Have you ever considered how to remove oil stains from paving stones?
Driveways, patios, and small areas of landscaping around the yard, including the pool area, can be made from paving stones.
They have a classy appearance and require less maintenance than counterparts such as asphalt and concrete.
However, oil stains from any source can be unsightly enough to want to remove!
The best option is to remove the oil stains from the pavers yourself using everyday household products.
You’ll save the expense and inconvenience of hiring contractors and possibly completely replacing the stained paving stones.
Items You’ll Need
In this section, we list and discuss the items you’ll need to remove oil stains from paving stones.
We provide alternatives as options for each item, when applicable.
Paper Towels Or Rags
Paper Towels, or rags, will be used to soak up the liquid oil from the oil stain initially.
Pro Tip:
For a larger stain, paper towels are cheaper to use than rags because you may end up using a lot of them absorbing all the oil.
Clay Cat Litter Or Similar Absorbent
Keep a bucket of clay cat litter or a similar absorbent such as sawdust or a sweeping compound outside the garage or nearby.
The clay absorbent in the cat litter, or a similar substance, will soak up any oil in the stain.
A Soft Bristled Brush Or Broom And Dustpan
A soft-bristled brush or a broom and a dustpan will be used to sweep away the kitty litter once it’s absorbed all the oil.
Pro Tip:
Do not use wire bristles on a brush because they will scratch the paving stones.
Liquid Dish Soap Or Alternative
A liquid dish soap, such as Dawn, which has grease-cutting capabilities, is preferred.
Alternatives to dish soap are laundry detergent or baking soda.
Water
A garden hose, with a high-pressure nozzle attached so you can spray directly on the stain, is preferred.
Alternatives are a bucket of water or a pressure washer, but be careful not to damage the surface of the paving stones using the pressure washer.
Oven Cleaner
Basic oven cleaner can be used for the removal of stubborn or older oil stains.
Pro Tip:
Be careful because oven cleaners contain health-hazardous chemicals and are also dangerous to drains, lawns, and flowerbeds.
A Degreaser Specifically Made For Pavers
A degreaser product specifically made for your pavers, such as Chomp Pull It Out Oil/Stain Remover, which I found on Amazon.
There are many others out there – look at your paving stones manufacturer’s recommendations before selecting the appropriate degreaser.
Step By Step Instructions For How To Remove Oil Stains From Paving Stones
#1 Remove Any Excess Oil
Particularly if the oil stain is fresh, use paper towels or clean rags to blot repeatedly at the oil stain until you absorb as much of the excess oil as possible.
Pro Tip:
If using rags, make sure to use a clean spot on the rag each time you blot at the stain for the rag to be effective in absorbing oil.
Rags will be more cost-effective for a smaller stain area or for a stain where there is less excess oil present.
#2 Apply Clay Cat Litter
If there is still quite a bit of oil remaining in the stain or if it is an older stain, gently press a generous amount of clay cat litter, or one of the alternatives I mentioned in my items list, into the stain to soak up any leftover oil.
#3 Let It Sit
Let the stain sit, covered with kitty litter, anywhere from 6 to 24 hours – I recommend overnight.
#4 Sweep Excess Litter Up
Use a soft-bristled brush (No wire bristles) or a broom and a dustpan to sweep up the litter and oil from the stain once the oil has been absorbed.
#5 Apply Liquid Dish Soap
Use a soft-bristled brush to liberally apply liquid dish soap to the stained area, such as Dawn or an alternative from my items list.
Let the dish soap sit on the stain for about 15-30 minutes.
Add a bit of hot water to the stained area, scrub the stain with the soft-bristled brush, and work up a lather on the paving stones until the stain is gone.
#6 Rinse The Stain Area Clean
The best option for this step is to use a garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle attachment, which will enable you to spray the stained area directly with the hose until all the soap, oil, dirt, and everything else is cleaned up.
I mentioned alternatives in my items list but be aware of the issues with using a pressure washer.
#7 Apply Oven Cleaner (Optional, If Necessary)
If your oil stain is very stubborn, you might need a stronger cleaning agent like an oven cleaner.
Spray the oven cleaner on the stained area.
I like this one that I found on Amazon.
Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off with water using a garden hose or alternative method, as mentioned in my items list and step #6.
Pro Tip:
Please be careful not to breathe in any of the oven cleaner’s fumes and be careful when rinsing not to get any on you lawn or in your drains, etc. as there are harsh chemicals in the oven cleaners that have the potential to harm you, your drains, lawn, and flowers.
#8 Apply A Degreaser Specifically Made For Pavers (Optional, If Necessary)
If your oil stain is extremely persistent, you may need a degreaser specifically made for the surface of your paving stones. I mentioned how to find one in my items list.
This one works really well.
Once you’ve selected the appropriate degreaser for your pavers, follow the instructions on the package to remove the oil stain.
If the above steps still leave you with an oil stain on your paving stones, you may want to hire a professional contractor to remove the stain and possibly even replace the affected pavers with new ones.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is it possible to get oil stains out of pavers with a pressure washer?
-Yes, it is, but you must be careful not to damage the surface of the paving stones.
If the stain is fresh, a pressure washer can remove oil stains almost instantly.
Apply dish soap to the stain.
Scrub it with a brush or broom.
Add detergent to your pressure washer.
Begin spraying.
Can I remove oil from my pavers with vinegar?
-Yes! It’s a nontoxic cleaner that doesn’t smell great, but the smell disappears as it dries.
Apply vinegar to the oil stain using a spray bottle, so it goes on evenly, thoroughly saturating the stained area.
Let the vinegar sit on the stain for 1 hour.
Spray the pavers with a mixture of water and dish soap.
Scrub the stained area with a soft-bristled brush.
The vinegar will have loosened most of the stain, but scrubbing will finish the task.
Repeat the process until the pavers are as clean as you want them.
Conclusion
Have you enjoyed learning how to remove oil stains from paving stones?
By using common household ingredients and doing it yourself, you’ll save a lot of money on professional cleaners and contractors, ending up with the same results, and the inconvenience of possibly having to replace the affected paving stones completely.
