how to clean oil from concrete

Download Article

If you have problems with oil stains on your driveway, there are several solutions for these stains. You can start by 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.

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.

Choosing a Method
For fresh or particularly stubborn stains: Use the poultice method.
For small stains: Use a common household detergent method to remove the stain.
For large stains: 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.

What You'll Need
For small stains: 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
For small, hard to remove stains: 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: 1) a degreaser or microbial cleaner 2) a bucket or hose for water 3) a steel brush or stiff brush with stiff bristles^[1]
For fresh stains: For fresh stains or if you 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.^[2]
- Be sure to carefully follow all of the manufacturer's directions, as well.^[3]
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. ^[4] 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.

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.^[5]
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. ^[6]
- 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.^[7]
- For a simple option, just pour kitty litter or another absorbent material over the stain. Let it soak up the oil, then follow with a commercial concrete cleaner.^[10]
How to Make a Poultice Mixture
Check for a sealer: Make sure that your driveway is not sealcoated - these sealers can be damaged by poultice mixtures.
Absorbent material + solvent: Combine 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.
Apply the paste: Spread the material over the stain, about a ¼ of an inch thick.
Cover and tape: Cover the poultice with plastic, and tape it down to keep it in place. You can stomp on the plastic to get the mixture into the cracks of the pavement.^[8]
Wait 24 hours: 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. ^[9]
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. ^[11]

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.^[12]
- 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 with up to five parts water. ^[13]
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. ^[14]
- Repeat the process 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.

^[15] You can buy these cleansers from KT Microbial Products ^[16] or ESI online. ^[17]

Add New Question

Question

How do you remove motor oil from concrete?

Duston Maynes is an Automotive Repair Specialist at RepairSmith. Duston specializes in leading a team that handles a variety of automotive repairs including replacing spark plugs, front and rear brake pads, fuel pumps, car batteries, alternators, timing belts, and starter motors. Duston holds an Associate's degree in Automotive/Diesel Technology from The Universal Technical Institute of Arizona and is a Certified Diagnostic Technician and Automobile Mechanics Technician through BMW STEP. RepairSmith received The 2020 Big Innovation Award by Business Intelligence Group and The Startup of the Year by the American Business Awards. RepairSmith was also included in Built in LA's 50 Startups to Watch and The Business Intelligence Group's 52 Names Leading the Way in Customer Service. RepairSmith offers in-home services to provide car owners convenient and complete auto repair everywhere.

Automotive Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

A concrete cleaner might help—just be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. A pressure washer might help, too.
Question

What is the best way to clean stones that have chainsaw oil on them?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

Get a bucket and pour enough acetone in to cover the stones. They will have to soak for a few days.
Question

What is the best absorbent to use?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

If you have any kitty litter, this works great. They also sell the absorbent material in the hardware stores.
Question

What about an old oil stain on concrete?

Use dishwashing liquid. Cover the stain at night and let it sit overnight. In the morning, scrub off the oil stain and rinse it off with hot water, and repeat if necessary.
Question

Can I use Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean an oil stain on concrete?

Yes. I put Dawn dishwashing liquid on several stains on my driveway (protected by concrete stain) and left it there for 30 minutes (no less). Then I poured two very hot cups of water (heated in the microwave) over top and scrubbed it with a scrub brush. I hosed off the driveway and all the stains were gone!
Question

Can I use kitty litter on an oil leak?

Yes, but it's not the best method. Put a piece of wood under the kitty litter, or either an oil pan or litter box filled with it so it doesn't blow or get washed away. Oil can easily soak, or run through the kitty litter, and still get onto the surface you're trying to protect. So, if you use kitty litter, it will need to be changed periodically. The heavier and longer the leak, the more frequently you'll have to change it. Oh, and if you live somewhere where it will get a steady amount of moisture, you might want to keep it covered while it's not under your car.
Question

Will these methods of cleaning off oil work on asphalt?

These methods will work on asphalt. However, due to the porous nature of the asphalt, they will be more stubborn. It will take more of whatever agent you choose, multiple attempts, and likely high pressure water as opposed to a simple hose rinse.
Question

What is the best way to clean oil from driveway block paving?

The best way to clean oil from driveway block paying is actually high-strength glue solvent.
Question

Could I use Oxi-Clean to clean up oil leaks?

It could work. Mix it with 1 gallon of vinegar and 1 box of baking soda, then give it a good scrub.
Question

Can I use the degreaser from the article to remove power steering fluid stains from a driveway?

Yes. It will work for any petroleum-based liquid. Whatever method you use won't matter as long as it is given the proper amount of time to break the oils down.

Show more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Warning

The information in this article is intended to provide general answers for frequently asked questions about this topic, and may not be applicable to all vehicles. Please refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for details about maintenance intervals and other vehicle specifications. If you are unsure about your ability to perform any repair, we recommend contacting a certified automotive technician to perform the necessary work.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To clean a small oil stain off a driveway, cover the area with baking soda, vinegar, or laundry detergent and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Scrub the stain with a brush and hot water, then rinse the area thoroughly. For large oil stains, apply a commercial degreaser to the area and let it sit for 1-3 minutes. Scrub the stain with a stiff bristled brush, then let it sit for another 5-10 minutes before rinsing the degreaser away with water. Always wear gloves and eye protection when working with degreasers. If you want to learn how to make an absorbent poultice mixture to get rid of oil, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,695,826 times.