A clean engine bay is important for both function and aesthetics. A well-maintained engine will run cooler and last longer, while a clean engine bay will make your car look better. So you should know how to clean engine bay.

Everyone wants to see their car clean and shiny. Washing your car may be a part of your routine maintenance when we talk about the shine. A clean car always looks amazing and gives a great vibe while driving. But of course, if you want to have this great ride, you should address the grime and dirt from your car or if the engine bay is not exposed to the elements and the dust creeps around the hood and the vehicle’s front end. 

The engine bay is usually the dirtiest part of the car, so it may be the best option to keep it clean. Having a clean engine bay is always an amazing feeling, but it may be hard for you if you do not know how to clean it. So, if your engine bay is looking a little dirty, in this review, you can see the most accessible way on how to clean engine bay without much loss of time.

Why Is It Always Better to Clean Your Engine Bay:

The first important thing you have to know is why your engine bay becomes so dirty. The answer is that it is mainly exposed to the outside elements. For that reason, it may get riddled with much dirt, primarily if your car previously had an oil leak. You may clean your engine bay even in your home if you have access to a water hose and cleaning products. Here are the steps that may help you learn how to clean engine bay:

Schedule

Pick a warm day or low humidity with the wind because the warm weather and the wind may be great for drying your engine bay. Furthermore, choose all the products that you need for cleaning. For example, rubber gloves, dust masks, safety glasses, soapy water, vacuum, etc. 

Cool your car

Before you wash the engine, flip the hood up and leave the engine to cool for a few minutes because the hot engine components may not only burn you, but some rapid contraction may also damage them with water.

Removing

You have to remove the negative terminal from the battery and any plastic covers under the hood because this might be very helpful in protecting the electrical components from getting some damage if they get wet. 

Covering

If you have any plastic bags, they may help cover sensitive electrical components like the battery, engine control unit, and ignition wires. In case there may be an exposed engine air intake under the hood, it may be better if you cover it. But if you work very carefully with your rinsing, then you can avoid this. 

Degreaser

Spray the entire engine bay with a degreaser. You may usually find a degreaser at your local auto store. No matter which one, any degreaser may work, whether it is a purpose-made engine or a kitchen cleaner. Simple Green may be the best one because of its eco-friendly formula. 

Scrubbing

The scrub depends on how dirty your engine bay is. You may scrub the engine using a small brush with a soft bristle to clean all extra contaminated parts. If it is needed, you may add more degreaser to clean.

Rinse the engine

Rinse the engine with the water hose. Mostly, you can use it in a light setting. Moreover, you may use the sprayer at your local car wash. Rinse all compartments and wash from back to front. Try to always spray much water into areas that can not dry quickly and try not to spray electrical components directly. 

Related: How to Clean Car Windows

Dry

Try to dry the engine by using a microfiber towel. Also, if you have compressed air, you may blast air in the crannies and nooks to remove the excess water. This may help remove the water and any remaining grime. 

Replace

Try to reinstall the negative terminal on the battery and then remove the bags that cover the electrical components. 

Repeat regularly

Do this process often because it may help to keep your engine bay to stay clean. With these steps, your engine will always look clean and shiny so that you can ride happily anytime. 

Engine Components to Protect

If you have a chance, it may be better to check the IP rating of electric enclosures in your engine bay area, but if not, assume they are less than IP5, and you can cover them with plastic bags. 

• IP1- Dripping water protection
• IP3- Spraying water
• IP4- Splashing
• IP5- Water jets
• IP6- Powerful water jet
• IP7- Water immersion

Cleaning Your Engine Bay Without Water

Free-flowing water is an excellent resource, but sometimes you may find it in a situation where you do not have access to a hose. For this reason, you may utilize Torgue Detail Waterless Detailer to lightly clean and condition your engine bay. It may not provide you with the exact same result as a complete engine bay detail with flowing water, but it is something to remove the majority of the grime and dirt that is assumed while simultaneously conditioning your rubber, plastics, and painted pieces. 

Conclusion

In this review, we tried to help you learn the most accessible ways how to clean engine bay. Cleaning your engine is a time when you may inspect areas and parts you usually can not see. So, getting in-depth with the drivetrain, braking, suspension, and all structural components may be a prime time to recognize any fault and fix all problems before they leave you stranded. 

Learning how to clean your engine may save you money as well. With the methods we reviewed, you may be able to get a safer and smoother ride while lessening pollution in the environment and lowering the risk of any damage. It is important to remember that you have to do this work with caution since you are dealing with some delicate parts. After reading this review, we hope that it helped you learn how to clean your engine bay, so you can very easily do it by yourself and spend your money and time.