How to Get Oil Stains Off an Asphalt Driveway
Household methods for oil stains on asphalt, and how oil spots are handled before sealcoating.
Better Homes & Gardens says to soak up fresh oil with cat litter, then scrub the stain with a paste of baking soda and water or with dish soap and a stiff brush, and rinse. Before sealcoating, SealMaster says oil and grease spots should be treated with an oil spot primer so they do not bleed through.
Fresh spills
Better Homes & Gardens says to start by absorbing any visible oil: spread a layer of cat litter over the stain and let it sit to soak up the oil. On smoother surfaces it suggests a rag dampened with water and dish soap instead.
Scrubbing the stain
It then recommends mixing baking soda with water into a paste, scrubbing the stain with a stiff brush in circular motions and rinsing, or pouring dish soap directly on the stain, scrubbing with a heavy-duty brush and rinsing, repeating until the stain is gone. It notes that tough stains may call for a stronger degreaser.
Laundry detergent for dried stains
For a stain that has already set, Better Homes & Gardens gives a method it says works on both concrete and asphalt: sprinkle powdered laundry detergent over the spot, add enough warm water to make a paste, scrub with a stiff nylon brush for about two minutes, let it sit 15 minutes, scrub one more minute and rinse with clean warm water.
Can you pressure wash oil stains off asphalt?
Better Homes & Gardens lists power washing as an option for tough or old stains, using a concrete and driveway cleaner made for use with a pressure washer and following the cleaner maker's instructions. It notes that pressure washers can be rented from hardware and home improvement stores. One caution for new driveways: Angi says that while asphalt is still curing, which it puts at 30 days to a year, you should avoid high-pressure water when washing it.
What not to put on an asphalt driveway
Better Homes & Gardens says that if the driveway is asphalt, skip solvents and use soap. Its bleach method is for concrete only, and it says gasoline should never be used to clean an oil stain because it is highly flammable and a serious fire hazard. Angi also says not to use harsh chemicals on a new asphalt driveway.
Keeping new stains off
Better Homes & Gardens suggests cardboard under the car to catch drips, keeping up with car maintenance so leaks get fixed, and sealing an asphalt driveway every two to three years, since sealing creates a barrier that cuts down on how much a stain soaks in.
Oil spots and sealcoating
SealMaster, a pavement sealer manufacturer, says gas, oil and grease spots should be treated before sealer is applied. It makes an oil spot primer designed to seal those spots so they do not bleed up through freshly applied sealer.
Sealcoating a stained driveway
SealMaster's sealcoating guidance says the surface must be clean, cracks filled and repairs made before sealing, and that sealcoat needs 50 degrees and rising for 24 hours with no rain expected. South State Paving offers sealcoating, currently $100 off for driveways.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Better Homes & Gardens says to absorb fresh oil with cat litter, then scrub with a baking soda paste or dish soap and a stiff brush, and rinse.
SealMaster says oil and grease spots should be treated with an oil spot primer first, so they do not bleed up through the fresh sealer.
Better Homes & Gardens lists power washing with a driveway cleaner made for pressure washers as an option for tough stains. On a new driveway that is still curing, Angi says to avoid high-pressure water.
Better Homes & Gardens says its bleach method is for concrete driveways only, that asphalt calls for soap rather than solvents, and that gasoline should never be used because it is a serious fire hazard.
Sources
The figures on this page come from these sources, read on 2026-10-07. None of them is South State Paving's own claim.
- Better Homes & Gardens, How to Remove Oil Stains From a Driveway
- SealMaster, Petro Seal concentrated oil spot primer
- SealMaster, Sealcoating FAQ
- Angi, How Long Until You Can Drive on New Asphalt?