# How do I get these stains off my driveway?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710 "2010-09-22T22:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/1 "2010-09-22T22:51:55Z")
My car leaked something on my brother’s driveway and I need to clean it up before he gets fined by the homeowner’s association. The spots are colorless and I can’t figure what fluid they are from. I’m thinking about renting a pressure washer, but I’m not sure if it will do anything if the concete is stained. Any tips? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/2 "2010-09-22T23:21:24Z")
> [@I\_Know\_Nothing](#): > > My car leaked something on my brother’s driveway and I need to clean it up before he gets fined by the homeowner’s association. The spots are colorless and I can’t figure what fluid they are from. I’m thinking about renting a pressure washer, but I’m not sure if it will do anything if the concete is stained. Any tips? Go down to any autoparts store and get some oil absorbent. Dump some on the spots and grind it into the driveway with your feet. Sweep it up then hose the area down see if it still shows. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/3 "2010-09-23T03:31:26Z")
No oil stains allowed on a driveway? That’s harsh! I’d never survive in a place like that. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/4 "2010-09-23T14:53:15Z")
Definitely the oil absorbing stuff, a little laundry detergent (or actual shop detergent if you can get some) will help remove the excess. Another product to use is TSP. You can get it in the paint department or sometimes cleaning section of a hardware store. It is pretty powerful against grease, give it time to work and multiple applications. Use the pressure washer last. A shop vac to suck up waste water so it cant stain somewhere else would be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/5 "2010-09-23T15:09:06Z")
From now on, park in his neighbor’s driveway. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/6 "2010-09-23T15:27:49Z")
Most hardware stores, Ace, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. will carry concrete cleaners made specifically to combat stains originating from automotive sources like yours. The aforementioned TSP (trisodium phosphate) is good. Another option is make a paste of two parts hydrated lime and one part turpentine. Work it into the stain, cover it with plastic sheeting to prevent evaporation and let it set overnight. Wash it away by brushing good with water and detergent. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/7 "2010-09-23T15:31:38Z")
The guy on the radio here (home help stuff) always says to use liquid WD-40 (apparently available in a jug) and kitty litter. Pour WD-40 on stain. Cover with kitty litter. Cover with garbage can lid for a day or two. Sweep away. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/8 "2010-09-23T16:35:06Z")
Once you soak up most of it with a dessicant, time and sunlight will take care of the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/9 "2010-09-23T16:48:13Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > No oil stains allowed on a driveway? That’s harsh! > > I’d never survive in a place like that. Some HA’s don’t allow you to park in your driveway or on the street. Visitors might be allowed to, but owners can’t. I got a great deal on a refrigerator once when a coworker moved into a house with an HA. He had to clear his garage, to keep from getting fined, and the house had a built-in fridge, so he had to unload the old one fast. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/10 "2010-09-24T12:35:15Z")
Muriatic acid is good for cleaning concrete, dangerous but effective. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/11 "2010-09-25T00:03:23Z")
Note to self: don’t ever ever ever be suckered into buying into or moving into an HO development… ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/12 "2010-09-25T00:07:56Z")
I’ve had \*great \*success using Tide with Bleach. Cover the affected area and let it sit for a couple of days and then rinse it off. Presto, gone like magic. The stains in question were not colorless, but I’m not sure what a colorless stain is. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/13 "2010-09-25T00:31:37Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > No oil stains allowed on a driveway? That’s harsh! > > I’d never survive in a place like that. My mom gotten written up by her HOA nazis for rust stains on her concrete drive way. I think they came from impurities in the concrete itself; no matter, they said it was a violation. So I burned 'em off with muriatic acid. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-these-stains-off-my-driveway/554710/14 "2010-09-25T01:51:09Z")
Have you considered just loading a Super Soaker with oil, and hitting all the driveways in the neighborhood at 3 in the morning?\* I live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association (I rent). Someone once complained about the dandelions in my yard. I told them that when the homeowner 4 houses down the street got rid of the 5 junk cars in his driveway, I’d start worrying about the dandelions. \*not a serious suggestion.