
Oil stains on a concrete driveway are unsightly and can be difficult to remove. If left untreated, they can lead to the premature deterioration of the concrete. They can also attract dirt and dust, making your driveway look even worse. And finally, oil stains can be a slipping hazard, so it is important to get rid of them for the safety of your family and guests.
Fortunately, there are a number of effective methods for removing oil stains from concrete. The most important thing is to act quickly, as the longer the stain remains, the more difficult it will be to remove. Once you have removed the stain, be sure to protect your driveway from future stains by sealing it with a water-repellent sealer. This will create an invisible barrier that will help to repel oil and other stains. As a result, your driveway will stay clean and looking its best for years to come.
In this video, Tony Wojtowicz, in conjunction with Lowe’s, shows us how to remove oil stains from a driveway, using a pressure washer. A pressure washer is a powerful tool that can be used to clean a variety of surfaces, including concrete driveways. In order to get the best results, it is important to know how to use the pressure washer properly. Here are some tips for cleaning a concrete driveway with a pressure washer.
[Transcript from the Video]
How to Remove Oil Stains from a Concrete Driveway with a Pressure Washer
Stains from oil dirt and leaves do not look good on concrete. Today, I’m going to show you how to remove them and clean your driveway using a pressure washer.
Choose the Right Cleaning Solution
So the first thing to do is determine what kind of stain you have, so you can get the right solution to tackle it. For oil and grease, you’re going to use a degreaser. Spray it on the stain. You’re going to let it set for a couple minutes and then scrub it with the brush. Paint can be removed with a paint stripper or solvent. Rust and other light stains can be taken care of with a concrete cleaner and the pressure washer.
Put Safety First
Now, when using a pressure, washer, it’s safety first. Wear a pair of goggles pants, not shorts, a long-sleeve shirt and close-toed shoes, and of course the most important thing is never aim the sprayer at yourself or someone else.
Prep the Driveway and the Power Washer
Next, we’re going to prep our driveway by spraying it down with the hose.
Next, we’re ready to start using our pressure washer. Pressure washers come with a number of different tips. The narrower tips are for tough stains and etching, but you want to be careful with these because you can damage your concrete. The wider tips are for more general cleaning and our pressure washer came with a special tip for applying the soap and that’s what we’re going to start with.
To install the tip, pull back on the collar and install it in the spray gun. Next, we’re going to hook our water hose up to our pressure washer, then we’re going to stick our siphon hose directly into our soap.
Then we’ll start the engine by pulling the starter cord. If it doesn’t start, you’re going to want to take and release the pressure from the wand by pulling the trigger and then try it again.
Begin Cleaning the Driveway
Work the spray wand back and forth overlapping each section. Keep the tip about 8 to 24 inches from the surface and allow the cleaner to soak in for a few minutes, but don’t let it dry completely. That could lead to streaking, so you might have to work in small sections.
Now, before we rinse down our driveway, we’re going to want to clear out our siphon hose. To do this, we’re going to take it out of the detergent. Put it in a bucket of clean water, then run our pressure washer till the water comes out clear. Next, we’re going to rinse our driveway, with a low to medium pressure tip.
First, I’m going to test it out in a small area back here. It works so now I’m going to rinse the rest. Using a pressure washer is going to take some practice, but you’ll get used to it. You might have to go over some areas twice and if you get too close, you’ll leave lines, but you can just blend those in. Continue cleaning the driveway and sidewalks in small sections. You’re going to want to be careful around plants and you might have to scrub along mulch beds.
Removing Stubborn Stains
Now, for more stubborn stains, you can go over it again with the power washer or you might have to add a detergent directly to the stain and then scrub it with the brush before rinsing it again.
Sealing the Clean Driveway
Once you’ve cleaned your entire concrete surface and let it dry for at least 24 hours, you might want to consider adding a sealer. A sealer is going to help prevent any future stains or damage from the ice and salt and the best part is it’s really easy to do for a large project like this. We’re simply using a garden sprayer to coat the surface, just overlapping each section and thoroughly covering the surface. You can also use a paint roller and brush along the edges. If there’s any excess, just roll over it again. Apply two coats and let it cure following the manufacturer’s directions.
Cleaning and sealing your driveway is going to take a couple of days. You definitely don’t want to rush the sealing process or it won’t stick, but once it’s fully cured, your driveway is ready for the elements.