Many people spend lots of time perfecting their garden, from regular garden maintenance to installing a driveway gate for that elegant final touch. But as gorgeous as your garden may be, it is essential to keep your driveway clean and tidy so that your plants, furniture and other features can really shine.
Driveways and driveway gates are meant to be used, so it’s inevitable that a couple of oil spills from your vehicle may occur. If this happens, don’t worry – this guide covers all the advice you need for removing old stains from your driveway. Read on to find out how to remove oil from driveways of all materials, including brick, concrete and asphalt.
How do you get wet oil off a driveway?
To get wet oil off a driveway, you need to act fast and soak up the oil. As surprising as it may sound, cat litter is the best option for quickly absorbing oil spills, but salt and sand will do the trick too. Depending on how much oil has been spilt, you may need to let the oil be absorbed for at least a few hours. Once the excess wet oil has been absorbed, you can sweep this material away and give any leftover oil a scrub with some dish soap. Follow these simple steps for removing wet oil from a driveway:
- Cover wet oil with an absorbent, such as cat litter, salt or sand.
- Leave to soak up the oil for a few hours.
- Sweep the material away.
- Take further steps to scrub leftover oil stains, which we outline below.
Will water wash away oil from a driveway?
No, water will not wash the oil away from your driveway. This means that it also won’t wash away in the rain, so you need to take matters into your own hands to get oil off your driveway. If you’re not able to absorb wet oil spills when they first occur, you will need to remove dried oil stains from your driveway. This can be done with the steps below.
How to get oil off your driveway
The methods you use to get that pesky oil off your driveway will differ by the type of driveway you have on your property, for which we’ll give more specific instructions below. However, we can give some general tips that will work to remove old oil stains from any driveway.
1. Buy an oil stain remover
The easiest way to get oil off your driveway is to buy an oil stain remover. These can be purchased online or in store, but be sure to check out the reviews to see experiences from other customers with a similar driveway as you. Oil stain removers are typically sprayed or poured onto an oil stain, and will remove or minimise a stain after a certain amount of time. If you choose to remove oil from your driveway in this way, take care that it won’t end up causing damage to your driveway.
2. Use laundry detergent or dish soap
Using a heavy-duty laundry detergent or dish soap can help to break down oil and grease, making it easier to remove from your driveway. You will want to let these soak into the oil stain before scrubbing them with hot water and a stiff brush or scourer. This method works best when combined with an absorbent such as cat litter, like we mentioned earlier.
3. Use baking soda
Baking soda is a great cleaning agent and can be used to remove tough oil stains from your driveway. With excess oil removed using the methods we listed above, you can scrub the remaining oil with a paste of baking soda and water. Mix the two to create a thick paste, and then use this to really scrub at the stain on your driveway. Once done, rinse away and repeat if necessary.
Does Coke get oil off a driveway?
If you don’t want to buy a commercial oil stain remover, Coca-Cola can be an effective tool for cleaning your driveway. Whilst it may not be the most effective for tough oil stains, it can help to remove grease and other blemishes from your driveway. Simply pour over problem areas and then scrub with a stiff brush.
Does WD-40 remove oil from a driveway?
WD-40 can be used to remove oil from a driveway. Let it sit on the oil stain for around ten minutes, and then scrub away with a secondary cleaning solution such as dish soap and hot water.
How to remove oil from driveway bricks
To remove oil from a paved or brick driveway, you may want to be slightly less abrasive to avoid damaging the surfaces. The best way to do this is by using the detergent or dish soap method outlined above, as this will remove oil from the driveway bricks without creating a different stain. We recommend against leaving oil removers to soak for too long, as this could mark your driveway bricks. Instead, resort to some old-fashioned scrubbing with a strong dish soap or detergent.
How to remove oil from concrete driveways
Concrete driveways are pretty durable, so any oil removal method will work for these. For a low-maintenance way to get oil off a concrete driveway, invest in an oil removal product to keep on hand whenever you need it. Alternatively, any of the methods we have listed will work to remove old stains from a concrete driveway without damaging it.
How to remove oil from asphalt driveways
Dish soap is the safest bet for removing oil from an asphalt driveway. Combine with hot water and scrub any oil stains until they are fully removed. You can use a stiff brush or a scourer to do this, and it may take some time and effort to remove the oil from your driveway. However, the results are well worth it, and you’ll be left with a spotless driveway that makes your look well-maintained.
Interested in outdoor property maintenance, including gardens, driveways and driveway gates? Our Content Hub is your go-to resource for guides on getting rid of moss on your driveway, how to make a small garden look bigger, and more! To learn more about enhancing your garden with a driveway gate, contact a member of our team for a friendly chat.