June 28, 2024 by Mulberry Maids
Oil stains on patios and driveways can be really annoying and unsightly! Luckily, with a little bit of elbow grease, these stains can be treated and lifted away.
As the top provider of Loveland CO housekeeping services, we are well versed in much more than just home cleaning. From interior to exterior, we are experts in making sure your home and property are in the best shape possible.
Read on to learn more about making sure your patio and driveway stay stain free!
Why are there oil stains on the outdoor areas of my home?
After the snows of winter melt, you may notice leftover stains from years past on your driveway, garage floor or outdoor patio. Just like trying to keep outdoor debris out of your home, keeping up with outdoor stains will take some work.
Oil stains can develop for a variety of reasons, but most likely are from oil dripping from vehicles or other maintenance equipment parked on a driveway or in a garage, or from cooking grease and oil splatter and spills around outdoor cooking areas, such as grills.
Being very conscious of spills when they happen is always the best defense against staining. Make sure that you have some rags or towels on hand to wipe up grease and oil stains before they have a chance to set in and stain.
What are the best supplies to use to clean up these stains?
There are many different products that can be used to tackle oil stains on outdoor areas. These range from very mild solutions to heavy duty chemicals, depending on your preferences and how bad the stain is.
As with everything in cleaning, starting with the most mild cleanser is always recommended, as it will typically be better for your health and the surrounding environment. It is also best to start with gentle solutions to make sure there is no additional damage to the surface that you are trying to clean.
Some common supplies to use include:
- Microfiber rags, abrasive sponges and sturdy brushes
- Dish soap or laundry detergent
- Store bought degreaser
- Cat litter
- Baking soda and vinegar
- Brake cleaner or other heavy duty industrial degreasers
What is a good process for cleaning up oil stains outside?
Depending on the size and age of the stain that you want to clean up, the method may vary a bit. Unfortunately, for large set in stains, mild cleaning techniques may not work, though it is still advised to start out with the less is more approach.
To get started, gather your preferred supplies from above. Follow these instructions to start tackling the stains:
- For fresh stains or to start out with the mildest mixture, apply dish soap or laundry detergent and water to the stain.
- Let it set in for a few minutes, and then begin to scrub the stain with an abrasive sponge or brush.
- If this removes the stain, you can then hose it down, and do any additional cleaning or wiping of the area with a microfiber rag or mop.
- If the stain is very fresh, you can try to apply cat litter to it. This will help to absorb some of the oil. Follow up with additional cleaning as needed.
- For larger and more set in stains, heavier duty cleaning may be needed. One natural way to try before utilizing a store bought degreaser is with baking soda and vinegar.
- Apply baking soda to the stain. Spray the stain with a water and vinegar mixture or even just straight cleaning vinegar.
- Let the mixture sit on the stain for 15 minutes, and then begin to scrub the stain with an abrasive sponge or brush.
- Repeat as needed, and then hose down the area and dry it.
- For stains where these gentler or natural remedies do not work, you may need to go to something stronger.
- There are many store bought degreasers that can be used on oil stains. If you buy a concentrated formula, then you can make your mixture heavier duty to help lift the stain.
- Brake cleaner or other industrial degreasers may need to be used for older and more stubborn oil stains.
- Be very careful with the fumes of strong degreasers, and make sure to use proper gloves to avoid skin exposure.
As with everything cleaning related, it is best to tackle these stains quickly to avoid needing to use heavier or more drastic approaches. Having a small bucket or kitty litter available, as well as rags and sponges ready to scrub, will help to make sure that oil stains don’t set in and become lingering unsightly stains on your outdoor areas.
Loveland CO housekeeping services that will exceed all your expectations!
Here at Mulberry Maids, we pride ourselves on being Loveland’s premier home cleaning company, only working with the best professionals in our local area. The cleaners we employ are trained and equipped to provide top of the line home cleanings, so you enjoy some time away from home at the unique Aka Kitchen in downtown Loveland.
Visit us online to get a quick and free quote or give us a call or text at (970) 460-4298 to get on our schedule. Thanks for reading, and we can’t wait to help you out soon!