How To Remove Oil From A Tarmac Drive

So your beautiful tarmac driveway has been spoiled by an oil spillage (it’s a hazard of cars and bikes!) Not only does it look unsightly, but it annoys you every time you look at it. It’s slippery too and so you’re worried about the potential hazard.

The problem is oil is not easy to clean.

It’s non-polar meaning it won’t bind with water and get washed away.

It’s why oil stains are notoriously stubborn to remove.

You can scrub on your hands and knees until your knuckles are raw and it still won’t come out with water alone.

But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a nasty stain for good.

With the help of the right tools and equipment, you can get your drive looking (almost) as good as new.

Here’s how.

Oil stain removal – a case study

This is a driveway that we were called out to recently. As you can see, there’s a significant oil stain running along the length of it.

Here’s a close up to show you just how dense and dark the colour actually was.

To remove the oil stain we used Alpha Oil Remover.

This non-caustic, non-flammable oil spill dispersant works wonders. This product doesn’t contain hydrocarbon solvents or caustic acid meaning it’s kinder to the environment than other alternatives too.

Here’s how we got the job done.

Step 1: This driveway had a heavy oil stain so we used the product neat. We used a low-pressure spray directly on the spillage and scrubbed with a hard brush – like this.

(For a lighter oil stain you can use Alpha Oil Remover diluted with up to five parts water.)

Step 2: For best results, allow the oil remover to soak for between 10-20 minutes (depending on the degree of staining).

Step 3: Finally, wash off with a pressure washer to see your driveway beautifully restored.

Job done!

Not only does Alpha Oil Remover work on tarmac, it works on brick, asphalt, concrete, metals, plastics, and even painted surfaces.

Do you have an oil stain at your home that you’d like to get gone for good? If so, get in touch with the Alpha Team. We’ll bring some of our magic solution and get the job done.

And if you’re a commercial operation that’s looking to source effective chemicals, check out the Alpha Chemical Online store. As well as Alpha Oil Remover, you’ll discover a host of other products ready to help you get your cleaning needs sorted.