Cleaning Your Driveway

Most people do take the trouble of sweeping down their driveways every couple of days and perhaps even having the driveway cleaning added to the contract of their home cleaning agency. The problem is that the brick and concrete that driveways are usually made of tend to absorb stains, especially the oil and radiator fluid stain that drip from cars. If these stains are not cleaned up immediately, they can get ingrained and become very difficult if not impossible to remove. Here are some steps you can take to deal with driveway stains as soon as you notice them.

If the oil stain is fresh and it has not yet begun to seep into the brick or concrete, quickly put some kitty litter or saw /cement dust on top of the stain. If possible put a heavy wooden board on top to press down. If it’s windy, place a cover on top. After two days sweep away the powder and hopefully, the stain will be gone. However, if it is an old stain that has become ingrained, there are still some things you can try to remove the stain. Use whichever of the following is most convenient for you.

• Apply liquid laundry detergent straight from the bottle to the stain and allow it to remain there for 20 to 30 minutes. Now scrub it off with a hard wet brush or broom. Rinse the area with a garden hose and let it dry. If the stain has only partially gone, repeat the process.
• Make a thick paste of 1 part sodium citrate, 6 parts glycerine and 6 parts water and add a small quantity of fuller’s earth to it. Spread it on the stained area and let it stand for a week, adding a new layer of paste each day. Cover the area if the weather is damp or rainy. After 7 days hose it down and brush away any residue.
• Scrub the stain with a solvent like benzene. Have a fire extinguisher nearby and be careful of sparks as the solver is highly inflammable.
• Make a thick paste of dry dishwasher detergent and water and use this to cover the stain. Allow it to stand for about an hour and then rinse it off with boiling water while scrubbing the surface.
• If none of these home made solutions work, try a commercial grease stain remover available from most auto supply stores.