How to Get Grill Grease Off Concrete? Solutions For You

September 11, 2023
Written by Kristy J. Norton
Edited by John Smits 

You can use baking soda and dish soap, white vinegar mixed with soap and washing soda, acetone, or cat litter and cola mixed with laundry detergent. TSP and concrete cleaner/degreaser also work. Use hot tap water when removing grease stains. Start with mild solutions before using harsher chemicals.

Grease happens! I grill several nights a week. It’s inevitable that grease will spill from the grill. I’ve scoured the internet and tried all kinds of grease removal tricks. Now, I’m sharing these with you! I’ll also drop my favorite hack. Follow my advice, and you’ll never clean grease again. 

I’m going to show you how to get those unsightly grease stains off your concrete. Roll up your sleeves. Let's get started!

How To Get Grill Grease off Concrete

Act Quickly

Acting in a quick and timely manner will save you time and effort later on. So, whenever you do notice a new grease stain, it’s time to start cleaning.

Listen, we’ve all been there - after a long and tiring cookout, the last thing that you want to do is to have to clean grease from concrete. But new stains are easier to clean.

Always Be Careful

It doesn't matter how mild the solutions that you are using. Do yourself a favor and wear rubber gloves. You can avoid skin irritation.

Wear safety goggles as well. If you do get any of the ingredients or chemicals in your eye, make sure to wash it out immediately with lots of clean water.

Top Methods of Getting Grease Stain Off Concrete Surface

Here are your main options to effectively remove grease from concrete:

Baking Soda and Dish Soap

Grab your baking soda. It’s an excellent cleaner - baking soda is powerful enough to remove grease stains from concrete.

Pour baking soda over the entire stain and let it sit for about an hour - longer won’t hurt, particularly with old grease stains.

Next, add hot tap water to the baking soda. Form a paste, and add more baking soda if necessary. Use a stiff nylon scrub brush to work the dish soap in. Scrub at the stain until it’s gone. Rinse the area with your hose off and allow it to dry.

The great thing about this remedy is that you probably already have everything that you need. You can get started right away. This option works best for mild staining.

If grease stains still remain on the concrete surface, repeat the process once more, or try another method.

Baking Soda in Glass Jar

White Vinegar, Washing Soda, and Soap

This is another remedy where you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. You may not be too familiar with washing soda. It is an ingredient in laundry detergent and also goes by the name sodium carbonate. It’s very similar to OxyClean.

In a large bucket, add half a cup of washing soda, two tablespoons of white vinegar, and a small amount of dish soap. Add two cups of hot tap water and mix.

Apply it as a thick paste to your concrete driveway or pad. Then, use a stiff nylon brush to scrub the stain until it is gone. Rinse with water and allow to dry.

White Vinegar with Baking Soda

Cat Litter, Cola, and Laundry Detergent

This combo works wonders if you have heavy-duty stains on your concrete. Either clumping or non-clumping kitty litter will do the trick.

Start by spreading cat litter on the grill grease. Next, walk over the litter until it is crushed and pressed into the stain. I would suggest wearing old shoes as you don't want to mess up your good kicks.

Leave the kitty litter for an hour or so, then use an old broom to sweep it away. After this, pour some cola over the grill grease. Save your money here - any knockoff cola will do the trick. Use a stiff brush to scrub the soda into the stain.

Let the liquid sit there for about half an hour. If you feel that it is drying out, add more cola over the area. Rinse off the soda with water.

In a bucket, mix one cup of laundry soap with a gallon of hot water. Make sure that the soap is ammonia-free. The ingredients should be listed on the label. Apply this to what’s left of the stain and use a scrub brush to work it in. Once you are done, rinse the area with hose water and let it air dry.

Greenish Cat Litter

Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) and Sawdust

Trisodium phosphate, which is more commonly known as TSP, is an inorganic compound that proves to be an excellent alkaline cleaner when combined with water.

I should warn you that this solution can take a bit more time to remove grill grease. But it will still do the trick. In addition to the TSP, you are also going to need sawdust.

First, dissolve one cup of TSP in a gallon of water. After this, add enough sawdust to create a thick consistency, much like a paste.

Scoop this out and spread it over your grease stains. Leave it overnight.

Once the concoction is dry enough to be swept away, do so. Rinse the area with water if necessary.

Note: Wear gloves, a mask, and appropriate respiratory equipment when using TSP. Some municipalities have banned or limited the use of TSP. Runoff can end up in lakes and streams and cause algae growth, which depletes oxygen levels. Check local regulations before using.

Trisodium Phosphate Powder in Glass

Concrete Cleaners or Degreasers

There are a number of concrete cleaners and degreasers on the market. Grab one and use it to clean your grease spill. Apply per the directions on the jug. Usually, these need to be diluted with water.

Avoid using a power washer with these cleaners. These are powerful and can degrade the surface of porous concrete.

Pressure Wash A Concrete Driveway

Prevention is Better Than the Cure

If you are like most people, then you tend to grill in one place each time. I’m going to help you so you never need to worry about grease again. Buy a grill pad. The grill pad will take the brunt of whatever your grill throws at it. Not your driveway.

They’re great if you’re grilling on a wooden deck, too. If you’re using a charcoal grill, any hot ashes will spill on the pad. Not your wood. 

Wrapping It Up

So, there you have it - all you need to know about how to get grill grease off your concrete. Some of these solutions use things that you already have around the house. Others likely require a shopping trip. 

Roll those sleeves up. Go ahead and give these remedies a try and see which one works best for you!

By Kristy J. Norton
I'm Kristy – a chef and connoisseur of all things BBQ! You can find me either in my kitchen (or someone else's) or at a big outdoor barbecue surrounded by friends and family. In both my professional and personal life I’ve picked up more than a few tips and tricks for turning out delicious food. I consider it a privilege to share it with others!
Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Pitmaster Central is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca etc) and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keep Reading
Copyright 2024 Pitmaster Central, all rights reserved.