Alkaline concrete cleaners have powerful degreasing capabilities. They work best on petroleum-based stains such as oil, grease, soot, and tar. Our top pick for an alkaline concrete cleaner, Sunnyside 64216 TSP All Purpose Cleaner, is recommended for indoor surfaces and works quickly to remove tough stains.
According to Hinckley, alkaline cleaners are also the preferred chemical for cleaning soot from concrete. Heavy rust stains can penetrate deeply into concrete, so they can be tough to remove completely. Cleaners containing oxalic acid are most effective.
Common household products such as cat litter, baking soda, dish soap, and even laundry detergent are prime tools for tackling oil stains.
Unfortunately, the rain isn't going to wash it away, and if you leave the oil spill, it can damage your concrete. Oil will break down the sealant/finish on the top layer and seep into the tiny pores of the concrete, creating a permanent stain, if not taken care of.
In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
Cleaning concrete with muriatic acid can be a highly effective solution if used correctly, providing ultra-bright white concrete and removal of many types of stains. In one application, you can remove rust stains, oil stains, algae, and paint splatter with a quick chemical application followed by pressure washing.
Muriatic acid: Muriatic acid is a form of hydrochloric acid used for etching concrete. As muriatic acid etches concrete, it can also etch away oil stains in the process.
WD-40 is a water displacer, and while many people use it in home improvement projects for lubrication or its anti-rust properties, it's actually a pretty powerful cleaner — including, but not limited to, your concrete driveway and its oil spill.
Never use cleaners such as Pine-Sol, ammonia, vinegar, or bleach as they will dull, discolor or etch polished concrete and stained concrete floors. Ameripolish Rejuvenating Floor Cleaner is specifically designed for polished concrete. This cleaner can be used with a wet mop or floor scrubber.
It removes dirt, oil and grease from concrete, driveways, asphalt, part and equipment. Nor for use on sealant coats.
The Liquid peroxide cleans, refreshes, and brightens concrete, tile, and grout without leaving watermarks or residue in contrast to other cleaning chemicals. Powdered peroxide-based formulas are generally high-performance alkaline, tile and grout cleaners and degreasers that are made for use on heavy-duty concrete.
To clean and etch concrete, mix one part muriatic acid to 10 parts water. Brush or spray the acid solution on the concrete, wait eight to 10 minutes, then neutralize the acid by spraying the surface with a mixture of one cup of ammonia in one gallon of water.
A hose or pressure washer can help remove mold, mildew or water stains from concrete patios and driveways. If staining persists, use a mold remover or bleach solution to treat the area. Then scrub the stain with a brush and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Simply fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar (or water and baking soda), and add a little bit of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture on your concrete surface and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then scrub and rinse your concrete.
Use Bleach
But that's not all; chlorine bleach can also be used for cleaning the concrete driveway. Of course, you should dilute it with equal parts of water or a 1:1 ratio. With the mixture ready, spray it on the driveway, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, use a stiff brush before rinsing with clean water.
White vinegar will not damage your concrete. However, leaving this solution for an extended period will damage the cement that binds the concrete together. Hence, you should be careful when using vinegar on your concrete, especially if you will use this solution on polished concrete.
For more embedded grease stains, a poultice like Oil & Grease Stain Remover is most effective. It's a fairly simple task to remove topical grease stains from your concrete surfaces with Cleaner/Degreaser, which is specially designed to remove grease films in addition to oil, adhesives, rubber tire marks and scuffs.
In a plastic bucket or container, add ⅓ cup of Clorox® Outdoor Bleach to 15⅔ cups of water to make 1 gallon of solution. Apply bleach solution using a brush or broom on horizontal surfaces, and a sponge or mop on vertical surfaces. Heavily soiled surfaces may require additional scrubbing.
All you need to do is pour a generous amount of dawn over the oil and use a large bristle brush to scrub the stain until you can see that it is pulling away from the ground. Rinse and repeat until the oil disappears. This might just be the cheapest solution you'll find!