Cleaners, etc.
Cleaners, etc.
Get someone else to do it.
I start out with the citrus type engine cleaners first with a pressure washer or wand type carwash. They are easier on you, the car and your yard. If it's really bad move up to something more aggressive. One thing to keep in mind is that the paint under the hood is a LOT thinner than the paint on the body. You can rub through it very easily. Go slow using the least agressive cleaners first then stepping up if they aren't doing the job.
Shotgun
I prefer to do this type of cleaning at the quarter car wash rather than my own diveway. If it is really dirty it can really make a mess. Mostly I too use the foamy citrus based cleaners with good results.
I don't like using any acidic cleaners - including orange stuff.
I use kerosene in a spray bottle and an army of small brushes and rags. Then wash that off with diluted detergent and water. Then some 303 Aerospace Protectant on the plastic parts and Gibbs penetrant on any aluminum parts.
jrw1621 wrote: I prefer to do this type of cleaning at the quarter car wash rather than my own diveway. If it is really dirty it can really make a mess. Mostly I too use the foamy citrus based cleaners with good results.
Quarter car wash FTW - I did my 944 there last night as a matter of fact. I don't know if it will run any better but it sure will be nicer to work under there without the yellowjacket nests, mouse nest and years of accumulated dirt.
I used Gunk brand engine degreaser/cleaner in the driveway once and learned my lesson - it made a nasty mess in the driveway that took longer to clean than the motor did and the car stank like that cleaner for the rest of the time I owned it.
I like the purple cleaners. I think Castrol super clean was the original, but walmart sells a generic one that does the same thing. Spray on, hose off. It makes aluminum look like new.
if you do use a pressure washer, DON'T aim it at any sensors. It will fill connector with water. Don't ask how I know.
my method is easy. go to the dollar store or car parts store and buy two or three cans of the cheapest foamy engine cleaner.
Drive to DIY quarter car wash. Spray all the cans into the engine bay everywhere. let it sit and soak then spend $5 in quarters spraying the crap outta the engine bay with the soapy water pressure washer. rinse at the end.
I have done this for all my cars. I usually finish with some dressing for hoses and the results are always the same:
I open the hood and jaws drop. Literally. no one can believe how clean my cars are. its insane. looks amazing
Once all the heaviest grease is outtathere, I like citrus cleaner or mild detergent and a magic eraser. Wash by hand, small sections at a time, and rinse with low pressure. Using a synthetic chamois or cloth to dry as you rinse will prevent spotting and make it look better than just air drying. Once done, detailing solution is optional depending on your level of commitment.
I go to the car wash and blast the entire engine bay with tire cleaner. Let it sit for a few minutes and then blast with high pressure. There is nothing I hate worse than getting greasy checking the fluids.
I've heard steam cleaners are the best.
Personally I don't really care so I hose it off at the carwash when I think about it (usually once during my ownership of the car) and it works decently.
Except the diesel Mercedes, that had some gunk that just wouldn't come off.
BTW, I have a friend who works for an environmental company doing water studies. So coin wash areas should be better, since they are supposed to properly treat their off water.
If you do it at home, at least make sure the runoff goes to your grass rather than the storm drains.
Pressure washer and purple cleaner.
The Purple Power brand is available at Autozone and Advanced Auto and is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP for how great it is. Spray everything down to get it wet, hit it with the Purple Power, let it sit for probably 5 minutes, keep it wet or it might stain/discolor the paint. Hit it with the pressure washer again.
Only issue I ever had doing this was when I cut through a vacuum line on my Dodge and my cruise control stopped working and my ABS light came on. Fixed the vacuum line and I was back in business. The local car wash does not have nearly as much testicular fortitude as a good pressure washer.
I always use Simple Green to clean my engine bay. I am careful to wrap the more important electrical units up to protect them. Then I spray the engine bay down with Simple Green, paying more attention to the really dirty areas. I wash that off with a hose and see what needs more work. Then I will go through and re-apply SG and scrub the areas that are still dirty and rinse again. I do this about once a year. Between major cleanings I do dry cleanings to help keep it clean and reduce the amount of work required at my next annual cleaning...
Just thought I'd throw out a trick that I picked up from the old man that used to wash/detail bikes at my shop (and which, for all I know, may already be common knowledge): a toilet brush is a wonderful device for cleaning down in crevices and recesses that are otherwise quite hard to reach.
I'd personally recommend a new toilet brush, but hey, it's your car.
alfadriver wrote: If you do it at home, at least make sure the runoff goes to your grass rather than the storm drains.
Not very good advice, especially if you're in a rural area and on a well. This will put any pollutants directly into the water table, regardless of where you are. Storm drains, in almost all areas, eventually end up at the wastewater treatment plants. There are a few areas where storm drains flow directly(untreated) into a body of water, but they are getting rarer because of E.P.A. regulations.
Simple Green, hose, a little elbow grease, then use a silicone spray when clean so the next time is even easier.
minimac wrote: Storm drains, in almost all areas, eventually end up at the wastewater treatment plants. There are a few areas where storm drains flow directly(untreated) into a body of water, but they are getting rarer because of E.P.A. regulations.
Actually, most areas keep storm sewers and sanitary sewers separated. The sudden influx of water from the storm sewers during rainstorms can overload the wastewater plant and screw up the treatment process. Some older systems still have them interconnected, but those communities are usually trying to separate them if they can get the money.
alex wrote: Just thought I'd throw out a trick that I picked up from the old man that used to wash/detail bikes at my shop (and which, for all I know, may already be common knowledge): a toilet brush is a wonderful device for cleaning down in crevices and recesses that are otherwise quite hard to reach. I'd personally recommend a *new* toilet brush, but hey, it's your car.
Double ditto on the toilet brush trick! $10 at the dollar store will get a good variety of sizes and shapes of brushes. Even the best chemicals and carwash blasting sometimes needs a bit of mechanical manipulation. Another trick is a pack of cheap cotton gloves! Use them like a wash mitt and soak and scrub! Use latex or oven gloves under them if you have sensitive skin.
Bruce
egnorant wrote: Double ditto on the toilet brush trick! $10 at the dollar store will get a good variety of sizes and shapes of brushes. Even the best chemicals and carwash blasting sometimes needs a bit of mechanical manipulation. Another trick is a pack of cheap cotton gloves! Use them like a wash mitt and soak and scrub! Use latex or oven gloves under them if you have sensitive skin. Bruce
toilet brush is win for cleaning wheels too!
A toilet brush was a little too big to get into all the nooks, and crannies on my wheels, so I bought an electric toothbrush.
Toothbrush, preferably not yours 
stuart in mn wrote:minimac wrote: Storm drains, in almost all areas, eventually end up at the wastewater treatment plants. There are a few areas where storm drains flow directly(untreated) into a body of water, but they are getting rarer because of E.P.A. regulations.Actually, most areas keep storm sewers and sanitary sewers separated. The sudden influx of water from the storm sewers during rainstorms can overload the wastewater plant and screw up the treatment process. Some older systems still have them interconnected, but those communities are usually trying to separate them if they can get the money.
Exactly. Storm sewers generally go straight into the rivers. While going through the dirt will eventually get into the water table, the odds of it encountering someting to either decompose or filter it are much higher.
There may be some that treat storm water.
But it's still better to go to a washing store, where they are supposed to clean and recycle their water.
If it's just washing the car, for sure- then it's on the grass.
50-75% hot water and 25-50% purple power or simple green degreaser...or pre-mix it up in a bowl and put it in a microwave then pour it in a spray bottle.
QuicShine 99 works very well too...
+1 on pretty much all of the above. Personally, I tie a bag around the distributor and leave the car running. I don't do the carwash because:
I'm a cheap c*nt, and the only way I'd ever spend $5 on water is if it was laced with some hallucenogenic drug.
I'm not a big fan of 'pressure washing' under the hood. I've never had any bad experiences, but 'chase down the mystery problem' is one of my least favorite games, and I avoid it at all costs.
I feel pressured at the quarter-washes. According to the signs, they really don't want you bringing your own cleaners in there. I can understand that.
They don't serve vodka-tonics at the quarter wash.
After the scrub and de-schmang, which often incudes pulling the harness, fuseblock, etc, etc, out of the way to get to those "hard to reach spots," a little rubbing compound followed by buffing/polishing compound and a light coat of wax does wonders on the "easy-to-see" places. Hoses can be wet-sanded.
A $.99 can of semi-gloss or semi-flat black can make your engine bay look like a million bucks if you're willing to take the time to make it "right." We got a lot of "Ooohs and Aaaahs" under the hood of the s0up-y-turd, but aside from the piece of E36 M3 chinese eBay 'blang' manifold, everything else was rattle-cans and elbow grease.
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