• Oil and grease can be difficult to remove from concrete.brown and white house image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
  
  Driveways and garage floors are susceptible to oil and grease stains. Whether the culprit is your car or a simple spill, tackle the stain as soon as you notice it, using simple removal methods. Oil stains become more difficult to remove the longer they sit, and the porous nature of concrete allows the oil to soak deeply into the driveway.
  
  

Blotting Oil Stains

• Cat litter's clay base makes it beneficial for soaking up more than cat waste. Sprinkle fresh litter directly from the bag onto oil stains in your driveway and use a broom to work it against the oil. The clay draws the oil from the concrete. Leave the cat litter on the stain for several hours or overnight and sweep it up.
  
  If you do not have cat litter, use old towels or newspaper to blot the oil stain. Place a heavy object on top and change out the towels or newspaper when they become saturated.
  
  

Liquid Cleaning Method

• Grease-fighting detergents break up the oil and grease, making it easier to lift the stain. Pour a tablespoon or two of grease-fighting detergent over the oil stain once you have blotted as much up as possible. Liquid dishwashing detergent usually works best on grease and oil. Scrub the detergent into the stain with a scrub brush. Use hot water and more detergent if necessary and continue to scrub. Rinse the area with boiling water. If the detergent does not remove all of the stain, try this method a second time.
  
  

Powdered Detergent Method

• Powdered detergent makes a paste that works similarly to the cat litter. Sprinkle powdered laundry detergent in an even layer over the stain. Use enough water to make a thick paste and scrub the detergent into the stain with a scrub brush. Powdered laundry detergents use clays that can help draw the oil and grease out of the concrete. Leave the paste on the stain overnight, and in the morning add water to the area. Scrub again and rinse with more clean water. If the stain is not completely lifted, make another paste of laundry detergent and water.
  
  

Oven Cleaner Method

• If you've tried everything else and some of the oil and grease stain remains, spray the spot with oven cleaner. Scrub the area well and rinse the area well with clean water. Oven cleaner is caustic, so exercise care when using it; wear rubber gloves and do not breathe in the fumes.