Removing oil stains from tarmac

[Lee Nowell]

Hi All

We have a red tarmac drive and had an old car with an oil leak resulting is an oil stain on the drive (around 1m2)? What's the best way to remove the stain?

Thanks

Lee.

[Brian Gaff]

I doubt if you can. I've heard of people using power washers and all sorts, but I guess tarmack is maybe oil based and it actually gets into the material. I tell you what some dingbat around here had his drive green and its even worse there, plus two tramlines where the tyres run. Luckily I do not have such problems since with no sight it could be red and green polks dots for all I care! Brian

[Chris Hogg]

Not easy. Spread oil over the rest of the drive? Or bitumen?

[newshound]

Not possible. The black colour comes from carbon particulate in the oil which will just become absorbed in the tarmac. Not soluble in anything.

[Bill Wright]

Remove the tarmac and resurface.

Bill

[Steve Walker]

Time and weathering?

SteveW

[Chris Bartram]

You might fade it a bit with a strong detergent brushed in, but you'll never shift it.

[Tim Streater]

Chlorine triflouride? Mind you, that removes the concrete too.

[Brian Reay]

I've not tried this on tarmac but it works on red block paving and plain concrete:

First soak in paraffin, work it in.

Before it dries, apply one of the water soluble degreasers. Gunk, Jizer or the newer fancy ones. I had some pink poncy smelling stuff I bought when I couldn't get Gunk, it was magic. Again work it in - I use one of those brushes for pans etc. Then lots of hot water with a good dollop of washing powder. Finally, hose it off.

Generally one treatment does it. If not, wait until dry, and repeat from the degreaser stage.

I've only needed two goes once or twice.

[Dave Liquorice]

On concrete and oil spots (up to 6" across) I just liberally apply washing up liquid work it in with a stiff brush and leave. The next lot of rain washes it away, doesn't matter if it doesn't rain for a day or three. In fact it's probably better if it can be left to "work" for a day or so before it rains.

I'd be wary of degreasers on tarmac they may soften the bitumen...

[alan_m]

+1 with oil on concrete - neat washing up liquid and not necessarily brushed in and wait for the next rain.

[The Natural Philosopher]

detergent and as pressure washer

= accelerated weathering

[Dave Liquorice]

Trouble with the pressure washer is that it cleans too well and you have PW the whole area or have clean patch instead of a oily one...

People seem to want single hit instant fixes these days. Yes, you can spend half a day or longer with various detergents and solvents but it's lot of effort compared to 15 mins working in some washing up liquid and leaving it.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Oh yes!

Or conversely they want to kill the weeds in their gravel drive, when the real answer is to dig it all up, sieve the gravel to remove the soil, and put it all back again...:-) I am coming round to te two or three principles of DIY GAMI - get a man in TMAI - Throw money at it, hire a digger remove the gravel pay to have it taken away get another 20 tonnes, hire a digger again and re lay it.. BHW - Bloody Hard Work - just kuckle down and do it by hand.

I dug a hole for some huge gateposts. I used a trowel; below 2 ft and in the end a bent sppon below three. Took a whole afternoon to dig the two holes. They are, 10 years, later rock solid