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How to Get Oil Off a Driveway

Oil stains on your driveway look messy and unattractive. Unfortunately, asphalt is very porous and oil saturates the surface, making it hard to remove. Here are several ways to remove those annoying stains—you may need to try more than one, depending on the age and size of the stain.

Recent, wet stains

Avoid using the hose to douse the wet oil; this spreads the oil around and causes environmental damage. Never put oil into a gutter or storm drain.

First, grab some kitty litter and spread it over the stain. Let it sit for awhile; the litter will absorb the oil. Sweep it up with a broom. Then use one of the methods below to deal with any residual oil.

Older stains

There are many methods to try to remove oil spots. Here are some of the most popular:

Soda. Pour a cola beverage over the stain and scrub with a hard-bristle brush. Cola has phosphoric acid in it, which can help remove oil.

Dish soap. Choose a highly concentrated, oil busting dish soap, such as Dawn. Squirt it over the stain and spread it around to cover the entire affected area. Let it sit for about an hour, then mop up the dish soap and oil with a paper towel. If the stain is still there, cover it with Murphy’s Oil Soap and let it sit for another two hours. Wipe the soap and oil residue away with paper towels again, then use a garden hose to clean the rest of the soap away.

Liquid laundry soap. Pour a high-quality liquid laundry soap over the stain. Add a little bit of water, and scrub aggressively with a stiff-bristle brush for about 5 minutes. Sop up the soap with paper towels, then repeat as necessary. Once you’re happy with the results, hose the area off (try to remove as much oil and soap as you can with paper towels to avoid polluting the waterways).

Oil-Remover product. There are many products on the market that claim to remove oil stains from asphalt. Follow the directions on the package, repeating as often as necessary.

Pressure wash. Have you driveway pressure-washed by a professional company.

Avoid Oil Stains

If your car is leaking oil, first check to see if it’s an issue you can easily correct; sometimes the oil plug hasn’t been installed correctly, or the oil filter is askew. If it’s a more major problem, such as worn gaskets, the repair may be expensive. If you can’t fix the oil leak, you’ll have to take steps to avoid staining the driveway. Here are a two options:

1. Place a piece of cardboard under the car after you park. The cardboard will catch and retain small oil leaks.
2. Pour kitty litter over the spot where you park. The litter will absorb the oil. Sweep up the litter occasionally and replace it.