How To Get Oil Off Tarmac

• How do oil spills affect tarmac?
• How to remove oil from tarmac
• What to do when oil spills on tarmac
• How to prevent oil spills on your driveway
• Contact our team today

Tarmac is a very popular driveway material thanks to its affordability and durability. But although it can survive bad weather and heavy loads, oil spills can leave behind permanent stains, damage, and a number of safety hazards.

At ICE Cleaning, we offer rapid response oil spill cleaning services. Our technicians are fully permitted to handle and dispose of oil, and can clean up a wide range of spills including on hard surfaces, in water, and on soil. In an emergency, they can be on site in several hours.

Read on to find out how to remove oil from tarmac.

How do oil spills affect tarmac?

Tarmac is a petrol-based product so it dissolves when exposed to oil. This causes the tar to disintegrate so the aggregates (like gravel and sand) no longer have a binding agent, eventually resulting in holes appearing in the driveway.

Oil can also leave behind a stubborn stain. Puddles can be a hazard for bikes and cars to drive over or for people to walk on, too. Motor oil is combustible, as well, and could lead to a fire.

Oil spills have a similar effect on asphalt which is often confused with tarmac. It can stain it and lead to discolouration, and as the oil soaks into the asphalt, it will soften and damage it.

Quick, thorough clean up is essential to minimise damage to your driveway, extend its lifespan, and keep yourself and others safe.

How to remove oil from tarmac

Although there are lots of cleaning methods shared online for clearing up spills ranging from pouring over some cola to scrubbing it with baking soda, you must leave it to professionals. Not only is oil difficult to clean, all traces need to be removed to minimise damage and make the area safe again.

To begin with, these home remedies probably will not be able to soak up all the oil, nor remove oil stains from the tarmac.

As they are not that effective, you may have to reapply the cleaning solution several times which can result in a lot of manual labour that might not return results.

Some cleaning methods, like using oven cleaner and other corrosive liquids, can be dangerous, too. You will require protective gear like gloves to keep yourself safe. Mixing cleaning products incorrectly could also produce harmful substances and fumes which may put people’s health at risk.

You might event clean it up incorrectly, such as washing it down the drain or letting it spread onto soil which could have devastating impacts for the local environment. You can find out more here.

Specialist cleaners will have the training, products, and equipment to safely and thoroughly clean up an oil spill, and will know how to get old oil stains off tarmac, as well. They can give you peace of mind that all the oil has been removed from your tarmac.

What to do when oil spills on tarmac

As soon as you notice oil is leaking onto your driveway, contact oil spill remediation professionals to clean it up.

If the spill has caused damage, you should also bring in tarmac repair professionals to restore your driveway to its previous condition.

How to prevent oil spills on your driveway

There are lots of ways to reduce the likelihood of oil spills on tarmac and protect your driveway in the event of one. You can learn more about the different reasons why your car could be leaking oil in this blog.

• If your car is leaking oil, use oil spill mats or catchment trays to stop it spilling onto the tarmac
• Stop the oil spilling by getting the problem repaired as soon as possible or using a product that can slow or stop the leak
• Have your car serviced regularly
• Make sure your oil filters are not loose or misaligned, and if they are, have them changed
• Have your oil have changed frequently
• Check the filler cap is not loose or damaged, and ensure it is screwed on properly
• Inspect your vehicles and the driveway for signs of leaks to catch spills early

Contact our team today

Our oil remediation experts can use state-of-the-art technology to restore your driveway to a clean, safe environment. They have experience cleaning up a wide range of oils including gasoline, diesel, and hydraulic oil. They are available nationwide, round the clock, 365 days a year. 

Call 0208 066 0360 or send an email to enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk to get a free site survey and no-obligation quote for our oil spill clean up services.