Best way to remove large oil stain from tarmac drive

gundo

What's the best way to remove a heavy oil stain from a tarmac driveway? Sadly the tarmac has already started lifting a bit in the middle but I'd like to clean up what's left before it all starts to go.

Swiss_Toni

Sounds like it might be a bit far gone, but we used dishwasher powder on a patch - it soaked it up and left no other mark over a couple of days.

Don't think the dishwasher tablets would be so effective tho.

Cheers

grumbler

PAINT it? :rolleyes:

elona

If you spread cat litter on the stain and leave it overnight then that works really well. I suggested this once before and people thought I was joking but - honest - it works. :):)

gundo

The stain is quite large (4ft diameter) and has been there a long time, so isn't really wet enough to be soaked up by anything now. It's a kind of black gungey mess...



Lots of washing up liquid, water and a scrubbing brush sound inevitable to me.

snowboardjon

Have you had a look at Gunk driveway cleaner in halfords, that sorted out my drive.
That was on brick though not tarmac(read the label to make sure it won't dissolve the tarmac!!!!)

dougk_2

Ok - You need to use a detergant of some type. Let it soak for a short while and wash away with a hose..... Even non-bio washing powder will help but don't leave it down for too long being tarmac is oil based!

There are specialist kinds about (as a marshal we use them on race tracks and as you have found oil damages tarmac!) but they are expensive.

You could try a local motor factoring company (the ones that supply garages with equipment, parts and accessories) - they would be cheaper than Halfords. They are normally found on an Industrial Estate (look in yellow pages or yell.co.uk under motor factors). Garages have oil spillages often so need this kind of "help".

plumb1_2

The oil has attacked the tarmac,so it is breaking up,putting items on it such as cat litter and powder etc is to late now,might have been ok doing it straight away
You will need to take up the soft tarmac and replace it,you can buy small bags of tarmac from builders merchants,Travis Perkins,Jewsons etc

Katykat

thanks grumbler. This seems like the kind of paint I had in mind. Only problem is they dont do it in black, so I'll have to look for similar product, but at least I now know that there is such a product. Cheers!