Your classic car is constantly in and out of the driveway. Whether you only take it out for a Sunday drive, or you enjoy tinkering…{"id":4954,"date":"2014-03-11T10:32:49","date_gmt":"2014-03-11T17:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=4954"},"modified":"2014-03-11T10:32:49","modified_gmt":"2014-03-11T17:32:49","slug":"classic-car-leaving-its-mark-top-tips-for-removing-driveway-oil-stains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/11\/classic-car-leaving-its-mark-top-tips-for-removing-driveway-oil-stains\/","title":{"rendered":"Classic Car Leaving Its Mark? Top Tips for Removing Driveway Oil Stains"},"content":{"rendered":"
Your classic car is constantly in and out of the driveway. Whether you only take it out for a Sunday drive, or you enjoy tinkering with it more frequently, you’ll often find that the car leaves unsightly oil stains on your garage floor and driveway.<\/p>\n
The problem with concrete and asphalt driveways is that they’re porous, which means they’ll absorb liquids quickly and easily. If your car happens to have a nasty drip, this can mean some serious stains. But, have no fear, we have some great tips to help you remove oil stains so that your driveway won’t look like the floor of a high school auto shop.<\/p>\n
Tips for Removing Driveway Oil Stains<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n
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If the stains are fresh, or if a spill has just occurred, absorb as much of the oil as you can with paper towels or rags. Blot, don’t rub. And don’t rinse the oil off with your garden hose. That can cause the oil to run into sewers and storm drains, causing unnecessary pollution.<\/li>\n
Now grab some kitty litter and pour it generously on the stains. Unless you’ve got cats and want to use the extra litter, don’t bother getting the expensive super clumping stuff… or the stuff with extra deodorizers for multiple cat households. Can you tell I’ve got cats? Unless you do, you’ll just need some extra absorbent litter to help take the oil right out of the concrete. Make sure to cover all areas of the stain completely.<\/li>\n
Let the litter sit on the area for a while, at least 15-30 minutes, maybe even an hour or two for bigger spills.<\/li>\n
Next, crush the litter! Preferably, you’ll be wearing an old pair of work boots or sneakers and not your Sunday’s best to do this. Really break up the litter and grind it into the oily spot.<\/li>\n
Sweep up the area and toss the litter in the nearest trash. You won’t need it anymore.<\/li>\n
Now that all of the wet oil has been removed, use your favorite grease cutting dish detergent and a stiff scrub brush to thoroughly clean the stain. Scrub hard on the stain, but go slightly past the edges with a lighter touch. This can help “blend” the driveway surface so that the cleaned spot isn’t as noticeable later.<\/li>\n
Rinse and repeat. Once you’ve scrubbed and scrubbed, rinse away\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the dish detergent and check your work. If the stain persists, keep going. For really stubborn stains, you can let the concentrated detergent sit before you scrub so that it really penetrates the stain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you know your car is going to be sitting for a while, either in the garage or in the driveway, why not invest $5-10 on a drip tray? Trust me, the small investment will be worth it if don’t have to scrub stains from the concrete. And, yes, we know we gave you possibly the most labor intensive method for getting stains up… but, it should also prove the cheapest. To save time with major oil stains, we’re talking Exxon Valdez spills, you can also buy stain removers, like EATOILS BT200<\/a>. Just make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.<\/p>\n