Stains on cement driveway......

[bassman]

Anyone have any "surefire" products / techniques for removing oil /trans fluid from a cement driveway?  Seems some recent visitors to my home left me a few "deposits" and I'd really like to get them off or removed if possible.  Nope, not any HD's ! 

TIA !

[Brad]

I have had real good results on a common cement driveway (not colored or sealed) with a quality powered laundry detergent (like Tide) and liquid chlorine bleach.  Wet the area down with the bleach and then sprinkle on the detergent, scrub with a good stiff brush or broom (do not get it on your clothes) let it sit for about 10 minutes.  Do not let it sit too long or it will dry out.  Hose it off real good and then look at how the nice clean white spot makes the rest of your drive way look dingy. 

[Quicksilver]

Pure portland cement, it's very fine particles will get in there then sweep it up. I've used it cleaning up diesel spills, might work for you.

[Bob E.]

Pure portland cement, it's very fine particles will get in there then sweep it up. I've used it cleaning up diesel spills, might work for you.

Actually, if you take that portland cement, add some water, sand, and small rocks, mix thoroughly, and lay that mixture down about 3" thick or so, you won't even have to sweep or rinse it...and your driveway will look like new! 

Seriously though...I've had some luck with regular old laundry detergent or even dish detergent.  I used the liquid stuff.  It wasn't perfect, but good enough since the slab was already kinda stained anyways.  Then again, I didn't kill myself scrubbing it either.

[Stude]

http://www.sorb.com/Product_Videos.htm

[fudgie]

Shouldn't this be on the Harley board? Ba-dump-bump-ching   

[Trynt]

I've used brake cleaner for used motor oil. It does a decent job.

[ArmyValker]

I've had good luck with concentrated Simple Green and a scrub brush. Heavy stains take a few hits but works pretty good. Stay away from anything too acidic. It'll etch your concrete.

[sheets]

Simple Green... works good, but will etch your liver also...

http://allnaturalcleaning.blogspot.com/2007/11/some-simple-green-facts.html

[ArmyValker]

Simple Green... works good, but will etch your liver also...

http://allnaturalcleaning.blogspot.com/2007/11/some-simple-green-facts.html

I guess I missed the part where they talk about Simple Green specifically? Is it supposed to be bad?

[michaelyoung254]

Trisodium phosphate works very well. Also, muratic acid works great and is also about the best drain cleaner you can get. The best part is that it is pretty cheap at any local swimming pool supply. You'll pay less for a gallon than a quart of any cleaner or at Wallyworld.

[GreenLantern57]

Clay cat litter, spread it on the spot and grind it into the spot with your boot.

[Steve K (IA)]

Trisodium phosphate works very well. Also, muratic acid works great and is also about the best drain cleaner you can get. The best part is that it is pretty cheap at any local swimming pool supply. You'll pay less for a gallon than a quart of any cleaner or at Wallyworld.

Tri-sodium phosphate works very well.   

[sheets]

I guess I missed the part where they talk about Simple Green specifically? Is it supposed to be bad?

Google: Simple Green, Liver

Lots of hits. For what its worth.

Yrmv...

[X Ring]

For God's Sake don't use Simple Green on anodized aluminum.  It will remove the anodizing.  The Army learned that the hard way when they ruined a buttload of M-16s.

Marty

[DenverDave]

Cat litter and Kerosene,  Pour some kerosene on the spots and brush it into the surface. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then cover the area with a good amount of cat litter (the cheap clay kind and not the clumping kind)at least a 1/2 inch deep. Let it sit for at least a couple of hours or longer. You can "move" the litter around with a broom to help the litter absorb the kerosene and the stain. The deeper the oil spots are in the concrete,  the longer you will have to leave the litter on the spots. You may have to repeat if the spots don't disappear the first time. The cat litter pulls the kerosene out off the concrete along with the oil.

[bassman]

Thanks for the input guys......tried Tide, bleach, Trisodium phosphate, Dawn and a good scrub brush with a little success but the stains remain....will head over to O'Reilly's tomorrow to see what products they might have on the shelves.....kerosene might be worth a try also.....

[Cleaner Man]

Yep- I do this for a living- auto dealerships, etc.  Find a janitorial supply dealer and buy a degreaser that has a high percent of either "butyl" or delimoline in it.  My preference is delimoline.  You may need to repeat the process a few times because the oil seeps down into the concrete- but scrub it, and I like to use a wet-vac to pick up the dirty, spent solution.  I actually have a flat floor tool called a water claw that I set on top of the stain, turn the vac on, and watch it draw the offending material up and out of the cement.
Do not use, or mix bleach at all.  Chlorine does not emulsify anything, and don't use acid- you will permanently change the appearance of your cement, and since your stain is acidic, acid will be ineffective. 
Another little trick is to "burn" it off, or pre-heat the stains with an electric heat gun before you do the above.

[Bonzo]

Baking Soda works well to absorb the oil, Simply Green will clean up the remaining grease, Muriatic Acid will remove the stain. Be very careful with the Muriatic Acid.

When we clean up oil contaminated manholes we "Soda Blast"them use baking powder in a modified sand blaster. Very Effective! Cleans up PCB contamination.
 I have used baking powder to remove oil from boots, wood and cement.

The method above is what we use to do in a  Auto Radiator Shop I worked in.

[Stanley Steamer]

Yep.....I've left a few stains on the driveway.......OHHH, you want to know how to get them OFF??..... ...... ..

[Karen]

Sorry I can't help. If it were a blue dress, maybe...

[fudgie]

Sorry I can't help. If it were a blue dress, maybe...

        

[bassman]

Sorry I can't help. If it were a blue dress, maybe...

Now THAT's phunny !!!   

[czuch]

Blue dress,,,,,,,,,,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
I was gonna add my snarky comment about letting em get inside the house first to keep from staining the driveway.
I use the heavy duty degreaser and laundry powder. Elbow grease and a beer. When it dosent come out looking new, apply beer till the stain dosent matter as much anymore.

[ArmyValker]

I guess I missed the part where they talk about Simple Green specifically? Is it supposed to be bad?

Google: Simple Green, Liver

Lots of hits. For what its worth.

Yrmv...

Interesting, I've been using it for years because the MSDS is pretty mild. Course, I'm not drinking the stuff either...

[R J]

You can eliminate the chance of the stain if ya hang a can under the leaking unit.

Way back when I was a young smart assed punk, I had a 61 ci Harley.

Went over to see my girl friend on it and her dad met me at the door.  He handed me 5 coffee cans and said hang em on the bottom of the bike or park it across the street in the street.

Laughed about that for several years.    We ended up getting married, and I lost her to child birth 5 years later.    She did give me one hell of a sweet daughter in the process.    I was in the Marine Corps at the time when we got married.   Got the job as a CHP a month before she was due.   Of course, I was going through the Academy when I got the call of her death.      Her mom told me to finish the Academy, that she would raise Debbie as long as I needed help.    If I had of dropped out, I would not of had a job as a CHP.     

Loved that old grump.   I think her look, she could have made a cat crap razor blades.  When she gave dad that look, he shut up real fast.  She also run the office and scheduling at the Radiator shop they owned.  In the late 40's and early 50's they had a new Buick Road Bastard every year.   She could spend the $$$$$$.   LOL.

[PharmBoy]

I always have a gallon of lacquer thinner around and for small spills, just wipe it up as best I can and then pour enough lacquer thinner on it to cover the spot, let it set for a couple of minutes and then wipe it up with an old towel or rag.  That stuff just loves to dissolve oil.  Ventilate the area well and DON'T SMOKE...JTL

[Piper]

Clay cat litter, spread it on the spot and grind it into the spot with your boot.

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