How Do You Remove Engine Oil Stains From Your Driveway?

How Do You Remove Engine Oil Stains From Your Driveway?

One of the big fears many homeowners have, especially if they have just invested in a new, beautiful driveway, is seeing a set of characteristic rainbow-tinged, greasy stains characteristic of an oil spill.

This is often a double-frustration; not only does an engine oil leak mean that there is a problem with your car, but the spill itself can be awkward and difficult to get rid of. If they are left, that can cause permanent damage to the driveway itself.

The easiest and most effective way is to call in professional driveway cleaners to manage it, but there are some safe, efficient methods that can be used to remove small amounts of oil without the need for dedicated cleaners or harsh chemicals.

However, when trying to use DIY solutions, be mindful of the surface itself, as overly harsh or acidic solutions can potentially lead to permanent damage and scuffs to your pavers.

If an oil spill is still relatively fresh, then there are a lot of options to wipe as much of it away as possible before using a degreasing lubricant such as WD-40 to lift the remaining oil, rinsing away any excess.

Similarly, using a laundry detergent paste or liquid can help lift the oil, as washing powders tend to act as surfactants that lift oil from clothes. The same approach can also help with oily stains on surfaces.

Bicarbonate of soda and water can also help, as it can for many different types of stains. Much like with laundry detergent, mix it with warm water to create a paste and leave it on overnight to lift the stain away.

Finally, it is possible to use a mixture of sawdust and paint thinner to form an oil-removing poultice that lifts the oil from the surface. The idea is that the sawdust absorbs the oil, whilst the paint thinner is used to dissolve the oil in the same way it does for oil-based paints.