Farmington HOA

Oil Stains

Mar 27, 2003

The ?“No Water?” Way To
Remove Oil Stains

The current drought situation has made it difficult
for many homeowners to effectively remove oil
stains from their driveways. Most instructions
include hosing the area down or rinsing with
buckets of water. To help you keep your driveway
free of oil stains, here are some tips on how to
clean oil stains from your driveway the ?“waterfree?”
way:
The simplest way to remove oil stains is to
sprinkle dry wood ash over them. Leave the ash
in place for 24 hours or more, and then sweep it
clean. The ash will soak up much of the oil. If
your stain is too tough for wood ash, try paint
thinner (also known as mineral spirits). Always
wear safety glasses and rubber gloves when
working with paint thinner. Saturate the surface
with mineral spirits, and then apply an absorbent,
granular material such as Portland cement, talc,
cat litter, or cornstarch. Let the material stand
overnight, and then sweep away. Repeat if
necessary.
There are some commercial products on the
market that can be used on concrete for oil stains.
One brand is Garage and Driveway Cleaner by
Red Devil Company, which is available in paint or
hardware stores.