It’s almost certain that you have some sort of concrete on your Rogers, AR property. Maybe it’s a concrete driveway. Perhaps it’s a sidewalk or patio. Whatever the case, it’s important that you keep your concrete in the best-looking condition because your concrete’s appearance affects your property’s overall appearance, too. And to keep your concrete as beautiful as possible, you’ll need to learn how to remove oil stains from concrete!
While oil stains are difficult to deal with, it isn’t an impossible task. Learn more about concrete oil stain removal with Pristine Clean Exteriors. We are a locally owned and operated pressure washing and concrete cleaning business, and we’re excited to share what we know with you.
Why Concrete Oil Stains Are Hard to Remove
It’s always frustrating when oil spills onto concrete. Sometimes, vehicles just leak, leaving you with a jet-black stain on your concrete surfaces. But why exactly are these leaks so hard to remove?
When oil spills onto concrete, it immediately begins filling the concrete’s pores. Once this oil has “burrowed” into concrete, it’s particularly difficult to get out. Not only will oil have deeply penetrated concrete, but oil molecules will also form chemical bonds with the material. Breaking these bonds, of course, is easier said than done.
Preventing Oil Stains From Forming
The process of learning how to remove oil stains from concrete is hard work. Because of this, we highly recommend preventing these stains from happening in the first place (whenever possible). Keeping tabs on your vehicles, as well as their propensity for oil spills, is a great first step. If you suspect a leak, seek out repairs—your concrete will thank you later when it isn’t splattered with deep, dark stains.
If you just encountered a fresh oil stain, there are ways you can mitigate the damage. By applying cat litter to the recently spilled oil, you can absorb as much of it as possible, preventing it from soaking into your concrete. Even if it doesn’t stop staining completely, you’re better off with a faint stain than a deep, jet-black one.
Removing Oil Stains With Pressure Washing
Sometimes, prevention isn’t enough to stop an oil stain from happening. When you are stuck with a concrete oil stain, you’ll need to do something about it—but what? We highly recommend pressure washing. When learning how to remove oil stains from concrete, pressure washing is powerful enough to brighten, if not completely remove, even the darkest stains on your concrete.
What is pressure washing anyway? This technique uses jets of high-pressure water to remove debris from exterior surfaces. You can use pressure washing to remove all sorts of grime from surfaces, including dirt, moss, mold, algae, and yes, even oil stains!
Begin With a Degreaser Application
When learning how to remove oil stains from concrete, the first thing you’ll want to do is apply degreaser to the stained area. Why? Because this helps with breaking down the stain, making it so you can more easily remove it.
Our recommended degreaser for oil stain removal is sodium hydroxide. What makes sodium hydroxide so effective at breaking down oil? The answer is a process called saponification. Sodium hydroxide shattered the bonds between oil molecules, allowing them to be removed much more easily.
To use sodium hydroxide, start by sweeping the afflicted area and removing all dust and other particles. Then, prepare your cleaning solution (we recommend using 1 cup of sodium hydroxide per gallon of water). Finally, brush this substance onto your concrete and wait ten to twenty minutes for it to work its magic. Any oil stains should be rapidly weakened, helping you more easily remove them.
Pressure Washing Concrete With Oil Stains
Now that sodium hydroxide has done its job, it is time to pressure wash the concrete. Since concrete is such a durable material, you will be able to use a high amount of water pressure to clean it. For concrete oil stain removal, we recommend using anywhere from 2,500 to 3,500 PSI. Don’t worry because your concrete will not be damaged during this process.
Simply aim your pressure washing hose at the stained area and spray! You should find that the stain is made significantly brighter if not removed entirely. If oil stains do not wash out after many minutes of pressure washing, you may want to perform another application of degreaser. That way, you can further weaken oil molecules, making them even easier to remove.
Other Benefits of Pressure Washing Concrete
Learning how to remove oil stains from concrete isn’t the only reason to pressure wash. In fact, there are many other benefits of concrete cleaning—some of which may surprise you.
- Improved Property Appearance. When you have clean concrete surfaces, your property as a whole will look better. This is instrumental in the success of businesses like gas stations and parking garages.
- Longer-Lasting Concrete. By removing debris from concrete, you’ll prevent debris-related surface damage. This avoids the need for costly repairs and saves you money in the long run.
- Improved Property Hygiene. By pressure washing concrete, you kill any bacteria and viruses on the surface, and you remove moss, mold, and algae, which release spores that interfere with your breathing.
Need Professional Concrete Oil Stain Removal?
Make no mistake about it. Learning how to remove oil stains from concrete is hard work. It requires a specific set of equipment, your time and energy, and your willingness to learn something new. If your schedule is already filled with responsibilities, perhaps DIY concrete oil stain removal isn’t for you. Good news, though—you can avoid this hard work by reaching out to Pristine Clean Exteriors, a locally owned and operated business.
Contact us online, let us know about your concrete, and get a free cost estimate for our services. Then, choose a time and date for your appointment, and we will be there soon! It will be our pleasure to remove oil stains for you, helping your home or business look its best no matter how messy its concrete is.
