Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover: How to Lift Oil From Pavers

Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover is Alliance's spot treatment for oil stains on pavers and stone. It goes on as a liquid, dries into a powder that has absorbed the stain, and you sweep it up. Alliance lists it as biodegradable and phosphate free, and rates it for motor oil, cooking oil, grease and wax on concrete pavers, wet cast and natural stone. It suits anyone dealing with a drip under the car, a grill spill on the patio, or grease by an outdoor kitchen.

An oil stain in a paver is not on the surface; it is down in the pores. This guide covers how Gator XP draws it back up, where Alliance says to use it and where not to, the application steps in Alliance's order, and how far a quart goes, using figures from the Alliance Gator XP technical data sheet and our product page.

What Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover is

Alliance Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover works like a poultice. Our product page explains the idea: detergent and a brush move the top layer of an oil stain and leave the rest, while Gator XP draws the oil back up as it dries. Its headline traits:

Trait	Per Alliance and the product page
How it works	Lifts and absorbs embedded oil as it dries from liquid to powder
Effort	No scrubbing, no rinsing, no mess in the normal case; you sweep the powder up and the stain leaves with it
Formula	Biodegradable and phosphate free
Stains	Motor oil, cooking oil, grease and wax
Surfaces	Concrete pavers, wet cast, natural stone
Job type	Spot treatment for stains, not a whole patio cleaner

Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover specifications

Specification	Per the data sheet and product page
Container	1 quart (946 ml), ready to use
Dilution	None, ready to use
Coverage	About 6 sq ft per quart
Application thickness	1/8 in (3 mm), extending 1 in past the stain
Dwell time	12 to 24 hours, until fully dry to powder
Minimum temperature	Above 40°F (4°C) with maximum ventilation
Surface condition	Do not use on a wet surface
Surfaces	Concrete pavers, wet cast, natural stone
Storage	Above 32°F (0°C)

You can find the full data sheet in our TDS and SDS library.

Where to use it (and where not to)

Alliance rates Gator XP for oil and grease stains on:

• Concrete pavers
• Wet cast products
• Natural stone
• Driveways, garage aprons and outdoor kitchen areas

The limits, straight from the manufacturer:

• Do not use on asphalt or blacktop.
• Not recommended for synthetic oil stains.
• It may damage the seal on sealed pavers. If your surface is sealed, test 4 sq in in a hidden area first.
• Do not use on a wet surface. Use above 40°F with maximum ventilation.

Gator XP is for oil. For rust and fertilizer spotting, use Gator Rust Remover; for general ground in dirt across the whole patio, use Gator Shampoo paver cleaner. Unsure what the stain is? Call (856) 418-4895 before you order.

How to use Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover

These are Alliance's steps. Follow the label directions and the current data sheet.

1. Shake the bottle and apply over the stain, extending about 1 in past its edge, at roughly 1/8 in thick.
2. Let it dry completely to a powder, 12 to 24 hours depending on temperature, humidity and ventilation.
3. Sweep the powder up. If it is still dark, give it more ventilation and let the remaining moisture evaporate.
4. Repeat if the stain persists, scrubbing with a hard bristle brush between applications.
5. Rinse the residue away with water.

Why oil stains come back

A stain that reappears a week after cleaning was never fully removed. What came out was the surface layer, and capillary action pulled the rest back up. The product page's advice:

• Deep stains often need two or three applications. That is normal, not a product failure.
• Warmth and ventilation speed the drying, and therefore the lifting. A cold, damp corner takes far longer.
• Fresh spills come out far more easily than one that has been baking in all summer.
• Once the stain is gone, sealing the surface stops the next one soaking in. Browse our paver and stone sealers and read how to clean pavers before sealing and how to seal pavers.

For more on dealing with oil on hardscape, see our article on how to bring pavers back after oil and grease stains.

How much Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover you need

Alliance puts coverage at about 6 sq ft per quart. The figure is small because Gator XP is applied thickly, at 1/8 in and extending 1 in past the stain, as a poultice rather than sprayed. Measure each stain plus that 1 in border, add them up, and remember that deep stains often need two or three applications.

For a single small drip, or to test on a sealed surface first, we carry a Gator XP Oil and Grease Remover 8 oz sample. For several stains or a large one, call (856) 418-4895 and we will help you work out quantity.

Local? Call (856) 418-4895 first and pick up at our Williamstown, NJ warehouse (1287 Glassboro Road). It is a warehouse, not a walk in store. Details are on our local pickup page.

Safety and storage

• Use above 40°F (4°C) with maximum ventilation.
• Do not use on a wet surface.
• Store above 32°F (0°C), so keep it from freezing over winter.
• Follow the label directions and the precautions on the Alliance data sheet.

Watch the manufacturer's video

Frequently asked questions

How does Gator XP remove oil from pavers?

It goes on wet and dries into a powder, drawing the oil up out of the paver pores as it does. You sweep the powder away and the oil goes with it.

Do I need to scrub or rinse?

Not in the normal case. Alliance lists no scrubbing and no rinsing among the features. Stubborn stains may need a scrub with a hard bristle brush between repeat applications, and residue is rinsed away with water at the end.

How long does it take?

12 to 24 hours to dry fully to a powder, depending on temperature, humidity and ventilation.

Can I use it on asphalt or on synthetic oil?

No to asphalt: Alliance excludes asphalt and blacktop. It is also not recommended for synthetic oil stains.

Can I use it on sealed pavers?

It may damage the sealer. Test a 4 sq in hidden area first.