oil stains, use cat litter or any other absorbent, such as sawdust, to soak the excess oil. Leave it for a few hours to absorb the grease and then remove the cat litter. Make sure you properly dispose of the soaked cat litter. You can also combine the absorbent material with a solvent such as acetone to make a thick paste. Cover the mixture with plastic to ensure it soaks through the cracks of the pavement. 5. Pour Soda The least expensive method to remove oil stains is pouring soda on the affected area. Let it sit for a day before washing it off with water. This method works best for smaller stains. Additional Tips · Spray the oil stains with oven cleaner and scrub it with a brush · Using steam pressure, oil stains are liquefied and removed How Oil Stain Can Damage Your Driveway Oil stains can damage your driveway. Usually, the stain damage will occur at the surface with extensive damage to your pavement. Surface damage caused by oil stains can be repaired by burning and scraping off the oil. Once the oil is removed, seal coat the driveway to protect it from future oil spills. Understand how frequently you need to seal coat to protect your driveway. Extensive damage, such as softening of pavement, can be repaired by removing the stained area and replacing the section. If you are unsure about the damage caused by the oil stains on your driveway, consult with a professional to inspect your driveway and determine the proper course of action. Custom Blacktop Co offers repairs or maintenance for your driveways, parking lots and athletic courts. We also provide concrete repair and construction for parking lots, roadways, sidewalks and curbs. Contact us today for your residential or commercial driveway needs.