Cleaning my driveway.

[savageskaterkid]

Well, oil, gas, coolant and whatever else has caked itself onto my driveway, and were gonna get it resealed, but first the oil and such has to come up or it will rise to the surface within a week or two.

 

So I need suggestions on what I should use to clean the driveway itself. Right now where using this stuff called ZAP. It seems like a generic brand type thing, its doing OK, but not getting up the big stuff we really need. I have heard good things about PURPLE POWER, but haven't used it yet, i may end up picking that up today.

 

What do you guys use?

[Tim240z]

Once oil has soaked into the concrete you will never get it back up.

You can try carb cleaner.

Tim

[Z0wner]

I was able to sand blast the dried oil spots in my driveway... Worked all right

[savageskaterkid]

Once oil has soaked into the concrete you will never get it back up.

You can try carb cleaner.

Tim

 

Not a concrete driveway, asphault(forgot to specify). But if you meant to say asphalt would that mean that if its there for life, if I just reseal it-will it cover it up, or will it eventually rise to the surface?

[Tim240z]

Sorry, don't know about asphalt. Since asphalt is hydrocarbon based anyways, I would imagine that powerwashing with a strong detergent should be good. Try asking/searching here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

[Kennysgreen280zt]

Ive had decent results with 'Industrial Purple' from ZEP, they sell it at home depot in gallon containers

[savageskaterkid]

thats what i used, did a bit of help, but not much.

[Guest 73TPIZ]

I just thought of something.

 

I wonder what dragstrips use? I imagine they see their fair share of coolant, oil, tranny fluid, etc and they have to get it super clean in order to go racing again. Maybe you could call a couple of local tracks and ask'em if they use some OTC stuff or industrial only chemicals.

 

Good luck w/ it.

 

Of course after you get it clean, your gonna have to lay down some fresh rubber to get the driveway hookin' again

[Brett6485]

For quick clean ups if you spill right away use brakeclean. Even warm coca-cola will work with a stiff wire brush. I've also been told that putting down some concret powder mix and using a broom to go over the stains works well, but I've never tried it.

[nullbound]

I've used Pour 'N Restore (bought at Ace Hardware). It's supposed to draw oil out... and it does to some degree, but I don't find it to be worth the price.

[savageskaterkid]

I ended up using PURPLE POWER, poured it on the driveway and just scrubbed it, it does pretty good, but leaves that part of the driveway looking shiney while the rest looks like crap. It took up most of the spots from my ZX's oil and trans leak. I haven't owned it since last september and I only did this about 3 months ago.

[rudypoochris]

Next time you start getting oil on the driveway just put some kitty litter on the spots, grind it in with your feet, and wash away the next day. Thats what my girlfriends dad does and it works pretty well.

[Pop N Wood]

kitty litter or sawdust. Just get it right away.

[veritech-z]

Blacktop Drives

Oil spots on asphalt can only be cleaned with soap and water. Solvents WILL damage and erode the asphalt binder that holds together the sand and gravel components of blacktop.

What’s more, oil drips alone will erode the asphalt over time. It takes a few months or years, but believe me, the dripping oil actually softens the asphalt. The key is to keep blacktop well sealed beneath parking areas. Do not over seal. Only apply asphalt sealer every 3 or 4 years or when you can see the actual stone color of the small aggregate. If you apply blacktop sealer every year, it will eventually begin to peel

from:

http://www.askthebuilder.com/B368_Oil_Spills_on_Pavement.shtml

 

I don't know how useful that is, but seems easy enough to try. If it was my driveway, I'd be tempted to pressure wash but I don't know if that would work or not.

[Mr.INSANE]

In Most Car shops they have stuff thats made specifically to soak up the oil. I think they called it crows seed or something along the lines of that

[veritech-z]

We used to sell a product at Advance Auto Parts (well, it was back when we were still Discount Auto Parts, but I digress) that was called Swab, it was an orange powder that was awesome at getting oil out of concrete. I know you've got asphalt though, and I don't know how well it would work on that. I don't know where you could get that anymore, and I'm not sure if it had one "a" in the name or two, but It used to fly off the shelf.

[joe d.]

what ever you clean it with make sure the ground is hot or else nothing will come up. this i know from waisting many days triing in cold weather. then i called the tech line on back of the bottle and the guy told me that for heavy oil spots the ground needs to be hot. also let it sit for 24 hours with the stuff on the driveway that will give it time to break down the oil. i think the stuff was called drive-up and turns out its basiclly just dawn dishsoap,water,and a little bleach.

[Marduke]

Tide (powdered kind) + whatever thinner you have lying around. Be careful as it's slippery.

[jimbob_racing]

I pressure wash my concrete driveway several times a year and while it won't completely remove the staining it will remove the slippery surface oil.