Car maintenance hacks from Patty Peck Honda

Remove oil stains from concrete or asphalt

DIY is becoming more popular than ever. With a google search and an article or a YouTube video, you’re well on you way to learning a new skill. From cooking, to cleaning, all the way to automotive maintenance, it can be DIY’ed. A common type of routine maintenance that many might find easy to DIY is changing their car oil. You may find this to be easy, however it can be pretty messy. Thick viscus oil quickly burrows into porous concrete and asphalt, and can be a pain to clean up. If you found yourself in this situation, worry not. Your friends at Patty Peck Honda have put together this post explaining how to remove oil stains from concrete or asphalt. Keep on reading to learn how!

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Materials you’ll need

This method to clean up engine oil is super easy, and most of the supplies are already lying around the house. The materials you’ll need are listed here:

• Some clay-based kitty litter
• One brick
• A bucket of water and dish detergent
• One brush for scrubbing
• A broom with a dustpan
• One airtight metal coffee can with lid
• Your garden hose

Steps for cleaning the oil stain

Like we mentioned earlier, concrete and asphalt are very porous, which means it’s very easy for old motor oil to seep in and make itself at home. Luckily for us, this means it’s not too hard to draw this oil out of the holes in the concrete (if done in time). Keep in mind, you want to draw as much of the oil out before cleaning the stain left behind. The steps are:

1. Spread an even layer of kitty litter over the spill.
2. Use the brick to grind the kitty litter into the stain.
3. If the spill is fresh, wait until all the oil is soaked up by the kitty litter. If the stain is older, leave the crushed kitty litter for a few hours, even overnight.
4. Sweep up the kitty litter and keep it in your metal coffee can. Dispose of it according to local regulations.
5. The stain should be faint now, and ready for washing. Use your water and soap mixture to scrub the faintly stained area.
6. Rinse the area with excess water in the bucket or a garden hose.
7. If needed, repeat the washing process to minimize the stain further.

Vehicle service and maintenance Jackson MS

DIY projects can certainly be fun and self-fulfilling, but some things are best done when left to the professionals. If you’re not sure where to go for automotive maintenance, check out the Patty Peck Service Department! We have a full service department, staffed with expertly-trained technicians. Schedule an appointment online, or contact us for more information.