# Driveway Oil Stain Removal **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884 "2010-06-20T17:42:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/1 "2010-06-20T17:42:55Z")
What’s worked best for you? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/2 "2010-06-20T17:48:04Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > What’s worked best for you? > > Thanks! Gas. Though this was 30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/3 "2010-06-20T18:28:46Z")
[Super clean](http://superclean.com/product3.php) and cat litter. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/4 "2010-06-20T18:30:06Z")
There used to be a great product for that called Lestoil. I can’t remember the last time I actually saw it though, and It might have been canceled or outlawed. But if you have an obscure-stuff hardware store it might be worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/5 "2010-06-21T12:13:04Z")
[This stuff.](http://www.dewittproducts.com/catalog.asp?prodid=628511&showprevnext=1) Kicked ass. Soak the area, scrub it a bit, then hose it off. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/6 "2010-06-21T12:26:52Z")
Tide and Coca Cola. > **[Oil stained driveway clean up.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=155230)** > > Brand names for USA products. Any easy, safe product specifically used to clean oil stains from driveways? I’ve had so-so success in the past with laundry soap, bleach and hard bristle brushes, but, is there an easier way? Plus, I’m kind of worried... ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/7 "2010-06-21T14:07:31Z")
If you aren’t in a hurry, sunlight will take care of it in a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/8 "2010-06-21T15:58:18Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Gas. Though this was 30 years ago. This might work for a concrete driveway (though not recommended), but if you use gasoline on an asphalt driveway, you will damage the asphalt. The best thing to clean up an oil stain from an asphalt driveway is something like [Oil-Dri](http://doitbest.com/Absorbent+cleaners-Oil+Dri-model-I08030-G78-doitbest-sku-576004.dib). Sprinkle it on the stain, brush it into the stain with a broom, let it sit for a few days, then sweep up the residue. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/9 "2010-06-21T16:37:23Z")
The last time I spilled oil, I fabricated a giant concrete funnel and lowered it into place with a crane that was 5000 feet in the air. Damn thing is costing me $20B and I might have to declare bankruptcy. No wait, that wasn’t me. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/10 "2010-06-21T16:43:05Z")
I have used common sand or cement. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/11 "2010-06-22T04:06:49Z")
Power washer… You can write your name in the stain too ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/12 "2010-06-22T04:15:16Z")
Wet the area with a hose. Sprinkle powered Tide over the area. Scrub with a broom, add water as necessary. Hose off. Lather rinse, repeat if necessary ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/13 "2010-06-22T05:30:03Z")
Dawn. ---
**Author:** ![asian\_riff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@asian\_riff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asian_riff)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driveway-oil-stain-removal/543884/14 "2010-06-22T06:30:51Z")
Trisodium Phosphate - I wet the area, sprinkle some on, and scrub it with a brush or broom. Or a solvent like engine degreaser works too.