Remove an oil stain from a driveway

Why oil soaks into a driveway

Concrete looks solid, but it's full of tiny pores and channels. Motor oil is thin enough to wick into those pores and spread below the surface, which is why a stain often looks bigger a day later than when it dripped. Over weeks, dirt sticks to the oily surface and the oil partly oxidizes, turning the spot darker and harder to lift. That's why speed matters: an absorbent on a fresh drip pulls most of it out before it soaks in deeply.

To remove an older stain, you need something that loosens the oil and something that pulls it back up. Dish soap and degreasers break the oil into droplets that rinse away. A poultice, a paste of fine absorbent mixed with a cleaner or solvent, works slowly: the liquid dissolves oil in the pores, and as the paste dries it draws the oil up into itself. Asphalt driveways are bound with petroleum, so solvents and harsh degreasers can soften or discolor them. On asphalt, absorbents, dish soap and cleaners labeled for asphalt are the safe choices.

Why the stain won't come out

Let's fix it

1. Soak up fresh oil right awayBlot any standing oil with paper towels or rags without wiping it around. Pour a thick layer, about 1/2 inch, of plain clay cat litter over the spot and a few inches past the edges. Sawdust, cornstarch or a commercial oil absorbent also work. Grind it into the surface with the sole of your shoe to break the litter into a powder that pulls oil out of the pores. Leave it for several hours or overnight, then sweep it into a bag. Repeat if the litter came up dark and the spot is still wet. Keep it dry: rain on the litter can spread the oil.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The spot is still dark after the litter That's normal for oil that had time to soak in. Move on to scrubbing in Step 2.

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2. Scrub with dish soap or a degreaserWet the stain lightly. Squirt on a generous amount of grease-cutting dish soap, or spray on a concrete and driveway degreaser following its label. Scrub hard with a stiff nylon brush for several minutes, working in different directions. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or as long as the label says, without letting it dry out. Then soak up the dirty suds with cat litter or rags before you rinse with a little water. On asphalt, use only dish soap or a cleaner labeled safe for asphalt, and skip metal-bristle brushes, which scratch the surface. Repeat once or twice if the stain is lighter but still visible.
   Done

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3. Try a commercial oil stain removerIf soap and degreaser leave a shadow, use a product made for oil stains on concrete or asphalt. Some are enzyme or microbe cleaners that slowly break down the oil, others are powders or gels that you spread on, let dry and sweep off. Match the product to your surface, since many concrete products aren't safe on asphalt. Follow the label for how long to leave it, often several hours to a day, and how to rinse. Test it first in a small out-of-the-way spot, especially on colored or stamped concrete, pavers or a sealed surface, since some cleaners can lighten or dull them.
   Done

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4. Lift an old concrete stain with a poulticeFor deep, old stains on concrete, make a poultice: mix a fine absorbent such as diatomaceous earth, powdered cat litter or baking soda with enough cleaner to make a paste like peanut butter. Use a degreaser for most stains, or a solvent such as mineral spirits for heavy, old oil, outdoors, away from any flame, and with gloves and eye protection. Let solvent-soaked rags and poultice dry outdoors before bagging them, since oily, solvent-soaked material can catch fire. Spread it about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick over the stain and an inch past the edges. Cover it with plastic sheeting and tape the edges so it dries slowly, which gives it time to draw the oil out. After 24 hours, remove the plastic and let it dry completely, then scrape and sweep it up. Repeat if needed. Don't use solvent poultices on asphalt.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The poultice dried in an hour It needs to stay damp for most of a day to pull oil up. Make a wetter paste and seal the plastic edges with tape.

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5. Rinse and check the resultOnce the cleaner or poultice is off, rinse the area with a small amount of water and a push broom, soaking up the rinse water with litter or rags rather than letting it run to the street. Let the concrete dry completely, since wet concrete looks darker than it is. A faint shadow often remains on stains that sat for a long time; a second round of poultice usually lightens it more. A pressure washer helps on concrete, used with a fan tip held at least a foot away and kept moving, since a narrow tip held close can etch the surface. On asphalt, use low pressure and a wide fan tip, or skip the pressure washer, since it can loosen the surface.
   Done

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6. Stop new stainsFix the leak or have it checked, since a car that drips oil can also run low on it. Until then, keep a drip pan, a commercial driveway mat or a flattened cardboard box under the engine. Once the concrete is clean and fully dry, a penetrating concrete sealer (applied as the label says, usually after the concrete has dried for a day or two) makes future spills bead up so they wipe away. Asphalt driveways are protected by sealcoating every few years, which also covers light stains. Keep a bag of cat litter in the garage for fast cleanup.
   Done

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Watch it done

How To Remove Oil Stains From Driveways & Concrete Garages (Testing 8 Popular Ways)By Abbotts At Home - DIY on YouTube. Their method may vary a little from ours.

Watch on YouTube

If it comes back

If the stain seems to come back after it dries, oil deep in the concrete is wicking back to the surface. Another poultice or two usually pulls more of it out. Some very old stains won't disappear completely, but they fade with each round.

If the concrete is cracked or flaking where the oil sat, see how to patch a crack in concrete. For an asphalt driveway with cracks, see how to fill driveway cracks before you sealcoat.

If water pools on the driveway or runs toward the house when you rinse, see the guide for water pooling near the foundation.