The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Thu Oct 05, 2006 3:47 pm**

It is a long story, but I have a problem with a large oil stain on my tarmac driveway from my car. It is due to negligent work carrier out by a local Garage.

The garage arranged for "proffesional" cleaners to remove the stain. Several attempts later (3 at the last count) - including using a industrial pressure washer, and I still have a oil slick on the driveway. The garage are no longer responding, and hence I need to sort this out my self.

I need to get an independant report to advise how to repair the driveway - and I have no idea who to approach to do this. Can anyone suggest a cleaning specialist or tarmac expert that can I can get some advice/report from?

Also is it possible to remove oil stains from tarmac sucessfully, or is it likely to require relaying? It is a large stain that covers about 2 sqm, and has been there for about 2 months whilst the dispute has been raging with the garage, hence it has soaked into the tarmac now.

Any help would be appreciated.

Posted: **Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:32 pm**

Removal of affected tarmac and relaying is the only viable, long term option.

Small claims court?

Posted: **Sat Oct 07, 2006 4:19 am**

These are things you can try...but as it's soaked down into the tarmac, might take a while to work out.

A) Scrub the area well with a heavy-duty degreaser -- a floor cleaner (without wax!) would be a good start.

Scrub it with a stiff brush, then rinse well. If you're lucky, you'll have removed the top layer of oil -- it will reappear as the material below the surface works its way out, but this process can be repeated.

B) Pile some clay cat litter (the old-fashioned kind, without any odour granules, and NOT the clumping kind) onto the stain, and leave it for a few days. (Watch the forecast, as if it chucks down rain, you'll have oily litter all over your drive!) This will help to draw the oil out of the tarmac.

You can also do some combination of A) and B)...

The last solution is to scrub the spot as best you can as above, then apply an oil-spot primer to the spot, before re-sealing the surface with a bitumen-based drive sealer. (You can, of course, have it done for you!) Make sure you read the label on the sealer -- the most popular brand in the UK sheds is a latex paint, and won't bond, nor will it hide the stain.

Hope that helps...unfortunately, it's an issue that will just take time for the oil to work its way out of the surface.

Posted: **Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:58 am**

Thanks for the reponses.

I have got someone coming round today to look at the driveway, and based on the conversation I had with them, relaying seems the only option at the moment. Followed by the small claims court.

It was a full engine's worth of oil, and has covered a very large area, and is well and truely soaked in now, following 3 attempts to clean it by a "professional cleaner". The cleaner was appointed by the garage.

Thanks for the advice, it was helpful to point me in the right direction. I just wanted some thoughts on whether cleaning would really work before persuing the relaying route.

PS Very helpful website by the way

Posted: **Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:42 am**

Hi,

I use a biological cleaner specific for tarmac. It has bacteria that degrade the oil but not the bitumen binder. (I have another one for concrete that will eat tarmac as well). If the bitmac under the spill is soft, then it needs replacing. If still firm then it can be treated.

Tarmaclady suggests a bitumen sealer - that will make it look good and actually increase the life of the driveway, if the spill hasn't done too much damage. You could patch then seal the drive.

The Brew Cabin

Help - oil stain on tarmac driveway