[Del Boy]

As some of you may know I have just set up my driveway cleaning company and I'm yet to do my first job so I have a lot to learn. but one question I did want to ask is about oil removal as it seems like a pretty standard procedure to come across it on most driveways.

What is the best method to remove the oil and do some other types of surfaces require different oil remover. Also is there a good way of pricing oil removal I.e. sq metre etc.

Thanks

[Aqua Power Solutions]

David ,
This will come with experience and no doubt many experiments you trying different methods . Bare in mind the following
What type of oil is on the affected area ie petrol , diesel , hydraulic , ect
How long has the oil been down ?
Surface type ie, tarmac , blocked paved , concrete . resin ect  Is the surface porous ?
Size of spillage ?
Disposing of contaminated waste ?
Chems , heat and pressure  can assist but also can damage the surface !

Ed

[Del Boy]

Thanks for the reply

[Mike Packwood]

 I always carry some oil remover for block paved drives which can be quite effective if the oil hasn't been there long. If it has then its going to be difficult to remove completely (in my experience anyway). What I've done on a number of occasions, where he oil has only been on a few pavers is move them. Take them out, put clean ones in from another part of the drive and put the dirty ones under planters, or somewhere else where they wont be noticed. Only takes a few minutes and is a great piece of added value.

[Jonny Swirljet]

In my experience most customers aren't even aware of damage or staining to their driveway at the point of you generating a quotation for cleaning it. If a car is parked on the driveway when you visit to look at the site of work you will be unaware of what is hidden beneath it and unless you ask the customer to move it so you can evaluate the condition hidden underneath. I tend to say to the customer that I offer a stain reduction service and explain that their are a lot of elements to the equations albeit chemical reaction which dictate the success or failure of stain reduction and I reflect this statement in the written quotation to the customer. I then take a series of photographs which document any damage or staining on the customers driveway, its worth it if the customer tries it on with you. The clean driveway will show up all sorts of defects which were not obviously evident to the eye before cleaning. In one case I successfully removed an oil stain only to find the customers son had parked his car on the driveway and a fresh oil stain was present when I returned to sand and seal.

[Kev Martin]

Virtually any  stain is removable if the customer is prepared to spend enough.  There are chemicals on the market now that will draw virtually any stain out.  The issue is how much is a client prepared to spend to achieve the removal?  If all else fails I have in the past  just changed the offending blocks or stones and in some cases just taken them out and reversed them where possible!
We have just visited a property 6 times, a total of 340 miles round trip on each visit, but we got the stain out finally.