NDR - Removing oil stains on concrete

A

Andrew Holley

Well-known member
Last night my wife parked her car on my side of the driveway, her car has been leaking power steering fuild (really it's dextron, because I am cheap), anyways, anybody got any ideas or products to clean up the concrete?
 
Andrew,

I've had good luck with "the purple power" and a scrub brush. Nomally I scub full strength, the scub a little more while rinsing it away. Been told the key is to get on the mess soon, before the oil is well worked into the concrete.

-Bill
 
It could be worse. I knew a fellow once that spilled a full quart of cherry wood stain on his driveway. It looked like a hanus murder scene for years.
 
Last night my wife parked her car on my side of the driveway, her car has been leaking power steering fuild (really it's dextron, because I am cheap), anyways, anybody got any ideas or products to clean up the concrete?
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Couple ideas I've used:
1. Lacquer thinner & kitty litter.
2. Tincture of Green soap and power washer (3000 psi). Sometimes the soap isn't needed if it hasn't penetrated.
Lou
 
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If all else fails, try brick wash (acid) and scrub. Down side to that is you will likely change the color and texture of your drive in the area you wash.
 
Powdered laundry detergent. Wet the area, sprinkle it on,scrub with stiff broom, let set,rinse, repeat if necessary. My cement looks like hell, paint, epoxy,weeds....I need to replace my drive and surface my garage!
 
Ummm, just out of curiosity, what is the big deal about a little discoloration in the driveway or on the garage floor?

In my garage, if I get a spill, I throw some kitty litter on it to soak up the slickness, sweep it up and that's it.

There is way too much other stuff in the house that my wife worries about keeping pristine, the basement, garage and driveway get a pass from me. A few stains don't seem like worrying about.

Charlie
 
Like Harker said, powdered laundry detergent, except I pour the powdered detergent dry onto the spill, work it in good into the concrete, then pour a little bleach onto that, just enough to wet it slightly. If it's outside I just leave it and let the rain wash it out eventually. In the garage I would leave it for several days, maybe a week and then come back and hose it off. If anything this spot will be lighter than the surrounding concrete.

Ed.
 
Hi Ed,

I know you're a doctor and I am not, but shouldn't people be careful about pouring bleach on powdered detergent in closed spaces, in case it has ammonia in it. Couldn't that make chlorine gas?

Charlie
 
Charlie, I could care less about the garage floor, mainly because it looked like hell before I bought the house, but I put in a new driveway a few years ago and plan to sell the house in the next couple years, so want the drive way looking nice for curb appeal.

Andrew
 
Andrew:
I had a new cement driveway put in and some service truck left me a great puddle. I used muriatic acid (diluted) and quickly hosed it down with water and it was affective but don't let it set too long. Several shots would be best with a quick flush.
wis boz
 
Andrew, I was told that just putting Oil-Dry (kitty litter but cheaper) wouldn't do the job. Put the oil dry down and grind it into the floor with your boots. Stand on 'er and do the twist as it were. Once you have made a fine dust with the stuff then sweep it up and the stain will be less that you will have to deal with.

Might help with the existing stain but will definitely help in the future.

My .02

Eric
 
My solution is to change your lower unit lube with the outboard parked right over the spot. Even better if you have a four stroke, change both the lower unit lube and the oil.

Tod
 
I dunno, Charlie. Powdered laundry detergent has ammonia in it?? We're not talking about floor cleaner, but laundry detergent. Routinely the stuff gets mixed with chlorine bleach in the washing machine, and millions survive it everyday. What I have used in the past was Tide and Chlorox, and no smoke or fumes of any kind were noted, and this combination will clean a oil stain on concrete to white. When I was a kid, I did mix bleach and ammonia on purpose, and did note some smoke and fumes. I guess it's best to read the labels on these things.

Ed.
 
Boz, we always used muratic acid to eat hardened concrete off of the trowell blades. I spilled some on my garage floor and it ate a hole off the top finish coat before I could get it washed off. I've found plain old laundry detergent...powdered...works great.
 
You're right Ed. I'm just overly cautious. I used to be a swimming pool manager as a teen and have seen soem bad things happen when the wrong chemicals mix - granted, those were large quantities of chemicals.

Sorry.

Charlie

I dunno, Charlie. Powdered laundry detergent has ammonia in it?? We're not talking about floor cleaner, but laundry detergent. Routinely the stuff gets mixed with chlorine bleach in the washing machine, and millions survive it everyday. What I have used in the past was Tide and Chlorox, and no smoke or fumes of any kind were noted, and this combination will clean a oil stain on concrete to white. When I was a kid, I did mix bleach and ammonia on purpose, and did note some smoke and fumes. I guess it's best to read the labels on these things.

Ed.
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