The best way to clean a greasy engine compartment – Jalopnik

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When it comes to cleaning, that screaming engine under the hood deserves the same care as the rest of your car. Your car’s engine and other related components in the engine compartment are a hodgepodge of metal and alloys, wiring, plastic, ECUs and other electronics, making them sensitive to heat, dust, moisture and dirt. In some cases, the engine develops oil leaks due to worn gaskets and seals, which usually leads to an unsightly, oily, greasy mess in the engine compartment.

Your first instinct may be to tackle the debris with a hose and cleaning brush, but remember that the engine compartment contains wiring and electronics. For example, the alternator keeps the battery charged and powers electrical components. Therefore, if the alternator fails, your car will eventually shut down. It turns out the alternator hates water, and flushing it with a hose is like signing an expensive death warrant that could cost hundreds of dollars to replace.

For us, the best way to clean a greasy engine is the waterless route, at least for some areas heavily stained with thick grime. Start by vacuuming in and around the engine compartment to pick up loose dirt, leaves, rodent droppings, and other nasties. Then grab some cleaning wipes to remove the lumps of grease around the engine and repeat if necessary. The final step is to grab a waterless engine cleaning spray, such as the Kraken Bond Engine Cleaner Spray or Zep Cherry Bomb Auto+ Degreaser & Cleaner. Spray liberally, leave on for five to ten minutes and wipe off with a microfiber cloth. Repeat for heavily stained surfaces.

It may be tempting to use dish soap as a homemade alternative to commercial engine degreasers, and concentrated dish soap can be useful for removing grease and grime from engine parts, but there are two problems with this method. First, dish soap can be too harsh on plastic and rubber and worsen their degradation. Second, the sudsy dish soap must be rinsed off with water, which may not be ideal if the area is near sensors, wiring harnesses, and other electronics.

You can use water and dish soap in a pinch, but be sure to rinse or wipe off the liquid immediately. If you still want to use dish soap, you should at least apply a trim restorer. The Slick Products Multi-Surface Shine & Protectant Spray can help restore rubber, plastic and vinyl. For light grease stains and cleaning stains, the Armor All original protective wipes are useful for cleaning plastic and rubber parts under the hood and adding shine. Combined with waterless degreasers, you can safely clean and repair a greasy engine compartment without the risk of damaging the sensors or causing burn faults.