If there is one thing that really irks homes and businesses about their pavement, it is stains. From motor oil to mulch, stains can quickly make your asphalt look worn, old, and unwelcoming. But with summer projects like remulching, these stains may seem inevitable. To keep your driveway or parking lot looking as fresh as possible, here are some tips for removing stains from your pavement.
Mulch
To avoid removing mulch stains in the first place, you should hold off on having the fresh mulch delivered until the weather is dry. In Florida, this may not be possible. In a state where April showers last until November, it can be a real challenge to find a weekend that will not have at least a little rain. Instead, let’s talk about how to remove the stains after they have happened. With mulch, the stain will likely fade away over time, but if you want your pavement looking its best right away, here are a few steps you can take.
- Rinse with water. It is best to just get the hose out and give the driveway a quick spray. Using a pressure washer could drive the stain in deeper.
- Apply dish soap or white distilled vinegar to surface. After application, use a large bristle broom to thoroughly scrub the entire surface.
- Rinse the driveway again. Once again, you are better off just sticking with the hose.
- Mix a bucket of diluted bleach, roughly two tablespoons of bleach to two gallons of water. As with the soap, use your broom to scrub the mixture into the surface of the driveway.
- Get the hose back out one more time and give everything a good rinse.
Motor Oil
Motor oil stains are common. They are also unsightly and stubborn. But that does not mean there is nothing you can do. To start off with, make sure to soak up any excess oil that has not already absorbed into the pavement. This can be quickly and easily accomplished by sprinkling the affected area with a clay kitty litter. The clay will absorb the oil into itself. Once all the standing liquid is absorbed, you can simply sweep it and the litter away. From here you have two options for the remaining stain.
- Apply a paste of trisodium phosphate (TSP). You can purchase this compound from your local hardware store. Simply mix it with water to the recommended consistency on the bottle, then scrub the paste onto the surface of the stain with a broom or long-handled brush. Let the paste sit on the stain for about 30 minutes or however long is recommended on the packaging, then rinse it away.
- Apply a commercial grade degreaser to the stain. Try to avoid any degreasers that contains solvents as this can cause damage to the asphalt. As before, follow the directions on the packaging to mix, apply, scrub, and rinse away the degreaser.