How To Clean The Undercarriage Of A Car At Home
Removing dirt and grime from the undercarriage of a car at home is simple and takes less than 10 minutes. All you need is a flat area to work, a pressure washer, and an undercarriage cleaning attachment.
If you live in an area where salt is used to combat ice in the winter, learning how to take care of your car’s undercarriage properly is essential to its longevity.
Even with regular use in areas with no ice and snow, the undercarriage can rust and cause major problems down the line that make the vehicle inoperable.
Check out this video for an excellent DIY undercarriage cleaning solution at home:
At Home Undercarriage Cleaning Essentials & Steps
What you’ll need:
For severe cases of oil build-up, using an exterior car soap or degreaser is beneficial, but this will be covered later on.
Steps To Cleaning An Undercarriage At Home:
- Begin by getting a visual of the car’s undercarriage. This may require you to lay down alongside the vehicle, but it will give you a reference for when you are done cleaning.
- Using the pressure washer wand, clean the wheel wells of the car, along with the brake calipers and accompanying components. Simply run the powerwasher over these areas until the water runs clean.
- Once the wheel wells are cleaned, attach the powerwasher undercarriage attachment. Using swift strokes, run the extension underneath the vehicle, working from front to back. Do this until the water dripping from the undercarriage is clear.
- Assess the cleanliness of the undercarriage by getting a visual look. If there are areas that need more attention, use the powerwasher to eliminate the grime.
If your undercarriage has visual signs of oil that need to be cleaned, continue with the following steps.
How To Clean Oil From The Undercarriage Of Your Car
Cleaning oil from the undercarriage of your car before it seeps into your driveway will save you hours of work.
What you will need:
- Begin by immediately applying the car soap to the oil-stained area using a rag. Using the pressure washer on oil will do nothing but spread it around if it isn’t broken down first.
- Allow the soap to sit for ten minutes.
- Once the time is up, attach the powerwasher undercarriage attachment. Using swift strokes, run the attachment underneath the vehicle, working from front to back. Do this until the water dripping from the undercarriage is clear
- Assess the cleanliness of the undercarriage by getting a visual look. If the oil is still present, repeat this process until it is no longer visible.
Note: If the oil stain seems to be re-appearing, you may have an oil leak. Take your car to a shop immediately.
How To Clean The Undercarriage Of A Classic Car
The same steps detailed above can be used clean a classic car. Some older cars have fragile paint that a pressure washer would tear through, so use extra caution when getting near the edge of the undercarriage.
If the classic car is kept in mint condition, all that may be needed is a quick pass with the undercarriage attachment.
Car Cleaning FAQ and Solutions
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