Driveway cleaning

[TinkerTanker]

Be careful if you put a shop coating on it. Come winter time and ice you won't be able to park on that driveway without your car sliding into the next county

 

[jakeman]

You keep pouring muriatic on there and the stain will probably be gone, because the concrete will be gone.

The hydrochloric acid won’t touch the oil, but it will etch the **** out of the concrete, which is why people think it’s a good cleaner for oil stains, but it isn’t. It just removes the stained concrete.

Unless you want your drive way etched, stop using acid. Choose an alkaline degreaser/cleaner instead.


Edited to add - you might try to find some TSP. The real **** not the TSP substitute or the phosphate free stuff. They suk. The real stuff is a really good degreaser though. There are also some enzyme type cleaners out there that contain petroleum eating little critters. Chemical Products in SW OKC used to make one called Terazime (sp) that was a microbe petrochemical cleaner that was the bomb. CP was started by Clendon Thomas who was an ex OU running back or some such from back in the day. I used to just call him the All-American. No clue if they are still in business or not, but you can probably find a microbe type cleaner most anywhere.

Here ya go. Looks like they still around.

https://www.chemicalproductsokc.com/about/
I dealt with the new guy the last several years I worked with them. Not sure the All-American is still involved in the business. I wish I had a buck for every time someone asked him for his autograph either before or after a presentation or meeting. He was a great dude, and I enjoyed working with him on the occasions I had him with me.

I guess he was a real stud back in the day, but he was as humble a guy as I was ever around.


ETA - the All-American thing was just between him & me cause I enjoyed ribbing him about it and people always asking for this autograph. But, I always introduced him as Mr Clendon Thomas, with heavy emphasis on the mister. Didn’t want you ou fans thinking I was disrespecting one of the greats.

 

[Hack]

Another vote for Dawn detergent. I have the same issues and it works.

 

[John6185]

I've heard and tried concrete out of the bag, dry and rubbed it into grease stains. Doesn't work for me. Also, I've read that Cola poured on oil stains and let sit for a couple hours will remove them and someday I'll try that method..

 

[KOPBET]

Guess you didn’t watch the video because purple power ranked near the bottom as the worst cleaner.

View attachment 422088

Ok, I watched your video. According to this chart, Purple Power was #3 on the concrete block rating.

 

[Big House]

When working in the machine shop, we had machines that leaked oil for years. Cleaned it up by spreading solvent on the oil stain, then putting oil dry clay granules on top, then adding more solvent. Let it completely dry for a day or two until the solvent completely evaporates and sweep away. The area where the stain was, typically was cleaner than the surrounding area.

Driveway concrete is a different mix/finish than commercial floor concrete.

 

[SlugSlinger]

Ok, I watched your video. According to this chart, Purple Power was #3 on the concrete block rating.

I posted the results of his testing in the thread you replied to. It looks like he ranked the top cleaners and most didn’t do a good job. And I’m not sure why your stuck on purple power. I didn’t say it was good or arguing with you.

Like jeepjackazz mentioned. Get some floor dry, and grind it into powder on the stains and let it set. It will help draw the oil out of the concrete. Or if you have same cat litter that works too, but it needs to be ground in and most cat litter advertises dust free. It’s the dust that captures the oil.

Once the oil is out then you can remove the contaminants that are left with a cleaner.