How to Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway

Oil from gas appliances, transmission fluid, and your car’s engine can all turn your pristine driveway into a splotchy mess. Thankfully, removing oil stains from driveways can be as simple as opening up your pantry and following a few quick steps. Follow these steps to remove oil stains from your driveway DIY-style. 

Why Do I Have to Remove Oil Stains From My Driveway?

Oil stains don’t just present an eyesore every time you pull up to your home—leaving stains on your driveway can slowly erode your driveway material, leading to high driveway repair costs. It’s best to tackle oil stains immediately to prevent your driveway from crumbling or cracking and needing driveway repairs before its natural time.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway?

If you choose to use a driveway oil stain remover and DIY it, you’ll only spend between $10 and $20 for the stain remover supplies. Depending on the size of the oil stain, your purchase should last several cleans. Pressure washing costs an additional $100 to $350 on average. If you hire a professional to clean your driveway, most pros charge between $60 and $125 per hour. 

How to Prep for Removing Oil Stains From Your Driveway

Before you take on removing oil stains, you’ll first need to prepare your driveway to get the most out of the cleaning process. We’ve rounded up several tips on prepping to remove oil stains.

Choose the Right Oil Stain Remover

Depending on your type of driveway material, some oil stain removers work better than others, while others shouldn’t be used on certain surfaces. Asphalt and concrete driveways have different compositions, so using the wrong stain remover could cause damage to your driveway. For example, asphalt is oil-based—a solvent stain remover can eat away at the surface.

Always refer to the instructions on a driveway oil stain remover to ensure you have the right product for the job.

Clean Your Driveway

You’ll want to clear the area beforehand, so park your vehicles on the curb and move any items from your driveway. Then, use a broom to remove dirt, leaves, and debris. This will make it easier to clean the surface effectively.

Protect Surrounding Areas

If you have a large oil stain or stains close to the edges of your driveway, you might want to protect any surrounding plants or decorations from harsh chemicals. You can do so by watering grass, trees, and gardens to saturate the ground and dilute any cleaning agents that happen to reach them.

How to Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway

You have several options for removing oil stains from your driveway. Some solutions might already be lying around the house, while others require a little more investment. 

Use a Pressure Washer

Pressure washers can help clean oil stains off driveways while also giving your driveway a cleaning. Here’s how to use a pressure washer to clean your driveway:

1. Consider adding detergent before operating the washer.

2. Wear safety goggles, gloves, and ear protection.

3. Stand 10 feet away from the oil stain.

4. Spray the cleaner onto the stain in a bottom-to-top manner.

Use Dish Soap

Like a grease-ridden dish, dish soap can work to remove oil stains from driveways. To use dish soap, follow these steps:

1. Apply a few drops of dish soap to the stain.

2. Put on gloves to protect your hands.

3. Scrub the stain using a stiff brush.

4. Use warm water to rinse the soap away.

5. Repeat if needed.

Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda is a mild abrasive that, in paste form, can help to remove oil stains from hard surfaces. Because baking soda is alkaline, it also breaks down oil stains better than pH-neutral solutions. Here’s how to clean oil off a driveway using this strategy:

1. Apply baking soda to the oil spill. 

2. Add warm water to make a paste.

3. Wear gloves to protect your hands.

4. Use a stiff brush to scrub the stain for several minutes.

5. Wait at least 15 minutes.

6. Follow with white vinegar.

7. Rinse the baking soda and vinegar solution using water.

8. Repeat if necessary.

Use Powdered Laundry Detergent

Powdered laundry detergent is another good option because it’s abrasive yet gentle on surfaces. You’ll want to use powdered detergent to create a paste, which you’ll use to scrub the oil away. Follow these steps to try it out:

1. Sprinkle your powdered laundry detergent on top of the oil spill. 

2. Add warm water until the detergent becomes a paste.

3. Put on gloves to protect your hands.

4. Use a stiff brush to scrub the stain for several minutes.

5. Wait at least 15 minutes.

6. Rinse the detergent away using warm water. 

7. Repeat if necessary.

Use WD-40

WD-40 is a versatile solution that helps remove oil stains from concrete driveways. To use WD-40 as a driveway stain remover, do the following:

1. Shake your can of WD-40. 

2. Spray the WD-40 onto the oil stain. 

3. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

4. Wear gloves to protect your hands.

5. Scrub using a stiff brush.

6. Use baking soda or cat litter to absorb the solution (optional). 

7. Rinse the area using water.

8. Repeat as needed.

Use Cat Litter

Cat litter won’t do much for old oil stains, so go straight to oil stain removers if it’s already dry. But, if your oil stain is fresh, you might be able to use cat litter to absorb the oil. Here’s how:

1. Pour cat litter over the stain until the stain is no longer visible.

2. Let the litter sit for at least 30 minutes. 

3. Use a broom and dustpan to sweep the litter up.

4. Wear gloves to protect your hands.

5. Scrub the stain using a stiff brush and laundry or dish detergent.

6. Rinse the area with water.

7. Repeat as needed.

Use a Driveway Oil Stain Remover

For stubborn oil stains, you might need to switch to a stronger solution. Concrete driveways can handle tough solvents that break down oil stains. If you need to remove oil stains from an asphalt driveway, use a degreaser designed for asphalt. With this in mind, here’s how to use a concrete oil stain remover:

1. Wearing gloves, apply the stain remover to the stain.

2. Let the product sit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Use a stiff brush and dustpan to sweep up the product.

4. Spray the area with water.

5. Repeat as necessary. 

How to Prevent Driveway Oil Stains   

Removing oil stains from a driveway can be a mild inconvenience, but staying on top of your driveway maintenance can help you prevent oil stains from seeping into your driveway and becoming harder to remove. Here are some tips on how to prevent driveway oil stains from taking over your driveway:

• Seal your driveway every five to seven years if it’s concrete and every three to five years if it’s asphalt to prevent stains from sinking deep into the surface material.

• Take your car in for scheduled maintenance. 

• Fix leaks from your car as soon as problems arise. 

• If you must wait before fixing your vehicle, place a piece of cardboard underneath the leak to keep it from reaching your driveway.

• Clean your driveway once yearly. 

• Sprinkle cat litter onto fresh oil leaks before they have a chance to enter your driveway surface.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Most driveway oil stains are easy to remove using household products and a little elbow grease. However, if you have deep stains that don’t come out after following these at-home steps, hire a local power-washing pro to remove the stains and get your driveway looking spotless again.