Owning an old car or vehicle that regularly spills oil on the floor is a tiring experience. Removing oil stains from your driveway or garage requires a lot of patience because oil stains don’t get removed in a single try. The chances are that removing the stains cost you a large sum of money previously, and now you’re looking for low-cost options to remove oil stains from the concrete floor.
The relieving thing is that several DIY oil stain removal solutions are available that won’t make much of a dent in your wallet but will help you clean the stains. Let’s check out some of the best methods that you can use.
Factors That Affect Stain Removal From Concrete:
Cleaning the concrete surface from oil stains is affected by the following two common factors:
The size of the stain affects the difficulty of removing the stains from the concrete surface. The larger the stain is, the harder it is to remove it and vice versa.
The age of the stain affects whether the stain is removable or not. If the concrete floor has been stained for a long time, it will be hard to remove it. However, it will be easy to remove it if it is fresh.
5 Ways To Remove Oil Stains From Concrete:
1.Using Absorbents:
Oil absorbents are the substances that absorb the oil stains from the concrete surface. They are directly smeared over the stain and left out. Then you have to wait until the absorbent absorbs the stain. Fresh stains require 20 to 60 minutes for their removal. However, old stains may take hours to get removed.
There are two ways to use an absorbent. Either they are used in dry form or mixed with a chemical solvent to enhance their absorbing capability. The absorbents mostly used in the dry form include sawdust, cornmeal, and cat litter. In contrast, pool filter media, sawdust, kitten litter, and cornmeal are the absorbents that are combined with chemicals like acetone, oil densifier, and xylene. These substances help in absorbing the stains from concrete by reacting with oil.
2.Applying Degreaser:
Degreasers are substances specially created with solvents that decrease the density of the oil stains and contaminate them to make them removable. Put the degreaser on the stains according to their size to remove the oil stain. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Then take a brush and rub it thoroughly on the stain. After this, rinse it off the surface. The degreaser will react with the oil and break down its molecules to make the oil thin. This method is effective for fresh stains.
3.Scrubbing With Detergent Or Dish Wash Soap:
To remove oil stains from the concrete floor, all you need is detergent or a bar of dishwashing soap. Take some detergent or dishwashing soap and spread it evenly on the stains. You need to wait for it to settle down and then scrub the surface with the help of a sponge or scrubber. Afterwards, rinse the surface with water. Both of these items are made of alkaline materials and surfactants. These substances improve the seaming, seeping, and absorbing capabilities of water, which in turn removes the stains.
4.Using A Pressure Washer:
A pressure washer is a machine that pumps out water at high pressure through a nozzle. This pressure is enough to remove stains. For best results, it should be used with a concrete cleaner. Firstly, you have to dip one end of the pressure washer’s hose into the cleaner. Now move the spray wand back and forth until all the stains are covered. Wait for a few minutes, but don’t let it dry completely. Again use the pressure washer to wash the surface with water.
5.Trying Microbial Cleaners:
Microbial cleaners use a specific biomedical technique called bio-remediation, which uses microorganisms for environmental cleaning. These microorganisms have specially engineered enzymes that break the oil into simpler substances and remove the material. Hence, you can easily use this cleaner to remove stains. This technique is very effective in cleaning both fresh and old stains.
Safety Measurements To Avoid Oil Stains:
Cleaning oil stains involves many methods and trials to remove them completely. However, preventing the oil from spilling and staining the concrete is the best safety measure you can take. Here are some ideas to avoid oil stains:
Oil spill mats are made of special absorbing and water-resistant materials that absorb the oil without leaving any type of stains on the surface.
A concrete sealer is a type of sealing or coating that prevents oil and grease penetration. Concrete sealers are made of natural polymers and are highly absorbent products.
FAQ’S
Conclusion
After thoroughly examining each product and using them separately, we have reviewed each method of removing oil stains for you. You can check each of them to know which one works best for you. As there are chances that one method is feasible in one condition but not feasible in the other. So select according to your needs.
