Easy Solutions to Common Driveway Stains

Driveways take a lot of abuse from vehicles, foot traffic, and weather (from four very different seasons) over the years. Eventually, your driveway will begin to show this wear and tear.

When it comes to the different types of stains your driveway can accumulate, we’re here to show you how to remove them. Because driveways can start to look real ugly, real quick!

Oil Stains

This is the toughest and one of the most common stains your driveway will see. One small oil leak from your car and your driveway will look like the floor of an automotive shop. (Not a good look…)

Read here for the best way on How to Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway.

Dirt & Mud

Dirt and mud can easily be spread across your driveway from the tires beneath your car, motorcycle, ATV, or other off-roading vehicles. If your vehicle has mud on its tires and leaves track marks on the driveway, the mud will eventually dry and become a tough dirt stain.

The best way to remove this is with a power washer. For those who don’t have access to a power washer, you’re going to need a garden hose, a stiff-bristle push broom, and some dish detergent.

Hose down the driveway and begin using the brush to break up and caked on dirt. Rinse the driveway, lay down some soap, scrub the driveway good with your broom again, and give it another rinse.

Decomposing Leaves

Allowing leaves to lay on your driveway might seem harmless, but doesn’t everything seem harmless before it does its damage?

Leaves sitting atop your driveway can eventually decompose, where they will release a colorful byproduct (tannin) that can stain your driveway. This is especially true for wet piles of leaves that turn into a form of mulch. This byproduct will be released and stain the driveway, but you might not notice until you sweep the wet leaf piles away.

To remove these brownish stains, rinse the stains with your hose, sprinkle powdered dish detergent over the stains, and begin scrubbing them with a stiff-bristled brush. Afterward, pour hot water over the scrubbed stains and they should be gone!

Paint Splatters

A fresh coat of paint can help revitalize your old furniture, cabinetry, etc. If you end up painting some things yourself but wind up with paint on the surface of your driveway, make sure you remove it before it sets completely.

• For latex-based paint, you can clean it the same way you would decomposing leaves. Hot water, powdered dish detergent, a stiff-bristled brush, and some elbow grease.
• For oil and acrylic-based paint, it can be a little tricky. If you have a concrete driveway, just pour a paint stripper over the stain and use a brush to scrub it in before rinsing it away. However, if you have an asphalt driveway, you can’t use a paint stripper as it will damage the asphalt. Instead, you’ll need to cover the stain with an asphalt sealer.

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Having a driveway filled with ugly stains is like vacuuming the entire house but leaving your entryway rug covered with dirt.

Cracks, stains, and missing pieces will make any driveway hard to look at. When it’s time for you to finally get the driveway that compliments your home, we’ll be waiting for your call!