The engine compartment of a car is often overlooked when it comes to cleanliness as it can be considered “non-essential” and the fact that the vast majority of the time no one can see under the hood means that it is often pay little attention. to it compared to other areas. However, cleaning the engine compartment and keeping it clean should be considered, for several important reasons.
Under the hood/hood are a number of components that can get very dirty very quickly due to the location of these parts and the nature of the things they do. Keeping your engine compartment clean ensures that excess grease, oil and dirt does not collect or collect on and around important or sensitive parts. Components critical to the operation of your car will perform better and be more reliable if they are kept clean and maintained.
Just like washing your car, cleaning your engine bay helps you ‘get to know’ it and that means you can catch any potential problems before they have a chance to develop into something more serious. For example, cleaning while noticing any loose plugs or connections, corroded contacts, worn or damaged pipes, or fluid/oil leaks. All of these things can potentially lead to more serious and costly problems later in your car’s life if neglected and allowed to develop.
There is also the important factor of resale value. Keeping your engine bay clean is sure to help with your car’s resale value and will look good on it to potential buyers, especially if other similar cars they’ve seen were dirty and neglected. A clean engine compartment suggests that the rest of the vehicle has also been properly maintained and treated with care over its lifetime.
Once the engine bay has been thoroughly cleaned, it shouldn’t need proper cleaning again for a good period of time. When regularly washing your vehicle, excess water should be blotted from the lids and similar under-hood/bonnet areas and a general wipe down of major surfaces to keep them looking fresh and in good condition. A good idea of when to deep clean your engine compartment would be to do it when your car has just been serviced.
The most important thing to consider when cleaning the engine compartment is that any important or sensitive components are covered with a suitable material to prevent water penetration. This would include parts like the alternator, fuse box, battery terminals, air intake, and any electrical plugs and connections. A shrink wrap or cling film type product is a good choice as it is thin, transparent and can be worked around difficult areas quite easily to provide an airtight seal.
The primary product required for cleaning would be a designated engine compartment cleaner or a diluted all-purpose cleaner that can be used to clean all areas. Soft-bristled detail brushes should be used to work with cleaning products in hard-to-reach areas and ensure dirt, grease and oil are effectively removed from surfaces.
To rinse the engine compartment, you can use a pressure washer, but be sure to use it on a light pressure setting if possible, or you can use a hose with a suitable light spray nozzle. In any case, although the sensitive parts should have been covered, it is very important to ensure that you do not excessively wet the engine compartment or drive water into and around these sensitive areas.
Microfiber towels should be used to effectively dry all parts of the engine compartment as much as possible after cleaning.
Microfiber or sponge applicator pads can be used to apply dressing or protective products to plastic and rubber components and also to apply a normal paint polish or designated chrome/metal polish to applicable parts, if required.
Fine wire wool may be required when polishing metal details to help remove ingrained oxidation or dirt, and again, microfiber towels should be used to remove polishing residue.