Hello CF Fam, My dad has been getting a bunch of letters from HoA to remove oil stains from the driveway. We've tried powerwashing it a few times but haven't been able to remove it all. They're still sending letters and have retained a law firm threatening my dad with fines if he doesn't get it cleaned up. But we really don't know what else to do. Given his old age, he's worried about what happens if he doesn't comply. Any tips? I mean, there has to be a way to get it removed. Commercial grade power washers? Can you guys recommend anyone? tl;dr: need oil stains removed due to HoA
Quick google search.....might have some good info... <iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sHlEIedvU1c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
yeah, we tried that - bought a power washer with soap and chemicals but couldn't get it completely removed. i figured there has to be a commercial business that has the industrial tools to do this.
Perhaps click the link above that video on google.. http://www.instructables.com/id/Cleaning-oil-stains-on-your-driveway/
I've had success using cat litter, but that was in the garage where the surface is much smoother than the driveway. Just pour it on the stain and let it sit for a few days. Couldn't hurt to try, since it's so cheap.
They should have it at Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware etc. I used it a few times on some moderate stains and it got rid of them. It was pretty easy to use and not terribly expensive. I don't know how effective it is on heavy stains though, it will definitely help. http://www.amazon.com/Pour-N-Restore-Concrete-Masonry-Stain-Remover/dp/B0062PABNS
I would ask the HOA. Likely isn't the first time they've reached out to someone about it, so they might know who to contact and/or how to deal with it. We have a gas lamp in front of our house and have to keep it running 24/7 otherwise the HOA fines us something ridiculous like $200/day. Had an issue with it a few years ago that was beyond my modest skills and they helped me out.
We had some smaller ones and we were able to use Cascade dishwasher soap and water to remove them. I don't know if it'll work on really big stains.
Depends how old they are. Old stains tend to fade after treatment and comeback later. Try the stuff Baumer posted.
We use floor sweep at work which is the same thing as kitty litter when we have oil mess. Put it kind of thick over the stained area. Twist your foot and grind the floor sweep into the stain. Take a large push broom move the floor sweep around and twist your foot and grind the floor sweep in to the stain. Keep repeating. You might also try some brake clean. Spray the bad area and give it a hard scrub with a brush before before the brake clean evaporates.
A cheap option to try is acetone (1qt runs ~$5 at walmart) Make a poultice by mixing acetone with any absorber (talc, diatomaceous earth, baking powder, molding plaster, etc) until it has goopy consistency. Spread the paste on the stain and cover it with plastic wrap. Seal the edges with tape Leave for at least 24 hours Remove plastic and allow poultice to dry out Cleanup and dispose of the poultice ------- This definitely works for oil stains on granite, but i'd imagine the same principle applies since these are old oil stains that have penetrated deeply Make sure you purchase the acetone in the "home improvement" section. The stuff in the beauty dept is more expensive and isn't suited for this task. ----- As an aside, I used acetone (with some paper towels) on a dry erase board that hadn't been cleaned in at least 3 years. Ridiculously easy and effective.
http://www.vtmobilepressurewash.com/ It's my brother's business. He also owns a carpet cleaning company of the same name. Best in Houston, and I'm not saying that just because he's my brother. Dude will hook you up.
Absorball, which is like kitty litter, then caustic some and scrub. Good luck finding caustic soap though, I used to get it from my job. **** cleans anything.
We hired this company before: http://www.blastinclean.com/ They were cheap and came out quickly. On our driveway, sidewalk, and patio they didn't use a regular pressure washer. It was a machine more like a big vacuum that had a brush and high pressure water at the same time + cleaning agent that they add.