# Driveway stains



## DougG (Mar 21, 2004)

A couple weeks ago I used some of that tire "wet look" treatment stuff for the first time. I think the brand name is "Black Magic", but I assume that it's mostly all the same from one brand to another. Anyway, the tires looked good, but I later noticed that it left some stains on my concrete driveway -- sort of a "wet look" for the driveway. I figured it would wash out, but so far it's rained hard a few times and I can still see the stained patches. Next time I'll roll the car into the street before using that stuff, but is there any hope for getting those stains out?

I also noticed that I have a lot of black streaks in the driveway from brake dust that runs off when I hose down the wheels. Will some sort of driveway cleaner product also help to get rid of these stains?


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## xspeedy (Apr 10, 2003)

Don't use crappy rubber care or shine products. I think it is the silicone in them that may stain the driveway. I remember Armor All leaving white stains on my parents driveway. Silicone will also ruin the rubber over time.

Get yourself some Aerospace 303 products (water based, silicone free). As for cleaning the driveway, I'd think a pressure washer is your best bet. You can presoak with some detergent first, but nothing cleans like high pressure water. As a last resort, you could try muriatic acid.


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## phastphil (Sep 5, 2004)

*Driveway Stains*

DougG,
I recently had my driveway pressure cleaned and remarked to my wife how good it looked - only a few weeks later and a few car washes later - it had brown stains at each of 8 points (2-cars) at the wheel locations. I assumed it was from the wheel cleaner I was using - Mequiars Wheel Bright, since the ONLY other stuff I used was Mequiars GOLD car wash and the tire shine stuff. I assumed it was the wheel cleaner, but after reading your POST, I'm wondering if it was the tire shine. The only reason I didn't think it was the tire shine is that when I spray it - it stays mainly on the tire, where the wheel cleaner runs right off.

Wondering if the stains you saw were brown, and if you might have suspected the wheel cleaner?

I have pictures if you want to compare the stains.


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## BmW745On19's (Aug 12, 2005)

Probably the brake dust.


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## phastphil (Sep 5, 2004)

I would of thought the brake dust would have been black/gray - in fact when I wash the wheels down I can see the brake dust wash away to the bottom of my drive. But, the stains are Brown, I assumed they are being caused by some interaction of the wheel cleaner - which is the harshest of the three things I use: Wash/soap, tire shine stuff and the Wheel Cleaner. I talked with Maquiars and they are at a loss? They sent me some other stuff to use - have not tried it yet - I'm running out of clean areas of the driveway LOL.


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## BrAdam's (Oct 3, 2006)

The shiney stains that your tire shine leaves on the driveway is the silicone. Silicone is a oil and petrolium based substance and is designed to repel water. I would use a water-based dressing so that it will not stain your driveway, as well as dirt and residue wont stick to your tires. 

I would try Simple Green to clean off the dryway, its non-toxic and biodegradable. 

Good Luck


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## phastphil (Sep 5, 2004)

Thanks BrAdam's - I think you identified the problem - I chatted yesterday with the guys at Autogeek.net and they suggested the same thing. I will switch back to the tire gel I was using - which was a water based solution - the current stuff is Permatex NO Touch and I purchased at Costco and whatever the savings will be put toward re-pressure cleaning my driveway! I read the can and it said: "could stain concrete" What a putz I was! 

BTW- I was disappointed the Mequiars Tech Specialist didn't pick up on this - and I sent him pictures of the drive etc. This was very obvious once you identified the bad product.

Thanks greatly - I can get my wife off my back about staining the driveway.


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## stream (Jan 24, 2005)

xspeedy said:


> Don't use crappy rubber care or shine products. I think it is the silicone in them that may stain the driveway. I remember Armor All leaving white stains on my parents driveway. Silicone will also ruin the rubber over time.
> 
> Get yourself some Aerospace 303 products (water based, silicone free). As for cleaning the driveway, I'd think a pressure washer is your best bet. You can presoak with some detergent first, but nothing cleans like high pressure water. As a last resort, you could try muriatic acid.


Agree on 303 Protectant--great stuff--nice matte finish, and lasts several washings.

Years ago, right after we moved into a brand new house, one of my ex-wife's sisters parked her car in the driveway and it left a big oil stain--boy was I pissed. Muriatic acid did the trick (Home Depot sells it).


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## DRWWE (Jan 19, 2004)

Agree with the above. I used to get those stains on my driveway when I was using tire dressings that spray on (yes it was cheap stuff) and it did eventually wear off after several rains. I have switched to much better stuff since then. Ever since I started using an applicator instead of spraying I never get any stains on the driveway.


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## phastphil (Sep 5, 2004)

Thanks all for the suggestions - I think we have nailed this one COLD. I guess the lack of heavy rains since I washed the cars last, have not diminished the stains - if we were in the peak rainy season here, they probably would have been gone. But, a lesson to learn about picking detailing products - Check first on the Bimmerfest Forums! - I've asked Costco to pay for the return of their crappy product and a pressure cleaning - we will see what they respond with.


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## Marcellus (Oct 11, 2006)

Greased Lightning (I get it at Sam's) and a pressure washer makes the driveway glow!!!

Fuzzy likes.:thumbup:


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