How to Remove Oil Stains from a Concrete Driveway
Concrete is porous, so motor oil soaks in instead of sitting on top. The sooner you treat a spot, the more of it comes out. Old stains can fade a lot, but they don't always disappear completely.
Why oil stains are stubborn
Oil wicks into the tiny pores of concrete and bonds with the surface. Cold water just rolls over it. Getting it out takes something that breaks the oil down (a degreaser) and something that pulls it back up (an absorbent or heat).
Fresh stains vs. old stains
A drip from this week often comes out almost entirely with an absorbent and a degreaser. A stain that has baked in through a Tennessee summer has oxidized and gone deeper; expect it to lighten rather than vanish.
Why heat matters
Hot water lowers the oil's viscosity so the degreaser can emulsify it. That's why professional surface cleaning uses heated water on oil and grease. Cold water pressure alone mostly spreads the stain.
What you can try yourself
- Blot any liquid oil. Don't wipe, or you'll spread it.
- Cover the spot with clay cat litter or baking soda, grind it in with your shoe, and leave it overnight. Then sweep it up.
- Scrub with a concrete degreaser and a stiff nylon brush, following the label's dwell time.
- Rinse and repeat. Two or three rounds is normal for older stains.
What to avoid
- Gasoline or solvents. They're a fire hazard and push the oil deeper.
- Wire brushes on decorative or stamped concrete.
- Washing oily runoff into the storm drain. Tennessee storm drains run straight to creeks.
When to call a professional
Call a pro if you have several stains, stains older than a few months, or oil on a sealed or stamped surface where the wrong chemical can haze the sealer. See our driveway & concrete cleaning service.
What customers say
"I used First Class Pressure Cleaning to seal my aggregate driveway and they did a fantastic job. It was in rough shape as we had never sealed it before. Lots of salt damage as well from trying to de-ice the last winter storm. It looks so much better now. They even came back the next day for touch-ups on some areas where the winter salts had worn through to the concrete. Very happy with this company and the work they’ve done!"
Dan · Google Review
"Driveway looks amazing. Very surprised at the results. Team was very easy to work with. Excellent communication. Fair price. Let’s hope it holds up for a few years."
Mothball K. · Google Review
"I completed a quote sheet online for an estimate to pressure wash my house. First- Clean Pressure Washing responded quickly. Chris called me to discussed what service I need. He looked at my house on the Internet so he was able to see clearly the size of the house. I also added my driveway to the cleaning process. I was given a quote, verbally and written, which I signed on a DocuSign. They communicated with me via text and were right on time based on the schedule provided. They had a truck that had the solution in it for cleaning my house, which I was really happy about because they didn’t use my water. My driveway was really messy and they did a very good job on my house and driveway. I felt the quote was fair and competitive. They got all of the mildew off the house. It looks great so I shouldn’t have any problem with my HOA for a couple years. Thanks so much, Chris. I really appreciate the service you provided!!!"
Karla J. · Google Review
96 Google reviews from homeowners and businesses across Middle Tennessee. Read them all on Google.
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