Short answer
Deal with a fresh oil spill straight away by soaking up as much as possible with an absorbent such as cat litter or sawdust, then scrubbing what remains with warm water and a degreaser or mild detergent. Older stains on concrete or block paving can often be lightened with a driveway degreaser and repeated scrubbing, but some will not disappear completely. Always test products on a hidden area first.
Why oil stains are hard to shift
Concrete, block paving and most natural stone are porous. Oil soaks into the tiny pores in the surface, and the longer it sits, the deeper it goes. Fresh oil is mostly on top and much easier to remove. An old stain has been driven in by tyres, baked by the sun and has collected dirt, which is why it looks darker than the original drip.
The surface matters too. Concrete and block paving cope with scrubbing and most degreasers. Tarmac and resin are bound with materials that some solvents attack, so they need a more cautious approach, covered in our guides to cleaning tarmac and resin driveways.
Fresh spills: act quickly
- Do not hose it. Water spreads oil across a wider area and can carry it into joints or drains.
- Cover the spill with an absorbent material such as cat litter, sawdust or dry sand, and press it down with your foot or a board so it draws the oil up.
- Give it time to absorb, then sweep it up and bag it. Repeat with fresh absorbent if the area is still wet with oil.
- Scrub the remaining mark with a stiff brush and warm water mixed with a little washing-up liquid or a degreaser made for driveways.
- Rinse with clean water, and soak up the run-off rather than letting it flow into a drain.
Older stains on concrete and block paving
For a stain that has been there a while, a driveway or concrete degreaser is the usual first step. Follow the label for dilution and how long to leave it, keep it wet while it works, and scrub firmly. Rinse, let the area dry fully and judge the result in daylight, since wet paving always looks darker. Several treatments may be needed.
Some products are applied as a paste or poultice that dries on the surface and draws oil out as it does so, then is brushed away. These can be useful on porous paving. Whatever you use, never mix cleaning products, wear gloves and eye protection, and keep children and pets away while you work.
On block paving, scrubbing and rinsing will loosen some joint sand around the stain, so brush kiln-dried sand back in afterwards. Our guide to re-sanding block paving explains how.
What to avoid
Do not pour petrol, white spirit or paint thinner onto the drive. They are a fire risk, can damage tarmac and resin, and tend to spread the stain rather than lift it. Avoid strong acids, which can etch concrete and some stone. Be careful with a pressure washer on its own: high pressure without a degreaser pushes oil around and can damage the surface or blow out joints.
Be realistic about the result. Many stains lighten considerably, but a deep, old mark may leave a shadow. Repeated harsh treatment of one spot can leave it noticeably cleaner than the paving around it, which can stand out as much as the original stain.
Stopping it happening again
If a car is leaking, getting it repaired is the real fix. In the meantime, a drip tray or a piece of absorbent mat under the engine catches oil before it reaches the drive. Cleaning the whole driveway from time to time, as described in our guide on how to clean a driveway, also stops dirt binding to fresh drips.
When to call a professional
Call a professional if a stain is large, very old or on a surface you are worried about damaging, such as resin, tarmac or coloured paving, or if DIY attempts have left a patchy area. A professional can treat the stain and clean the whole drive so the finish is even.
When we clean driveways, oil, rust and tyre marks are assessed separately from general dirt and treated with targeted products. We will always tell you honestly what is likely to come out and what may remain.
Rather have it done for you?
Block paving, tarmac and resin driveways cleaned, weeded and re-sanded. Family-run by Jason and Lucas Prior, covering south Essex.
Frequently asked questions
Does washing-up liquid remove oil from a driveway?
It can help on fresh, light marks when scrubbed in with warm water. For older or heavier stains, a degreaser made for driveways usually works better.
Can you pressure wash oil off a driveway?
Pressure washing alone tends to spread oil rather than lift it. Treat the stain with a degreaser first, scrub, then rinse, taking care with the pressure on block paving joints, resin and tarmac.
Will an oil stain ever come out completely?
Fresh spills often can. Older stains that have soaked deep into porous paving may lighten a lot but leave a faint shadow.
Related guides
- How to clean a driveway: the general method for any drive, a full walkthrough for concrete, and how to tell which surface you have.
- How to clean a resin driveway: routine care and gentle washing for resin bound and resin bonded drives, and the products and tools to keep away from them.
- How to clean a tarmac driveway: a gentle cleaning method for tarmac, plus how to deal with moss, oil and the risks of high pressure and hot weather.
- What affects the cost of driveway and patio cleaning: the factors that change a driveway, patio or jet washing quote, including surface type, condition, re-sanding and sealing, and how to compare quotes.