Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion related to oil...........................

This may not fit the theme but it does relate to oil. Does anybody have a trick to remove spilled used motor oil stains from an asphalt driveway? I used kitty litter and power washed, no improvement.

I don't know if they still make it, but there's a product called Lestoil that works very well. My mother used to work for Noxell (now part of Proctor and Gamble), and she's got an old stockpile of it, although it's been dwindeling in recent years. Stuff smells gross, kinda like diesel mixed with pinesol, but I spilled motor oil all over my driveway a few months ago, went and got some of that stuff and it took it right off. I'm pretty sure P&G still makes it as I think I saw it recently at Wal-Mart or something.

I do have to ask if the asphalt is sealed, if not you are doing more damage to it by using the powerwasher. When I got my asphalt layed down was told not to use a pressure washer on it even when sealed. The asphalt company told me that the washer would drive the oil out of the asphalt if left in one spot too long and leave a "stain". Told me for "accidents"(mostly gas and or paint) to use garden hose, stiff garage broom and hot soapy water to remove. I know the guys who layed mine down also do the local malls and businesses and using their method have not had any stains or light spots. Just a thought.
Bob

Hey Chris,

Not sure if this works but remember seeing an old neighbor who would sprinkle baking powder on the spot and let it sit for several hours.

Chris,

Asphalt is a petrolium based product (a combination of approximately 95% stone, sand, or gravel bound together by asphalt cement, a product of crude oil)
and a chemical that would remove the spill may also potentially damage the asphalt.

Good luck!

Scot

Yea, Its like trying to remove oil from oil. Looks terrible on driveway. I did a dumb thing and made a hell of a mess.

You can, if careful, use a water-soluble degreaser on asphalt.
Asphalt - is wayyyyy tougher than motor oil, especially if it has been down for a while. But if you leave motor oil on it, it will act like a solvent, and soften the asphalt. So...
A water-based degreaser/detergent - like dish soap - can be safely used. Dilute it a bit, put it down over the spill, scrub it in with a broom, let it sit for a while - don't let it dry out. Then - hose it off. Repeat as many times as necessary. Powerwashing can drive both the degreaser and the oil into the asphalt surface, and can soften the asphalt if not removed.
I would not use a hydrocarbon based degreaser. This will definitely have a detrimental effect on the surface, apart from being "environmentally unsound practice..."

I just had my driveway done by a company who uses an oil based asphalt sealer (I didnt want water based). They added a "hardener" and I could drive on it after 24hrs. No migration onto the cement or into my home. Covered all the hydraulic fluid spots that the skid loader left behind during snow removal.

Good luck,
Kim

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Well, the winner is..........dish soap. I have most of the oil off the driveway using dish soap brushed on and placing newspapers over it. I would resoak the newspaper every hour or so. Thanks for the help!

Glad that worked for you. It worked for me in a refinery for 20 years or so... "Dawn" seems to work particularly well at home.

Just FYI - if you decide to go with a driveway sealer - go with a high-quality hydrocarban-based sealer applied hot, from a reputable applier. This will actually help your driveway last longer and bond with the existing asphalt. I do it every 8 years or so.

The non-hydrocarbon based sealers are purely cosmetic, and are a driveway paver's best friend, because they do nothing but sit on top of your driveway and seal in the heat and water vapour and actually help propagate cracks, because they do not contain "anti-stripping" agents like true asphalt sealer products. Even worse if you live in an area with below-freezing weather. Cheaper in the short term more expensive in the long run...