{"id":12479,"date":"2021-09-27T10:40:47","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T10:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resin-expert.com\/?p=12479"},"modified":"2023-04-07T20:21:21","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T20:21:21","slug":"how-to-get-oil-out-of-concrete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resin-expert.com\/en\/guide\/how-to-get-oil-out-of-concrete","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Oil Out of Concrete – Complete Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Besides oil stains on concrete being unsightly, they can also severely impair the adhesion of your new coating, be it an epoxy paint or concrete sealer. Consequently, you will need to completely remove oil and grease stains from your concrete before applying a sealer or paint. There are many methods as well as products that will help you remove oil from concrete. This article will show you how to remove oil stains from concrete and introduce you to the best products for getting the job done.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Concrete and Oil Stains<\/h2>\n

Concrete is made by mixing cement, water, and gravel, or sand. Once it dries it becomes very hard but it remains porous. The porosity can vary depending on the particle size of the sand or gravel used. The porosity of concrete makes it permeable which means vapor and air can move through it. This is all fine and well but if vapor and air can move through concrete then so can stains, right? Correct.<\/p>\n

It is porosity that makes it extremely challenging to remove oil stains from concrete as stains will seep into the surface of the concrete. Furthermore, oil stains can act as a natural water repellent which makes things that much more tricky.<\/p>\n

Choosing to apply a concrete sealer is a wise move as it can make cleaning stains far easier as sealing concrete will prevent stains from soaking into the porous surface.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Stains on concrete usually occur on the driveway or the garage floor. These stains are caused by fluids that sometimes leak from motor vehicles. If your vehicle is leaking fluids, stain removal should be the least of your concerns. You will want to consult a mechanic about that before you remove oil stains from your driveway. Let us take a look at the most common stains that are found on concrete.<\/p>\n

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Gasoline<\/h3>\n

A gasoline spill is a common garage or driveway mishap. This can happen when refueling the lawnmower or weed wacker. These spills should be dealt with as soon as possible as gasoline is flammable and can be toxic to plant and animal life.<\/p>\n

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Motor Oil<\/h3>\n

An oil spot under your car is usually an indication of a bigger problem than a little stain but the longer it is left the harder it is to remove oil from concrete. Later on, in this article, we will look at a few powerful degreasers that are ideal for removing oil from concrete.<\/p>\n

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Transmission Fluid<\/h3>\n

Transmission Fluid is another common stain that can show up on garage floors. On light-colored concrete floors<\/strong><\/a>, it can leave a red stain. The longer the transmission fluid sits on concrete the more difficult it can be to remove as it will seep into the pores of the concrete and begin to dry.<\/p>\n

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How to Remove Oil Stains From Concrete<\/h2>\n

Besides using a commercial degreaser to remove oil stains from driveways and other concrete surfaces, there are some other methods that can work just as well, if not better! In this section, we will look at some of these methods. If you are having a difficult time removing oil from concrete, consider all the methods listed. Sometimes you just need to throw everything you have at a problem to remedy it. When dealing with the chemicals mentioned below it is a good idea to wear safety goggles, nitrile gloves, and a respirator.<\/p>\n

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Soak Up Excess Oil<\/h3>\n

If you are dealing with a fresh oil spill on concrete there is a chance that it has not yet soaked into the surface of the concrete. It is always best to address stains as soon as you can. The longer a stain sits on concrete the deeper it penetrates into the surface and the more time it has to dry.<\/p>\n

Choosing to act immediately can save you from having to break too much of a sweat when removing oil stains from concrete.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Use sawdust or affordable kitty litter to absorb the spill. Allow the kitty litter or sawdust to sit for about 24 hours. This will give it more than enough time to soak up the excess oil but if you feel more time is needed feel free to leave the absorbent material for as long as you like. Once you are happy that the oil has soaked into the material use a shovel to scrape up the oil-soaked muck and dispose of it responsibly.<\/p>\n

If your concrete floor has been sealed or if it has any form of a coating on it, this trick will work wonders. There may not be any need to start scrubbing and using detergents however if you still see evidence of the oil stain you will need to consider one of the other methods below.<\/p>\n

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Poultice for Oil Stains<\/h3>\n

Creating a poultice for removing oil stains from concrete is a leveled-up version of the method mentioned above. It requires a drawing agent such as sawdust, kitty litter, and wheat flour as well as a solvent like acetone or thinners. The idea behind a poultice, when talking about stain removal, is that the solvent breaks down the oil while the drawing medium absorbs or draws the oil from the surface of the concrete. Instead of using a solvent try using trisodium phosphate soap (TSP) mixed with kitty litter.<\/p>\n

After you have mixed up the poultice, lay it down generously over the stain and cover it with plastic sheeting.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Allow it to sit for about 24 hours for it to get working. Once all the oil has been broken down and soaked up it is time to remove the poultice with your trusty shovel and dispose of the muck responsibly. This method works really well on small stains. It might not work so well on larger stains but it is worth a try.<\/p>\n

Once the poultice has been removed, rinse the area with a mop and a bucket of water and detergent or flush it with a power washer. Once the concrete is dry you will be able to see how effective this method was. You may want to consider repeating this process on tougher stains, so it may be an idea to get scrubbing!<\/p>\n

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Commercial Concrete Degreaser<\/h3>\n

When asking yourself how to remove oil stains from concrete the first thought you may have is using a commercial degreaser. This method is the most common and for good reason. It works. Although it will require some elbow grease to encourage the degreasing process. There are many degreasers available for removing oil stains from concrete. However, our favorite is the Goof Off concrete degreaser.<\/p>\n

Whichever product you decide on, it is best to let the degreaser sit on the stain for about 30 minutes before scrubbing with a stiff bristle brush or a push broom. You will need to rinse the degreaser with warm water to remove it from the concrete. These degreasers are usually a high alkaline formulation that breaks down the oil making it easier to remove from the concrete. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions as directions for use may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.<\/p>\n

An alternative to using a concrete degreaser is using baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda generously over the entire stain and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes. Next, squirt a generous amount of dish soap over the baking soda and begin scrubbing. Once you have given the surface of the concrete a good scrubbing you will need to rinse it with warm water. You can repeat this process if necessary.<\/p>\n

The combination of these two ingredients can be a very effective way to remove oil stains from concrete.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Removing Oil Stains From Concrete with WD-40<\/h3>\n

WD-40 has a list of around 2000 uses for its product. It is a wonderfully versatile product and is readily available. This deep-penetrating, water dispersing formula can even be used to remove oil stains from concrete. WD-40 contains a solvent that can break down the oil making it easier to remove.<\/p>\n

Before you spray WD-40 on the oil-stained concrete be sure to soak up as much excess oil as possible. Spray a generous amount onto the stain and allow it to work in the stain for about 30 minutes. While WD-40 may work well at breaking down the structure of the oil you may also have to scrub the concrete with a detergent in order to further remove the oil stain as well as the residue that WD-40 will inevitably leave behind.<\/p>\n

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Tips and Tricks for Removing Oil Stains From Concrete<\/h2>\n