How To Clean Power Steering Fluid Off Asphalt Driveway

Asphalt driveways can last a very long time if they are properly taken care of, but if oil and chemical spills are ignored it can shorten the lifespan of your driveway. In addition to prolonging the lifespan of your pavement, oil and other stains should be removed to maintain the overall appearance and curb appeal of your home. When people see your house from the outside they see the sum of all of the parts. This includes the driveway.

Spills and stains from automotive fluids can affect the appearance of your asphalt driveway, but there are certain types of spills and stains that can negatively affect the looks as well as the underlying structure of your driveway if they are left untreated. Spills that involve oil and other automotive lubricating fluids can degrade and weaken the asphalt that binds your driveway together.

Automotive fluids that can lead to more serious driveway stains include:

Brake Fluid
Transmission Fluid
Power Steering Fluid

Even though asphalt itself is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process, oil spills are harmful to asphalt.

If you notice any oil on your driveway it is important to take care of it quickly to avoid potential long term damage. If you don't remove the oil soon, cracks and potholes can develop in addition to the surface stains.

Here are some common methods that people use to remove oil stains from asphalt.

6 Tips And Tricks For Removing Oil Stains From Asphalt

There are a number of options for removing oil stains from your asphalt driveway. We'll go through the actual products you need as well as a quick rundown of how to implement them. You might have some of these cleaners readily available in your home.

Kitty Litter

First, mop up any excess oil with a mop or an absorbent cloth. After that, cover the oil stain with a bag of non-clumping kitty litter. Stomp the kitty litter into the asphalt to help absorb more of the oil. Let the litter sit out overnight. Finally, you can scoop up the litter and properly dispose of the waste.

Laundry Detergent

Sprinkle powdered laundry detergent onto the stain and add water so that the detergent sticks to the affected area. Scrub the area with a stiff brush (don't use a brush with metal bristles) and then let the solution sit for around 30 to 45 minutes. Then, spray the surface clean with a hose.

Dish Soap

You can use water, dish soap, and a stiff-bristled brush to clean up oil spills. Dawn dish soap is great for cleaning oil and grease. Just use a mix of dish soap and water to emulsify the oil. Scrub the area with a stiff-bristled brush. Ideally, this will keep new oil spills from further drying, solidifying, and staining.

Baking Soda

Baking soda works best for absorbing excess oil from new spills. Just pour baking soda on the stain and scrub the area with a stiff bristle brush. Let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes and, finally, use a garden hose to rinse away the baking soda.

Coke (Coca-Cola)

This is an unusual one, but it has been frequently used. All you need to do is pour a can of Coke into the stain and give it some time to seep into the pavement by letting it sit overnight. When you come back the next day, scrub the area to remove the stain. Rinse the area with a garden hose. Repeat the process as needed.

There are other more effective ways to clean oil, but this may be worth trying.

Microbial Asphalt Cleaner

Microbial cleaners are a good option for cleaning up oil spills. This type of cleaner uses microbes that literally eat oil, digest it, and convert it into harmless waste like carbon dioxide. Microbial cleaners can be formulated to specifically target unwanted oil stains without harming the asphalt binder.

Things To Avoid

There are many helpful tools and techniques for removing stains from your asphalt driveway, but there are a few things that can do unintentional harm. Avoid using:

Pressure Washers – Pressure washers can damage the top layer of the pavement. It may not happen the first time but repeated pressure washing can erode the top layers of your driveway.
Metal Wire Brooms/Brushes – Avoid scrubbing asphalt with a metal wire broom/brush if you can.

Do Not Use Solvents To Clean Stains On Asphalt

Solvents will dissolve and erode the asphalt binder that holds your driveway together, which defeats one of the purposes of cleaning an oil spill in the first place. There are a handful of household substances that contain solvents and should not be used on blacktop.

Here are some examples of common household cleaners/products that contain solvents:

Acetone
Nail Polish Remover
Spot Removers
Paint Strippers & Paint Thinners
Turpentine
Kerosene
Antifreeze
Rug Cleaners
Drain Cleaners
Etc.

Be careful what you use on your blacktop. You may think that household cleaners can be applied everywhere but they can do more harm than good in some cases.

Even if you're careful to avoid spills on your asphalt driveway, accidents happen. When the inevitable stain happens, you can use the above information to keep your driveway looking great and prevent any premature damage. If your driveway suffered extensive damage from untreated oil and chemical spills it may be time to repair or replace it. In this case, the best option is to call the experienced professionals at Blacktop Concepts.

Schedule an estimate today.

How To Clean Power Steering Fluid Off Asphalt Driveway

Source: https://blacktopconcepts.com/blog/how-to-remove-stains-from-an-asphalt-driveway/#:~:text=All%20you%20need%20to%20do,Repeat%20the%20process%20as%20needed.

Posted by: pastortrie1935.blogspot.com