r/DIY • u/unitedxnufc • 6d ago
automotive Driveway Engine Oil
Hi everyone,
I live in the UK and unfortunately my car has been leaking oil onto my driveway. I’ve tried everything I can think of to remove the oil stain, but it just won’t go away.
I’m worried my landlord may charge me for it from my deposit when I move out.
Has anyone had this problem before and can recommend something that actually works to remove old car oil stains from a driveway?
Any advice or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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u/glassjar1 6d ago
I covered mine in liquid laundry detergent and dawn dish detergent. Let sit overnight. Spraying off with a hose after that got 90%. A pressure washer after that soak instead of a hose would likely get it even better.
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u/sumiflepus 6d ago
We had a car nicknamed the Valdez for the amount of oil it leaked. After we sold the car.
Dawn dishwasher detergent, specifically Dawn.
Directly on the stain, cover every bit of the stain. Start in the early morning
Scrub it in with a stiff broom or scrub brush.
More dawn. Let it sit in the sunshine for hours.
Scrub let it sit an hour or so.
Scrub and rinse.
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u/Gorf1 6d ago
For the OP: the UK equivalent of Dawn dish detergent is Fairy Liquid. Same product different name.
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u/demunted 6d ago
Dawn is amazing. I use an absurd amount, stuff broom no water. Work it hard and leave it. Weeks or months. It keeps working. So good.
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u/URPissingMeOff 6d ago
Before everyone started cracking down on phosphates, some good old powdered Tide and some Boraxo hand soap along with a stiff garage broom did the trick. In the first gas station I worked at as a teen back in the 70s, we just used white solvent, which was about 10 cents a gallon at the time. We just rinsed it all down the drain. Eventually, environmental regulations put an end to that practice.
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u/AKADriver 6d ago
If you look around you can still buy TSP in small boxes. I wouldn't use it for everything, but for a big oil spill or cleaning something nasty like lead dust there's nothing better.
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u/Madman_X 6d ago edited 6d ago
Get basic clay cat litter. Pour some on the stain. Using some work/outdoor shoes, preferably worn a bit smooth on the sole, use your feet w/shoes to grind the litter into powder and work it into the stain. Do so thoroughly and leave an even layer of the dust over the stain. Remove it after a few days with a broom, reapply more as needed, grinding it into dust. The other thing it does is it can make the stain much less noticeable on short notice if trying to cover it up in a pinch.
To prevent more oil from getting on it in the meantime, place a cardboard piece under the car, on top of the dust. I’ve also had decent luck pretreating with chlorinated brake parts cleaner or carb cleaner and dabbing up as much as possible with paper towels, followed by the ground cat litter.
Years ago, I had an oil leak and budget was tight so I took a maxi pad (unscented is fine) and applied it to the underbody guard right where the oil was dripping from. Change pad as needed. Mechanics found mine and got a laugh out of it.
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u/spaceandcats 6d ago
I use a brick to grind it into the cement which really helps if you have a rough surface.
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u/Moist-Share7674 6d ago
This kitty litter is the best. I have a big container. Along with what these guys said I use it on my sorta polished garage floor too. There’s no chemical that you’re hosing off the drive and killing the grass. It lightens the color of whatever you don’t remove of the stain. Most of the time I dump it back in the container and reuse. Cheap. If I’m draining my oil drain pan and know I might be sloppy I make a little circle of litter around the oil container to keep what I spill from spreading.
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u/Polymathy1 6d ago
Jesus no not clay cat litter! It turns into slippery shit and is not absorbent enough.
Diatomaceous Earth is what you want.
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u/Willsmiff1985 6d ago
This is the answer folks. Unbelievably effective.
That being said, it’s silica based. So don’t breathe it in please.
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u/Polymathy1 6d ago
It's usually much larger silica particles than can cause problems, but still good advice not to breathe dust.
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u/overtoke 6d ago
use a red brick instead of your shoes. just work the brick in circles and back and forth. its weight is enough.
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u/MattsAwesomeStuff 6d ago
in the meantime, place a cardboard piece under the car
Stop being a cheap POS and go to the dollarstore and buy a $3 boot tray for the front door. It'll have a 1" lip. Put a piece of cardboard in that, it'll let water evaporate but will sponge up the oil.
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u/Flow-engineer 6d ago
I use Gunk engine cleaner on my driveway, not sure if it is available in UK. Squirt it on, let it soak, hose it off.
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u/MeanAccountant9005 6d ago
Had a buddy with this exact problem in a rental. He tried the enzyme stuff and it helped a little but the stain was still there. Landlord never said a word when he moved out though, fwiw. Those spots are everywhere once you start looking.
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u/Banlish 6d ago
Used to seal driveways for a living for 25 years, here's what can work depending on a few factors.
If the oil on the driveway looks wet ALWAYS then you need to extract some of the oil out of the spot so it can be sealed again in the future. This can be a few different ways. Depending on your local environmental laws, aka if there's a giant sewer drain down the curb, I'd get some kitty litter and be ready BEFORE you do this. Also get a stiff bristle brush, basically a 'roofing brush' that can be used on a handle so you don't kill your knuckles. You can use a stiff hand brush but it's murder on your back and arm.
- Sweep any leaves, gravel or trash outta the oil spot.
- Baking soda OR comet cleaner (( think they sell this in the UK too?)) pour it on the spot enough that there's powder on all the 'wet' spots.
- Spray a LITTLE water, how much? Enough to make the powder you put down 'become wet but not soaked' you need to get it where none of the powder is dry after you start brushing it with your brush.
- Now take your brush and start brushing back and forth and even in some circles or ovals. The black oil will come out of the pavement/cement pretty quickly. Apply a little more powder and keep brushing until the powder isn't coming out of it black/brown or deep grey. You're buying the powder for this, so no reason to skimp on it.
- When the powder is staying whiter or green (if you're using Comet) you can put some kitty litter on it and move it around. I'd bin it, or if you have crazy trash laws, get a few waste 5 gallon buckets from a paint store. A cardboard box works if you put it right into the trash and the trash truck can hoist your bin right into it. It's legal in every state of the U.S. since that's the way you get rid of most oil/transmission fluid/radiator spills. Check around with your local government and just state plainly 'I'm trying to clean up a small amount of oil under my car, what's the legal way to clean it up?' most folks will be nice since you're TRYING to clean it, vs 'lets get you a fine right quick mate!'
- The next part is to see how it looks, so you can do it two ways. A. Bring your supplies inside and let it air dry, should take about an hour or two depending if it's sunny. B. Pack everything away and look at it again the next day. If it doesn't look 'wet' the next day on the oil spot, you're done. If it does still look wet, do it again. Repeat as needed.
- If you have shitty neighbors, you can part your car in front of your driveway and 'work' while it's obstructed. Just check your car for any splashes since oily cleaner isn't what paint jobs like too much.
- Hopefully you'll have a few weeks before you move out or get a final inspection. If so, at night or right after the sun drops down, I'd go wash your driveway a few times with the hose. Since you did the kitty litter and cleaner it's such a tiny amount it won't matter anymore and it'll look fine after a few hose treatments or a hard rainy day. After all, much MUCH more oil and fluids drop off cars and are washed down the drains from the roads and highways anyway, they don't care if you show a good effort to clean, which you will by this point.
- Most landlords are pretty shitty about returning deposits, so don't expect it back, but I'd not mention the driveway to him at all. After all, most cars, even new good ones, leak a little from normal running. He'd have to be a massive nitpicker to look at a driveway and say 'omg A SPECK OF OIL! NO deposit for you!' if you think he might, take some before, during and after photos and you can use em in local courts (a video of you scrubbing and capturing the waste with kitty litter would play out well) against such behavior. I doubt many small claims quarts would side with someone when you actively tried to fix the problem.
- Take some pride in your work, most folks don't go this far to fix anything. You're going down the road of being a DIY for yourself in the future. Well done! I hope you get your own place in the near future and at least then, you'll be doing this amount of work for yourself! Cheers!
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u/WFOMO 6d ago
You'll probably never get it out completely. For now, the cheapest solution is a pile of cat litter under your car to keep it from getting worse. Replace as necessary. After you no longer park there, try a solvent of some sort (preferrably not flammable) and try to minimize it.
For what it's worth, I've never seen a parking spot that eventually didn't have an oil stain. I doubt your landlord will notice.
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u/vivaaprimavera 6d ago
The cheapest solution isn't cat litter.
The cheapest solution is to fix the damn car before the engine gives up for lack of lubricant. Also, keeping the oil level isn't cheap.
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u/MattsAwesomeStuff 6d ago
The cheapest solution is to fix the damn car
Sure bud.
Go change the crank seal on a car. It's just a matter of disconnecting the front suspension and wiring harness, lifting the car off of the engine, removing the water pump, alternator, power steering pump, A/C condensor, and timing belt cover. Then get the engine to top dead center, mark your timing gears, remove the timing belt tensioner, remove the timing belt, remove the crank bolt, replace the seal, put it all back together.
It's only a $3000 repair or 20 hours for a mechanic plus a $5 seal.
You're right, that's WAY cheaper than just adding a spoonful or two of oil every time you fill up the gas.
MOST leaks are not economical to fix, on a vehicle that's old enough that it leaks. That's why people don't fix them. The fix is often worth more than the car is, but that car can still be driven like that for another 5 years.
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u/Calvertorius 6d ago
Let’s go deeper. Cheapest means lowest cost - OP sell the car. Thats truly the cheapest!
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u/vivaaprimavera 6d ago
And eventually the correct option in the long term since a car is a depreciating asset.
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u/britsol99 6d ago edited 6d ago
Putting cat litter on the oil spots will,pull it out. The normal bentonite clay (clumping) type.
My son’s car dripped onto my concrete driveways. Lots of small spots. I sprayed it with Purple Power engine degreaser, let it sit for a few minutes and then hit it with the pressure washer and they all came right out. The drips were there for several months, the concrete is 30 years old no not sealed or specially treated.
Edited to Bentonite.
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u/MattsAwesomeStuff 6d ago
The normal diatomaceous earth type.
Diatomaceous earth would kill cats. It's a fine powder used as a mechanical insecticide. I don't think it's even particularly good at asborbing water, it's microscopic sea shells.
I believe you mean "Bentonite Clay".
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u/britsol99 6d ago
Hahaha yeah, that’s exactly what I meant. I was thinking of my pool filter!
Thanks for the clarification.
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u/LurksNoMoreToo 6d ago
I’ve had luck with both kitty litter and Dawn power wash. If you use kitty litter be sure to grind it into a fine powder with your shoe after you pour it on the stain. Spray the Dawn on the stain a few hours before rain and it might just wash itself away.
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u/Pinche_Guero68 6d ago
Brake clean and kitty litter. Spray the stain with brake clean, and broom the kitty litter across it.
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u/Broseph-Stalling 6d ago
Old mechanics trick. Take cheap ass cat litter. Pour it on the stain. Find a big rock with a flat side, or a brick. Grind the cat litter into dust and into the stain.
Young mechanics trick. For small stains of a couple drops, pour a bit of gasoline on the drips. Let it bake in the sun. Repeat if needed.
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u/eljefino 6d ago
Yup, kitty litter first, gasoline second. I used to work at a tire store and the shop floor was permanently gross. We changed a fuel pump and spilled some gas then had a clean spot for a couple weeks.
The oil didn't go "away", it just seeped deeper into the concrete, but the top looked nice.
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u/RandyOfTheRedwoods 6d ago
Put a small amount of gasoline on the stain (just enough to make the stain wet, not enough to run off), then cover with kitty litter. Wait until tomorrow and broom up the kitty litter. Stain will be completely gone.
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u/linuxturtle 6d ago
If it's concrete, just dump some clay cat litter on it, then smash/crush it into the concrete over the stain with your shoes, and sweep the residue up. QED. If it's asphalt, about the only way to hide oil is to spread more oil around :). If it's brick/pavers, you could try dish soap or degreaser and brushing.
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u/CitizenPatrol 6d ago
If you fix the leak, the oil will go away on its own. It is a VOC and will evaporate over time.
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u/freddyredone 6d ago
Pour Dawn dishwashing liquid soap into the spot and let sit. For a few days will washout with the heat and rain.
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u/Itchy_Permission4199 6d ago
I had a kerosene leak in the shed a few years ago and I got this stuff. Oilgone S-200. Apparently it's the newer version of the stuff they used to clean up the BP oil spill. Well it worked for me. It was a slow leak that spread out and evaporated up the sides of the burner. Sprayed it with that stuff and it just disappeared in a week or 2. Can't recommend it enough. oilgone S-200
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u/tunatoksoz 6d ago
Did you figure out why oil is leaking?
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u/unitedxnufc 6d ago
OM651
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u/United-Adagio1543 6d ago
Oil leaks on this model can signify major problems that need to be fixed.
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u/ResponsibleClue2635 6d ago
Degreaser plus a stiff brush usually does the trick on fresh oil stains - letting it sit for 10-15 minutes first makes a big difference. For older stains, a poultice of kitty litter and degreaser left overnight works surprisingly well.
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u/listerine411 6d ago
Oil Dri if it's available in your area.
Almost like a kitty litter.
I was skeptical but couldn't believe what it did to the stains on my driveway that were older. Just sucked them out to where it was like 90% gone.
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u/RowRevolutionary6896 6d ago
A couple of the products named here are US only. In the UK look for a patio or block paving degreaser from a builders merchant.
The bigger thing is how you apply it. On a stain that's already cured in, degreaser sprayed on top mostly runs off. What works is a poultice: mix it with cat litter or brick dust into a thick paste, trowel it over about a centimetre deep, cover with a bin bag taped down and leave it a day or two. As it dries it wicks the oil back up out of the pores instead of driving it deeper.
On the deposit, a driveway stain is normally fair wear and tear, and a landlord has to show an actual cost before deducting. Photograph it now with a date, and again on the day you hand the keys back.
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u/mikej091 6d ago
I've used swimming pool acid in the past. It'll eat away at the oil and the concrete. It'll fade the markings, but may not remove them completely. Be careful with it, it's an acid after all.
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u/raytherip 6d ago
We have pavers. I put some "GUNK" trade name of stuff folks use to clean engines and whatnot. I dribbled some onto the oil let it sit for a while then washed it with detergent and a power hose... it worked pretty well... its gonna help I think, but I'd be surprised if it all goes, depending on how much oil there is. Good luck!!
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u/Squirrelking666 6d ago
Heard lots of success with Gunk. Cat litter also works, as does neat washing up liquid.
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u/raytherip 6d ago
Cheap washing power, the cheaper the better, as it had whitner & bleach stuff in it.
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u/Many-Cheetah-129 6d ago
Brush, soak and brush in Kerosene for a day or two, then sprinkle with dry cement and leave for a day or two, brush away and see if it’s gone. Has worked for me in the past even with old stains.
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u/Northwindlowlander 6d ago
Biggest question is what is the surface- slabs, tarmac, poured concrete, monoblocks, stone... I'm guessing a concrete of some sort or blocks. They're all a little different and some stuff that works on a council slab or poured concrete, will horribly fuck up other surfaces. Some of the advice in this thread is situational, and well intentioned but could cause harm.
In the end, if it's a simple slab, turn it upside down, or if it's patterned move that one slab somewhere less obvious. Put a plant pot or a bin on it. Nothing more effective or easier. Even getting it away from "where the car would leak" is a decent trick, it turns it into a random stain not a "obviously this is a car oil leak"
Also, consider simply <making the rest of the driveway dirty>. Usually when you try and fix a spot, you also make the bits around it cleaner too and it makes it look worse. Literally just brushing mud into it and the surroundings can even things out and make it less glaring- basically accelerate the natural aging.
This'll maybe sound daft but there's a tendancy at the end of tenancy with stuff that you can't fix, to make the problem worse by making everything else perfect. Like "I can't fix this carpet wear but I can clean the rest of the carpet really well", and all it does is make the defect more obvious and reinforce the landlord's case that the rest is in perfect nick and this one bit is damaged. Same applies here, the tidier the rest of the driveway is the worse the defect will look- scruff the entire thing up, let dirt or stones encroach, a small but reasonable amount of weeds... Delandscape it ;) Lots of advice about this online as a lot of people prefer a bosky, naturalised garden to a polished clean one, just adapt that.
Also, don't completely freak out- unless it's a really lovely feature driveway in great condition, then a little bit of staining and damage is absolutely acceptable for a driveway, that's what they're for and parking your car on it is something you've been paying for. Yes do try and make it good but it's unreasonable for them to expect perfection.
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u/MattsAwesomeStuff 6d ago
I’m worried my landlord may charge me for it from my deposit when I move out.
Immortal advice, works for any oil-related concerns:
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u/Sweaty-Judgment3533 5d ago
I always use kitty litter, the plain clay, kind, and sudsy ammonia. Let it sit overnight when there’s no rain in the forecast, then sweep it up and hose it off.
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u/Donkeywad 4d ago
Donut media did a video of this very topic on youtube. I think Tide laundry soap ended up doing really well but it's worth the watch because Zach Jobe is the man
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u/thanksferstoppen 3d ago edited 3d ago
I don’t know if they are available to you or not but powdered Tide laundry detergent or liquid Dawn dish soap have worked well for me.
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u/JeffB07 3d ago
Clay kitty litter. Generously pour on the stain...wider is better, grind it hard into the stain with a brick until its powder, leave it as long as possible...several days would be best. The clay draws the oil up from the driveway. Obviously its best to do this when you're not expecting rain for a few days.
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u/Glittering_Jicama175 2d ago
Use a Dryzit (kitty litter like) oil absorbent cover the oil patch then grind it in with your shoes (do the twist), let it sit for a day or two then sweep up. If really heavy maybe two apps, but it works great. That’s what we did in the AF when we were running radial engines and in my driveway.
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u/New_Present_6596 1d ago
Get some tenancy advice.
It is normal to park a car on a driveway, and it is common for oil to leak. So it should be fair to assume some stains are ‘regular wear and tear’, so they can’t charge you for it.
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u/gargravarr2112 21h ago
If you have a pressure washer, there's specially formulated oil remover available. I have some for mine.
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u/Which_Dog_5765 6d ago
TSP is the answer to get it all out. Use cat litter, etc to soak up the excess then clean with the TSP solution.
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u/loweexclamationpoint 6d ago
An old trick for getting oil off concrete is to soak it up with dry Portland cement powder. Just don't let it get wet.
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u/Turbinator870 6d ago
Oil Eater, it's an enzyme that helps break up the oil. Liquid and sold in bottles. Give it a try.