First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot any liquid with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels.
- Cover the spill with cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's Earth as soon as you can.
- Leave the absorbent a few hours, then sweep or vacuum it up.
- Keep heat away from the spot, including dryers, irons and hot air.
Oil on concrete sinks in fast, because the surface is porous and oil won't dissolve in water. Fresh spills usually respond to an absorbent and a strong detergent scrub, but a spot that has soaked in over time often needs a solvent and several rounds. Wiping only pushes the oil deeper, so hold off on rubbing until you've covered it.
Fresh oil from a car on a driveway or garage floor is the easier job, so deal with it before foot traffic spreads it. Once an oil stain on cement or a driveway has soaked in, it needs a trisodium phosphate soak followed by an oil-based solvent. If the stain is still dark after a couple of tries, it's time to call a professional rather than scrub harder.
Before you start
What concrete, brick & driveways can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Hot water
- Soaking
Use with care5
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
7 items
What you'll need
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- Cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's EarthSoaks up the free oil before you scrub. (opens Amazon)
- Stiff bristle brushScrubs the concrete without damaging it. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry detergentMakes the hot solution for fresh stains. (opens Amazon)
- Trisodium phosphateUsed for the hot soak on stubborn stains, at 1 cup per gallon of hot water. (opens Amazon)
- Powdered cleanser and powdered chalkMake the paste for the last of the mark. (opens Amazon)
- Oil-based solvent or commercial oil removerLifts the stain that remains after the scrubbing.
- Clean white cloths or paper towelsBlot up liquid without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6A few hours
Absorb the free oil
Cover the spill thickly with cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's Earth while it's still fresh. Leave it for a few hours so it can soak up the oil, then sweep or vacuum the powder away.
Tip. Throw the used absorbent in the trash rather than sweeping it into a drain.
Careful. Don't wipe the spill. Wiping spreads the oil and drives it deeper into the concrete.
Step 2 of 6
Scrub fresh stains with detergent
Mix a strong solution of laundry detergent and hot water. Scrub the stain with a stiff bristle brush, rinse well, and let the spot dry.
If you can still see the mark once it's dry, repeat the scrub before going further.
Step 3 of 615-20 minutes
Soak with trisodium phosphate
Dissolve 1 cup of trisodium phosphate in 1 gallon of hot water. Mop it over the stain or pour it on, and let it soak for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4 of 6
Scrub and rinse the soak away
Scrub hard with a stiff brush or broom while the surface is still wet. Rinse thoroughly with clear water, and repeat the soak if the stain is still there.
Step 5 of 6
Work in an oil-based solvent
Scrub the remaining mark with an oil-based solvent, such as a commercial oil remover from a paint or hardware store. Rinse the area with water once the stain has lifted.
Careful. Solvents are flammable, so keep flames, pilot lights and sparks away and work in a well-ventilated area.
Step 6 of 6
Apply the powder paste
Mix 1 cup of strong powdered cleanser and 1 cup of powdered chalk with enough water to make a thin paste. Cover the stain with it and leave it overnight, then rinse with clear water.
Repeat the paste if a faint mark is still there the next morning.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for oil on concrete, brick & driveways
Choose a commercial oil stain remover or degreaser made for concrete; that's the product type this job calls for. Test it on a hidden spot first and stop if the color changes or transfers.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on concrete, brick & driveways, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Each detergent round should lift a little more of the dark color, and the slab should look more even as you go. Compare the spot only once the concrete is fully dry, since damp concrete reads darker than it really is. If the spot looks the same after repeated solvent rounds and the cover absorbs nothing more, the oil has likely set deep in the pores.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your concrete, brick & driveways
Concrete driveway
A driveway spot is often larger, so give the absorbent a wider layer and let it sit for the full few hours. Work in small sections when you use the trisodium phosphate soak, so each section stays wet while you scrub.
Outdoor concrete picks up more dirt and grit, so sweep the absorbent up thoroughly before you add any liquid. Use the solvent step on the darkest part of the mark, then rinse the area afterward.
Cement
Cement is the same surface as concrete here, so use the same steps in the same order. Keep the absorbent on the spot until it has taken in the oil before you scrub.
Rinse thoroughly between steps so no detergent or solvent is left behind before the next one. If a shadow remains after the soak and solvent steps, move on to the stronger treatment for old stains.
Concrete garage floor
Garage floors are usually smooth, so sweep the absorbent up completely and don't leave powder in corners. Pour or mop the trisodium phosphate soak over the spot in one section at a time, and keep the rest of the floor clear until you're done.
Mop up the rinse water and let the floor dry fully before you judge the result, since a damp spot can look darker than it is.
Cooking, transmission, or fresh oil
Fresh cooking oil or transmission oil is handled like any fresh spill: absorb it first, then scrub with the hot detergent solution. Start the absorbent right away, since the oil has had the least time to set.
Transmission oil is an oil-based automotive stain, so expect to need the solvent step after the detergent scrub.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old oil is harder to remove than fresh oil, and it often takes several rounds of the detergent and solvent steps. Dried stains that have been sitting for a long time usually need repeated treatment rather than one stronger cleaner.
For a deep mark, make a poultice from 1 part sodium citrate, 6 parts water and 6 parts glycerin, thickened with enough Whiting or Fuller's Earth to make a thick paste. Spread it over the stain for up to a week, adding fresh paste when the old one dries, then brush the dry paste off and rinse with water.
If the oil has soaked deep into the concrete, saturate the area with mineral spirits or paint thinner and cover it with dry cement, talcum powder, cornstarch or kitty litter. Sweep the covering away the next day and repeat if the stain remains. A faint shadow may stay after all this, and a professional cleaner can judge whether it's worth another round.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on oil on concrete, brick & driveways?
Many household remedies don't suit concrete, so stick to the products that do. Absorbents like cornmeal or sand take up fresh oil before any scrubbing starts. Here's where each common one stands for this stain.
Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use benzene
Benzene can ignite from friction or rubbing, so keep it away from the stain. The detergent, trisodium phosphate soak and commercial oil remover cover the same job more safely.
Don't use cooking oil to loosen the stain
Cooking oil used as a lubricant leaves a residue behind if it isn't fully removed. That residue ages and turns yellow, so stick to the absorbent and solvent steps.
Don't rely on the hose
Plain water won't move oil, because oil doesn't dissolve in water. A hose-down just rinses the surface and leaves the oil sitting in the pores of the slab. Use an absorbent and a detergent solution instead.
Don't skip the test spot
A strong remover can change how a slab looks, so try it on a hidden corner before you treat the stain. Stop if the color shifts or the surface starts to look different. Let the test area dry before you decide anything.
Don't put heat on the slab
Heat sets oil into concrete, so keep heaters, hot air and flames away until the mark is completely gone. Let the spot air dry naturally, and only judge it once the concrete has fully dried.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain is still there after a detergent wash.
Move to a TSP soak: 1 cup of TSP in 1 gallon of hot water, 15 to 20 minutes, then scrub vigorously with a stiff brush and rinse thoroughly. Repeat if needed.
The oil has soaked in and the surface steps do nothing.
Saturate the area with mineral spirits or paint thinner and cover the liquid with dry cement, talcum powder, cornstarch or kitty litter. Sweep it away the next day and repeat if the mark is still there.
The cleaner dries before you can rinse it off.
Work in smaller sections and keep the area wet until the final rinse. A solution left to dry on the surface can leave its own mark on the masonry.
Several rounds have made no difference at all.
Go slow instead: dry cement for at least a day, renewed until it stops absorbing oil, or a poultice at least 1/8 inch thick covered with plastic for 24 hours, then dried and brushed off. Older accumulated stains need stronger methods and carry more risk of damage.
When to call a professional
Call a pro when a sealer or water repellent on the slab keeps your cleaners from doing anything, or when oil has soaked deep into a large, old patch. Tell them how long the oil has been there and which products you've already used. A testing lab can identify a mark you can't place, which beats trying harsher chemicals on a stain you haven't named.
Questions
What is the best way to remove oil stains from concrete?
Start with an absorbent to pull up the free oil, then scrub with hot laundry detergent solution. Stubborn stains move on to the trisodium phosphate soak and then the solvent.
Does oil stain concrete, and how long does it take?
Yes, oil soaks into porous concrete, and the longer it sits the harder it is to remove. There's no set time, so fresh spills are best treated in the first few hours.
What can I use to soak up oil on concrete?
Cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's Earth all work as absorbents. Cover the spill, leave it for a few hours, then sweep or vacuum it up.
Why is my old oil stain still visible after cleaning?
Oil that has soaked deep into concrete is harder to lift than surface oil, so one round of cleaning won't always be enough. Repeat the steps, then use the poultice for what's left, and accept a faint mark if it doesn't fully clear.
Can I use a commercial oil remover on my driveway?
Yes, a commercial oil remover is the solvent step for a driveway. Test it on a hidden spot first and rinse the area with water once the stain has lifted.
How long should the trisodium phosphate soak stay on?
Let it soak for 15-20 minutes, then scrub and rinse thoroughly. If the stain is still there, repeat the soak once.
Will a pressure washer lift an oil stain from my driveway?
Not as a first step. Oil doesn't dissolve in water, so force alone mostly spreads it around, and the spray won't reach oil that has soaked in. Absorb the free oil and scrub with detergent first, then rinse with a gentle spray once the spot has been treated.
Can I use bleach on an oil stain in concrete?
Bleach isn't the right tool for oil. It's used on concrete for moss, algae and similar growth, not for fats and oils, and it must never be mixed with ammonia, vinegar, other acids or rubbing alcohol. Rinse thoroughly between products so nothing reacts on the slab.
Should I wet the concrete before I scrub with detergent?
Use the detergent solution hot and strong, since that is what lifts a fresh spill. Keep the scrubbing firm, and rinse with clear water once the scrubbing is done.
Oil on other materials
Other stains on concrete, brick & driveways
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.