Concrete: Oil Stains

[StarsFan4Life]

I have several oil stains on my driveway from friends cars and stuff that I want to remove. I have a 2500PSI Troy Bilt pressurewasher, but it can seem to do the trick by itself.

Do you guys recommend any type of cleaner/solvent I can put on prior to spraying to remove it all?

 

[StageLeft]

My best result was with paint thinner--lots of it and a large brush to brush back and forth, it was the only thing that really seemed to help. People may recommend cat litter but of course that won't do a damn thing for a set-in oil stain deep within rough concrete.

 

[franksta]

I got a gallon of a product called "purple power" or similar at AutoZone. I had a milk jug full of old oil ready to recycle that burst open on the back patio. It required a couple of applications but it took care of it rather well.

 

[slag]

Wet it down and use powdered tide. Scrub it in with a wire brush and it removes a lot of it. I've used it on regular spilled automotive oil and turkey fryer grease and worked well on both.

Muratic acid also works well and will make your driveway look really clean. Its an acid that will etch away the stain and not make pits and holes in the driveway.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infmur.html

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: slag
Wet it down and use powdered tide. Scrub it in with a wire brush and it removes a lot of it. I've used it on regular spilled automotive oil and turkey fryer grease and worked well on both.

the tide works well. back when i worked at gas stations we used it for the driveways as well. they had an "industrial cleaner" that we wewre supposed to use, called something like tcp or something but the tide worked much better. wet it down, put the tide on and let it soak a bit then brush it and hi pressure it off. may take a couple apps with older, set stains but it will work.

 

[boomerang]

In addition to the suggestions above, walk into any Home Depot or Lowe's, etc., and you will find products specifically for de-greasing concrete. Products you would use prior to putting epoxy down.

I Just changed the oil in my wife's car last week. I managed to drop the oil filter in the process. I mopped up the excess with paper towel, grabbed a can of brake clean and had at it with more paper towel. Worked great on the fresh spill.

 

[HannibalX]

Slag nailed it. You can buy it at a pool store. I think post-9/11 it requires a photo ID to buy but that's no biggie (you can apparently use it to build explosives).

 

[Sluggo]

Muriatic acid doesn't require an ID to buy it, at least not here.

They sell it at Home Depot, out in the garden center. Costs about $5 a gallon and at HD, you have to buy 2 since it comes packed that way.

It is some nasty stuff though, be careful using it.