Help me get this stuff off.
There are some major oil stains on my driveway. There’s vegetable oil from bad fill up attempts and filter changes. Even more plentiful are the scores of little dots and one large black tar pool from elusive motor oil leaks. I’ll admit, my 79 300SD is one leaky beast, even more than my 97 F250(and a Ford mechanic once told me that the 7.3 Powerstrokes are externally lubricating engines).
I’m still not resigned to having a leaky car. I’ve changed out the oil cooler lines and turbo waste gate hose. Frustration has set in however, as more leaks seem to pop up daily. Not just oil leaks either. There’s a growing radiator leak, occasional tranny fluid dumping and now, believe it or not, the windshield fluid reservoir is leaking. Honestly, I ‘m beginning to feel too demanding of a car that has been on the road for 32 years.
I haven’t given up on fixing these leaks, but I am banning myself from from parking anywhere near the driveway(I also warn others as I pull in their beloved concrete slabs). Meantime, I’ve been trying by “whatever means necessary” to remove the oil stains from my driveway. It’s actually beginning to affect my relationship to my fiancée and I know what the neighbors are building their case against me every time they walk by to get their mail.
So I set out to clean up the oil stains from the driveway. Easy right? Spray some Simple Green and wash away, or if necessary do a little scrubbing. Nope. I’ve tried about 10 different cleaners: Purple power, Purple Power Citrus, Driveway Cleaner, Bleach, Coca cola, Dish soap, etc. I’ve scrubbed with all of my might. I’ve enlisted the family and borrowed by brother-in-law’s gas powered pressure washer. With high hopes I was met again with failure, yet only partial this time. The 2500+ psi water did skew the stain color from black to gray.
This is really a STAIN. It’s actually in the concrete. I’m not backing down and will try a different approach. What that exact method is, I don’t know. After perusing the forums and asking other WVOilers who stop by, the most accurate and telling answer I’ve gotten is: good luck.
There’s gotta be a solution. Can you help? Any tips or advice other than going back in a time-machine and not parking in my driveway?
-Jason Jelonek
Graydon Blair says:
Monday, July 11, 2011 at 8:18pm
Find someone who makes Biodiesel & ask for a couple gallons of their glycerin. Dilute it a little in a 5 gallon bucket & pour it generously on your oil stained driveway. Let it sit for a couple hours. Come back, scrub it with the scrub brush & watch the oil absolutely melt away.
It will do absolute wonders for cleaning the concrete. Biodieseler’s LOVE the stuff!
-Graydon
cashflo says:
Monday, July 11, 2011 at 9:40pm
So you have got the oil out but still have a stain?
Don’t waste you time on pulling stain out just use a driveway coating.
Lowes carrys some in the paint department that is a 2 step process. Rolls on thick and has the texure of broomed cement.
We are planing on using it for our front patio that lots of stains from BBQ’in and spatters from my 130,000btu WOK setup.
-Cashflo
Richard AKA Inspironator says:
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 4:42pm
Wow, that is quite an accumulation. I’m up for the challeng with my suggestion!
The key to getting the stain out once it has settled in, like in your situation, is to use some real scrubbing power, combined with some residual that roughly matches the concrete color, a little sun and rain.
I pour the cheapest cat litter on the oil to soak up the liquid. You may want to use a little elbow grease, and let it soak over night. Once it turns dark, you need to remove it. Try pouring more after removing the dark stuff or continue to use what you have.
Simply rub in a not too thick layer of cat litter. Grind it into the cement! If you aren’t pulverizing the cat litter into dust, then you aren’t using enough POWER! Don’t be a wimp and use your hands or a brush. Fool, this requires Super-Duty POWER! Use your weight on your foot and pivot your heal or soul into the mix. It isn’t a super fast process if you have a large area to cover, but it is effective. Move over slightly when it looks like a powder instead of granules!
After hiding most of the stain with the pulverized powder, sweep it up and it might be possible to resuse if it retains the original cat litter color. At this point, the stain should look 95% gone! Some of the powder will be stuck to the remaining residue, which is beneficial to cover the remaining dark spot while the sun finishes degrading the residue. Cement is harder than cat litter so only your shoe heels and soles will suffer long term wear and tear, so plan accordingly with thick sole shoes or boots!
I usually let the sun and rain do the rest. After a month or 2, the stain is completely gone, original cement color, and no evidence of the dirty deeds!!!
Forget the chemicals! Be mean and green!
jason says:
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 2:58pm
Thanks Inspironator. I did some “cat litter dancing” and it worked well, pulling out deep stains. I will try again with some help from the kids.
Andrew says:
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 3:10pm
HA- like Graydon said if you made proper biodiesel you would have the best cleaner ever- glycerin byproduct!
Matt says:
Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 5:30pm
i had this problem. used purple power and about 20% hot water. and i mean boiling water. purple power specifically says to not let it dry. but i did anyway. sun beat down on it with its massive fury and over the next few rain storms the convrete looked almost as good as new.
i would also try Graydon’s idea. heard lots of positive success with it.
BrianMiller says:
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 4:52pm
LYE or oven cleaner
Joe Schmitt says:
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 12:10pm
Try actcleaners.com It’s an enzyme. check it out on the internet.
Sasa says:
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 9:54pm
I had GARBAGE TRUCK having a lunch break on my driveway(while I was at work), and all oil and decomposing stuff got permanently stained in my sidewalk and driveway. Only product straight from the bottle(that was working) no water needed was a dishwasher detergent “Dawn”.So pour it on the wet driveway(hose it first),generously to leave actual 2-3mm layer on top and let it
there for a while 30 min.Than use plastic scrub brush,(pick up excess with cloth)than wash it down.Be careful it will foam and damage grass or flowers.