Coke. It’s not just for drinking anymore! In fact, it turns out that Coke can be quite useful for cleaning oil stains on driveways and other outdoor surfaces.
Thanks to Coke’s carbonation and citric acid, it makes an excellent degreaser and cleaner. In fact, it’s been shown to be more effective than some commercial cleaners. So, if you’re ever faced with an oily mess, or if oil drips and spills have wreaked havoc with your garage floor, don’t reach for the detergent – grab a Coke instead!
Fifteen years of landscaping will introduce any tradesperson to a range of tips and tricks that can prove invaluable and fix most unwanted hiccups. Stains and spillages are all part of DIY-ing, and often we’ve been called to help resolve the common problems that can pop up from time to time.
Carrying an operational knowledge of what chemicals and solutions are right for certain jobs is something that we take great pride in. Below we’ll discuss one of the more interesting cleaning methods that we’ve come across while working in the landscaping trade.
The answer to the all-important question, will coke remove oil stains from a driveway?
In this post, we’ll be discussing:
- How to remove oil from paving with Coke.
- Removing old oil stains with Coke from a driveway.
- Why Coke works to remove oil from concrete.
- Other unlikely products that can remove oil stains from concrete driveways.
Let’s dive in!
How To Remove Oil Stains from Driveways with Coke
Coca Cola is a surprisingly effective cleaning agent, but cleaning with Coke isn’t as simple as just applying the liquid to a stain. Here’s a step-by-step process to remove oil stains from concrete with Coke.
Removing an Oil Stain With Coke
1 – Soak up the grease
A fresh oil spill will leave grease stains on your concrete driveway alongside the oil stains that we’re looking to remove. Both can be cleaned with Coca Cola, but you’ll want to soak up the excess oil and grease before applying Coke to your concrete.
You can remove grease by sprinkling an absorbent material onto the stain; clay cat litter, laundry detergent and sawdust will all work well. Leave your chosen absorbent material to soak up the grease stain for around half an hour, then shovel it away.
2 – Apply Coke and scrub
Now that you’re left with the oil stains, you’re ready to apply some Coca Cola to your driveway and scrub it into the surface. Depending on the size of the oil spills, you may need to use a few cans; make sure that you use room temperature cola for this job.
Pour the Coke onto the stained area and use a scrub brush to work it into the surface. A wire brush may damage the surface if you’re cleaning concrete, so use a nylon scrub brush instead to protect the stone.
Scrub the stained area in a circular motion, making sure to work the Coke into the stubborn stains. Once you’re happy with the amount of lift, leave the Coke to sit for around half an hour.
3 – Mop with dish soap and bleach
Squirt dish soap and a quarter cup of bleach into a plastic bucket filled with hot water; always wear rubber gloves when handling bleach.
Grab a mop, and begin covering the oil stain with the mixture. If the stained area looks like it needs more elbow grease, use a stiff nylon brush to work the surface. Continue to mop the area until all of the excess oil and satins have been completely removed. If the staining is still noticeable, repeat step two again.
4 – Rinse down the area
Now that your Coke has been successfully used as an oil stain remover and concrete cleaner, it’s time to rinse the area and clean up any leftover mess. Use a garden hose or pressure washer to wash down the driveway and remove dirt and debris that remains.
When power washing to clean concrete, always be careful, hold the nozzle at a 45-degree angle, and face away from any people, buildings, or vehicles.
Does Cola Remove Oil from Concrete?
Coca Cola contains citric acid that breaks down the molecules in motor oil and unsightly grease, allowing the stains to be easily washed away. With the aid of a stiff brush, Coke can remove motor oil, grease and even rust stains from concrete surfaces like your garage floor with ease.
What Else Removes Oil Stains from the Driveway?
There are plenty of products around the house that will have a good go at oil stains, see the list below. The fastest way will still be to buy a specialist product. Here you’ll find our roundup of the best oil cleaners for driveway paving.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a versatile cleaning agent that every household should have to hand. Baking soda breaks down organic compounds and removes grease and dirt from almost any surface.
Coco Coir
Granular coconut coir is great at cleaning oil stains and works even better as a cleaning agent when mixed with baking soda. Apply the mixture to the stain and allow it to sit overnight before washing away.
Cat Litter
Cat litter works like trisodium phosphate in that it’s incredibly absorbent and great at soaking up spillages from all manner of surfaces. It can be used to remove transmission fluid stains, remove oil stains and even remove rust stains.
This video shows how effective cat litter is at removing spillages
Bleach
Can bleach remove oil stains? Only with the help of another agent to draw out the stain, in such a situation, bleach can be used to clean the surface and remove any remaining oil that’s been drawn out.
Brake Cleaner
Brake cleaner can be used to clean oil stains and spillages. Use baking soda to draw out the stain, then mop the surface with brake cleaner and old towels.
Washing Up Liquid
Dilute washing up liquid by 50% and apply it to the oil stain. Leave the mixture to sit for an hour and wash away the residue to clean any oil stains.
WD-40
WD-40 is a water displacement spray that can penetrate and remove oil stains from concrete, most homes will have a bottle of this, so it’s a convenient oil stain remover.
Commercial Concrete Cleaner
We recommend several great commercial concrete cleaners like Terminator HSD concrete cleaner, Act microbial concrete cleaner, and American Hydro Systems for cleaning large rust stains and stubborn oil stains that these household cleaners may struggle with.
Last Word
Coke is a household name, but many people are surprised to learn that it can be used as an effective cleaning solution. The Coca Cola company has marketed the beverage for its refreshing taste and “secret formula” since 1885. However, one of its most well-known uses may not have been shared with you yet – removing oil stains from driveways!
Like lemon juice, Coke is acidic, making it ideal for removing oil stains from concrete.
And, if you’ve no Coke in the fridge, why not try one of the alternative solutions such as oven cleaner or kitty litter to keep your garage floor and driveway looking pristine!