Removing Asphalt Sealcoating

[Sequoia]

I looked at our local tool rental place and they have a few different options for hot pressure washers. One is a 3,500 psi 3.3 GPM with kerosene fired 200F heater. The other is a trailer mounted 3,000 psi 3.9 GPM with kerosene fired 200F water heater OR 225F steam. Would something like one of these work? Is there a professional service out there that might have a way to remove this stuff?

I would start keeping a log of all the time you are spending, even just searching like above, in case you file a claim against these perps.

 

[MEP001]

When I have a bad oil spill on the lot (Three times so far this year, I'm talking at least a gallon) I pick up what I can with clay absorbent, then I put down degreaser, scrub it, then pick that up with more clay absorbent. I can get the concrete completely clean without one bit of it getting to the storm drain. You might try a combination like that on the apron, maybe make a dam with clay absorbent and whatever solvent you find works best, then pick up what you clean off.

 

[Waxman]

In my detail shop we use mineral spirits for tar wax and grease remover. you can use a trigger sprayer or pump sprayer to apply. Let it dwell a minute and try powerwashing.

I also would try Gunk Foamy Engine cleaner on it, but the mineral spirits is great on tar in my experience.

 

[OurTown]

When I have a bad oil spill on the lot (Three times so far this year, I'm talking at least a gallon) I pick up what I can with clay absorbent, then I put down degreaser, scrub it, then pick that up with more clay absorbent. I can get the concrete completely clean without one bit of it getting to the storm drain. You might try a combination like that on the apron, maybe make a dam with clay absorbent and whatever solvent you find works best, then pick up what you clean off.

That might work for a smaller area but I'm working with probably 400 square feet on the apron. I'm noticing that the upper parts of my bay walls are not coming very clean. In some places most comes off but many places almost none comes off even with the Xylene and pressure.

 

[OurTown]

In my detail shop we use mineral spirits for tar wax and grease remover. you can use a trigger sprayer or pump sprayer to apply. Let it dwell a minute and try powerwashing.

I also would try Gunk Foamy Engine cleaner on it, but the mineral spirits is great on tar in my experience.

After doing some research and carefully digesting some of the responses here I now realize that the oil based stuff would come off pretty easily with many of the petroleum products suggested and tried so far. I'm just about for sure this is water based and after four days now is mostly cured. I called seal coating manufacturers and installers and they say good luck with that and not giving many suggestions. I looked into some of the industrial products made from orange peels which I believe to be D-Limonene. It sounds similar to turpentine so I tried some of that I had on hand with no luck. One thing that I found out that might be promising is that it looks like it might respond to hot water. I boiled about a half gallon of water, poured it on a one square foot area and then hit it with pressure. It got about half off so I repeated it again and it got a small amount more off. That makes me think that renting a Hotsy or a pressure washer that also has steam might work.

 

[Kramerwv]

What about a heat gun in addition to the Hotsy? Maybe too large of an area but sounds like options becoming limited.

 

[MEP001]

That might work for a smaller area but I'm working with probably 400 square feet on the apron. I'm noticing that the upper parts of my bay walls are not coming very clean. In some places most comes off but many places almost none comes off even with the Xylene and pressure.

I had a 25 x 50 area covered in used oil with the worst one.

 

[rebecajoy]

That sounds like a frustrating experience to go through! Consider consulting professionals like Akron Asphalt Repair for acid washing the walls if the stains are deeply ingrained. To clean the concrete and walls, you can try using a heavy-duty degreaser specifically designed for concrete surfaces or a mixture of water and trisodium phosphate (TSP).