How To Get Rid Of Oil Stains On Pavement?

Many people have automobiles and other machinery that drip oil on concrete or asphalt driveways and garage floors. In some cases, these folks simply clean up the excess oil and live with the stained floor or driveway. While there is no harm in doing this for awhile, in the long run you may find that spots become slick. Oils, grease and other chemicals can cause your concrete or asphalt to deteriorate over time. They may also cause problems for people walking across the paved area or working in that area.

Dry it, Soap it
The key to getting rid of oil stains on pavement or garage floors is this: Get the excess oil off the surface as soon as possible. Use clean sawdust or a product like kitty litter to absorb the oil. Spread the sawdust/litter over the oil liberally and let it sit for as long as possible, even a day or more. When it’s time to pick up the sawdust or litter you will get most of the oil in the process. Use a broom and dustpan or square-nosed shovel to clean the oily sawdust off the paved area.

To complete the process, buy a bag of dry cement and spread this over the stained area. Allow this to sit for a day or more. Sweep this up as you did the sawdust or litter. If the surface is stained but seems dry, use a good detergent and warm water. Coat the area by putting liquid soap or dish detergent directly on the spot. Add water from the garden hose or a small bucket but be careful not to wash the soap away.

Now it is time for a little “elbow grease,” so to speak. Use a stiff hand brush or a push broom with firm bristles. Scrub the soapy area well to bring a lot of the oil/grease out of the concrete. You should be able to rinse most of the oil and its stain away with your garden hose. If you see evidence of oil or grease, repeat the soap-and-water process. If there is oil or grease remaining, you will see the tell-tale rainbow from the mixture of grease and water.

Repeating the Obvious
The above paragraphs may seem to be enough for the oil-removal process on concrete floors and driveways. But we need to put additional emphasis on the idea of getting the excess oil or grease off the floor as soon as possible. Concrete and asphalt does provide some resistance to penetration by thick liquids. But if you let the oil stand on the surface for a few hours the oil will begin to find its way into the open spaces no matter how new or solid the floor or driveway.

Blot the oil or grease with sawdust, kitty litter or even some old rags. Start on this as soon as you notice the spill or leak. Once you do this, you can start to get rid of the stain with a good detergent and some plain old scrubbing.

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