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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ oil spots on the driveway

Posted by: mattillac Mar 16 2005, 06:06 PM

before i moved it, my car was sitting in my friends moms driveway(she's soo nice.)
so, some oil dripped on the driveway! i don't know how that happened but i would like to clean it up for her. some other cars donated some oil also, not just mine.

tell rentals has heated pressure washers for $48.95 for a couple of hours. i thought that and some kind of detergent and a BIG scrubber would do the job. anybody else have any good ideas on oil slick removal from driveways?

peace!

edit: sorry, forgot the OT.

Posted by: ws91420 Mar 16 2005, 06:09 PM

Is it concrete and is it a lot of oil. Sometimes brake cleaner will work on small spots.

Posted by: skline Mar 16 2005, 06:09 PM

Common pool acid scrub for a minute and hose off. Stain will be gone.

Oh, wear a mask

Posted by: Eric Taylor Mar 16 2005, 06:11 PM

That's extremly nice! Great to see you wiping up your babie If it were me I would just try and use a spray nozzle on a regular garden hose. Put down some soap, or use a brush of some sort. That's what I would do . $50.00 is a lot for a pressure washer, sounds like they are trying to rape you.
Eric

Posted by: mattillac Mar 16 2005, 06:14 PM

its some large spots and some smaller ones. they've been sitting there for a while so i don't think the brake cleaner will work.

pool acid scrub, huh? i work right down the street from home depot, so i'll go look there after work. if they don't have it i guess i'll have to find a pool place.

thanks for tips. i'll post my results later.

Posted by: skline Mar 16 2005, 06:19 PM

Dont leave it on too long, it will bleach the driveway and you will have white spots instead of black spots. Just pour it on, scrub it a minute or so and then hose it off.

Posted by: mattillac Mar 16 2005, 06:49 PM

QUOTE (skline @ Mar 16 2005, 04:19 PM)
Dont leave it on too long, it will bleach the driveway and you will have white spots instead of black spots. Just pour it on, scrub it a minute or so and then hose it off.

thanks for warning me.

Posted by: vsg914 Mar 16 2005, 07:00 PM

Scott, you might want to reconsider the pool acids for repeated use. Pool acid(hydrochloric,or muratic) will not only bleach the driveway if left too long, It will remove a bit of the portand cement in the concrete that rises to the top during trowling and finishing of the driveway, and that is what I use. Raw portland cement! sprinkle some on the oil spots, let it sit for a few, wet slightly, brush with a stiff broom, rinse. Muratic acid is what brick layers use to remove the excess mortar from the brick. It eats cement, and will eventually leave the sand underneath exposed leading to an early demise of your driveway.

Posted by: BMartin914 Mar 16 2005, 07:20 PM

Gint had mentioned to me that an auto parts store brand (Coastal Corp) of hand cleaner works miracles. I wish I could remember which chain it was. If you can figure out which chain is owned by coastal, you're on your way.

Posted by: mattillac Mar 16 2005, 07:22 PM

QUOTE (vsg914 @ Mar 16 2005, 05:00 PM)
that is what I use. Raw portland cement! sprinkle some on the oil spots, let it sit for a few, wet slightly, brush with a stiff broom, rinse.

you use dry portland cement? is that something i can get at the depot or should i go to the cement supply place?

i like the idea of using the acid to get the oil off, but if something will work that does not eat away the concrete i guess that would be better. especially since it's not my driveway.

Posted by: vsg914 Mar 16 2005, 07:27 PM

The depot, Lowes, or any old time lumberyard/hardware store. Take a big coffee can and ask them if they have a broken bag you could get some from. They will most likely give you half the bag since they can't sell it anyway.

Posted by: synthesisdv Mar 16 2005, 07:29 PM

I don't have a driveway, I basically just have oil spots.

Posted by: mattillac Mar 16 2005, 07:30 PM

QUOTE (BMartin914 @ Mar 16 2005, 05:20 PM)
Gint had mentioned to me that an auto parts store brand (Coastal Corp) of hand cleaner works miracles. I wish I could remember which chain it was. If you can figure out which chain is owned by coastal, you're on your way.

i thought about using the lanolin stuff before, but i wasn't really sure about it. it works awesome on my hands. hmmm. a nice bunch of ideas is popping up so far. keep 'em comming. i'm sure someone besides me has some pesky oil slicks growing on their driveway/sidewalk/street/carpet

Posted by: anthony Mar 16 2005, 07:43 PM

See if you can borrow a pressure washer from someone. Just the regular 1600psi home model will work pretty good on oil spots. Scrubbing them with some Tide might help too.

Posted by: Steve Thacker Mar 16 2005, 08:12 PM

The portland cement solution is good.....great suggestion BTDT

Another awesome one is to use MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) We call it Methyl Ethyl Badshit.
You MUST use chemical gloves as there is nothing on the planet that will dissolve petrolum products on contact as this shit does. Looks like a watercolor when you apply it. You do not want to get this stuff on you. As your skin will take it in like lightning and you will be very sick in a short time. Especially avoid breathing it, etc, etc.

Since most driveways have a slight slope. I usually put some kitty litter or other absorbant below the stains. I hit them with the MEK, very lightly use a brush and the stuff runs into the absorbant and I just sweep it away, no mo earl stains. It won't discolor or eat the cement either. Don't throw the absorbant and MEK in a water bourne area. As this is bad for the environment, this shit will stay in the soil for like 30 years. Seriously this is the stuff to use. You ought to see what it does to a nasty dirty engine block.

I sound just like a infomercial. UMMM Pine cones,..they taste just like nuts.

You can get it at Depot in the home paint section. Autozone also carries it.

Posted by: vsg914 Mar 16 2005, 08:20 PM

TSP (tri-sodium-phosphate) is another good enviornmental friendly cleaning product available at your local paint store.

Posted by: iamchappy Mar 16 2005, 09:19 PM

Ive been told that Costco heavy duty laundry detergent that comes in a 5 gallon pail for 15 bucks, sprinkled on over the area and left for a few days than brushed off works.

Posted by: Rand Mar 16 2005, 09:34 PM

For smallish spots I use dish soap, a stiff bristled brush, and some elbow grease. Rinses off quick for an easy cleanup. Not exactly a high tech industrial strength solution, but easy to try since it's usually on hand.

Posted by: 914fan Mar 16 2005, 10:18 PM

I used some Gojo orange. It worked good. I just squirted it on and used a tiny bit of water. i scrubber back and forth with my shop broom. Let it set. Scrubbed (actually just moved it around) let it set scrubber and rinsed. it looked beter than the other side whee I used industrial concrete cleaner (home depot stih.) it would have worked better on a hot day I think. A couple days later it rained and the driveway looked new.

Perhaps simple green as well?

Posted by: mattillac Mar 17 2005, 12:40 PM

thanks guys for all the awesome suggestions!

Posted by: bd1308 Mar 17 2005, 12:46 PM

on my first Jeep oil change, I messed up with the oil conatiner and the strainer was left in and the oil hit it just rigth where it soiled the whole driveway with oil i went to AutoZone, got a LOT of paper towels and carb cleaner....and BINGO! No more spots. I love carb cleaner. Well now that i have the 914, i gave up on cleaning the driveway with carb cleaner.

Posted by: SirAndy Mar 17 2005, 12:59 PM

QUOTE (ws91420 @ Mar 16 2005, 04:09 PM)
Sometimes brake cleaner will work on small spots.

brake cleaner and some old rags work wonder. get a couple of cans and apply generously (sp?), then wipe off while wet.

after that, most of the oil will be gone and you can clean up the rest with warm water and a detergent ...

Andy

Posted by: rhodyguy Mar 17 2005, 01:07 PM

concrete or asphalt? concrete, scrape it, dry detergent, try pouring coke on it, or vinegar and letting it sit. be careful using acids on concrete. more and longeris a bad thing and can do damage to the cream that comes up finishing. the acid will take that right up leaving it porous so the new oil can wick way in. too much "pressure" in the washing is a bad thing too. rinse acid out of my garage so it can perk with the rain water out side where i walk? no thanks.

k

Posted by: mattillac Mar 24 2005, 06:54 PM

well, my camera sucks balls so no pics. but OMG, the MEK and a stiff brush works like a freaking magic trick. just suck the mess up with the kitty litter when your done. thanks steve thacker for the tip!

Posted by: Steve Thacker Mar 24 2005, 09:34 PM

Matt,
Real glad the tip helped. I do hope you didn't get any on you. It does the job, but it is hell on the human body.

Posted by: carreraguy Mar 24 2005, 10:44 PM

Before you bring out the heavy hitters which may bleach the cement, try grounding in some some kitty litter and then sweeping it up - work great if the oil is fresh!

Posted by: mattillac Mar 26 2005, 05:24 PM

QUOTE (Steve Thacker @ Mar 24 2005, 07:34 PM)
Matt,
Real glad the tip helped. I do hope you didn't get any on you. It does the job, but it is hell on the human body.

didn't get any on my skin. i used a stiff brush screwed onto one of those extendo poles.
i did breath in a little bit, but i think i liked it.

Posted by: AndyC Mar 26 2005, 05:35 PM

Word to the wise for the future:
If you have a concrete drive DO NOT use any acidic cleaning materials on it - ever! Unless of course you happened to have laid your drive using sulphoaluminate cement (sorry having a moment see next comment)
Trust me I'm a concrete technologist
Concrete = alkaline. Concrete + Acid = new driveway in a few yaers time (think bad weather + de-icing salt + 914)

Andy

Posted by: Steve Thacker Mar 28 2005, 04:50 AM

Matt,
You in a hurry to get a dirt bed?

Posted by: redshift Mar 28 2005, 05:31 AM

lol... I use MEK to wipe off old lacquer finishes... with my bare right hand... occasionally.

If you use anything less than 'chem' gloves, they disappear in a sec, anyhow.

This stuff goes into your skin, finds your blood stream, and sticks in what is left of your brain.... and right of it too.

M

Posted by: BarberDave Mar 28 2005, 08:30 AM

I use Carb cleaner,the cheaper the better,wipes up with a paper towel. Dave

Posted by: mudfoot76 Mar 28 2005, 10:02 AM

I've always found powder dishwasher soap to work well, and it is pretty safe and cheap. For small spots, just cover with a thin layer and let it be. Spots are gone...

After doing a flush and fill on the brake system recently, there was a "small" spill of old brake fluid. Then I got out the liquid laundry detergent and a brush. Scrub, then hose away...

MEK sounds like fun though